scored 94/100
Also known as chinese star anise, badian, illicium verum
Star anise is the star-shaped dried fruit of Illicium verum, sharing anise's licorice flavor through high anethole content and serving as the primary industrial source of shikimic acid, the precursor to the antiviral drug oseltamivir.
0.7 g net carbs after fiber.
Representative amounts for this food, not measured for this item. Real content varies widely by variety, ripeness and storage.
These are the scored components, not a sum: the published score also reflects normalisation across the catalog, so the parts above will not add to 94.
Star anise (Illicium verum) is the dried, eight-pointed fruit of an evergreen tree native to southern China and northern Vietnam. Though botanically unrelated to anise seed, it tastes nearly identical because both are dominated by anethole, which makes up the bulk of star anise's essential oil and gives it its warm, sweet, licorice character. It is a cornerstone of Chinese five-spice powder and Vietnamese pho, used whole in small amounts to perfume long-simmered braises and broths. Beyond cooking, star anise is the principal commercial source of shikimic acid, the chemical starting material used to manufacture the influenza drug oseltamivir (Tamiflu), though the spice itself is not a medicine. The fruit also supplies linalool and antioxidant flavonoids, and contributes iron, calcium, and magnesium when consumed. A critical safety note distinguishes it from the toxic look-alike Japanese star anise (Illicium anisatum), which is unsafe to ingest; only culinary-grade Chinese star anise from reputable sources should be used. Because it is used by the single star, its calorie density is rarely a dietary factor, and its value lies in aromatic intensity and bioactive volatile oils.
Anethole relaxes gastrointestinal smooth muscle, producing the same carminative and antispasmodic effect as anise seed
Anethole and linalool in the essential oil inhibit microbial growth in laboratory and food-preservation studies
Star anise is the richest natural source of shikimic acid, the synthetic precursor for the antiviral oseltamivir, though the spice is not itself antiviral therapy
Polyphenolic flavonoids scavenge free radicals while iron and calcium support oxygen transport and bone health
Star anise is a cooking aromatic with no circadian dependency; its digestive benefits apply whenever it flavors a meal.
Fasting-compatible
Used by the single star it adds negligible calories to a dish and does not meaningfully affect fasting.
Per 100 g of the default form. Bars show how much higher or lower star anise is than the average across 76 peer foods in this category. Green means a favorable direction; amber means the opposite.
Star Anise is classified as a herbs & spices. Star anise is the star-shaped dried fruit of Illicium verum, sharing anise's licorice flavor through high anethole content and serving as the primary industrial source of shikimic acid, the precursor to the antiviral drug oseltamivir.
Star Anise scores 94/100 in Formulate, making it an exceptional choice. Its strongest contributions come from Iron, Copper, Manganese. The score blends nutrient density, fiber, healthy fats, protein quality, bioactive compounds, and glycemic impact.
Not particularly. A 2 g serving provides about 0.4 g of protein (~1% of the 50 g daily value).
Not really. A 2 g serving provides about 0.3 g of fiber (~1% of the 28 g daily value).
Yes — it fits comfortably in most keto plans. A 2 g serving has about 0.7 g of net carbs (1 g total minus 0.3 g fiber).
Best any time of day. Star anise is a cooking aromatic with no circadian dependency; its digestive benefits apply whenever it flavors a meal.
A typical serving is around 2 g (~7 kcal), based on the FDA's Reference Amount Customarily Consumed for this food category. There's no fixed daily target — most adults benefit from rotating star anise alongside several other herbs & spices sources.
Star Anise pairs nicely with: Pair with fatty braises and pork because the fat-soluble anethole disperses through the dish and the carminative oils aid digestion of rich food; Combine with cinnamon, cloves, and ginger because their warming volatile oils create the classic five-spice and mulling synergy; Use with soy and citrus because the salty-umami and acidic notes balance and lift star anise's sweet licorice aroma; Add to bone broths and stocks because long simmering extracts its fat- and water-soluble aromatics fully.
Encyclopedia entries that supply the same signature nutrients star anise contributes. Click through to see clinical dose ranges, evidence quality, and bioavailable forms.
These are the nutrients star anisecontributes meaningfully toward (≥10% DV per 100 g serving). Click one to see what it does in the body, which supplements concentrate it, and which other foods are top sources.