Group · Herbs & spices
Star anise
The badiane, or star anise, is the dried fruit of an Asian magnolia, Illicium verum. Its eight-pointed star and strong aniseed flavour make it one of the most recognisable spices. It is part of Chinese five-spice and traditionally flavours the broth of Vietnamese phở.
In terms of nutrition facts: 337 kcal per 100 g, with 50 g of carbohydrate, 18 g of protein, 16 g of fat and 15 g of fibre. These values come from the US USDA FoodData Central database, because the Ciqual table does not list star anise. The source is shown on the page, as for all our foods outside Ciqual.
Macronutrient breakdown
Nutrition table per 100 g
| Calories | 337 kcal |
| Kilojoules | 1410 kJ |
| Protein | 18 g |
| Carbohydrate | 50 g |
| Fat | 16 g |
| Fibre | 15 g |
Tips
One star is enough, and you do not eat it. It infuses in a hot liquid and is then removed, exactly like a bouquet garni. Its real nutritional contribution is therefore nil, and our recipe calculations count it as 0 g.
It is easy to overdo. Two stars in a broth for four people, and the aniseed overwhelms everything else. Traditional phở uses one or two for several litres, along with cinnamon, clove and ginger.
Dry-toast before infusing. One minute in a hot pan, without any fat, until the aroma rises. It is the step that separates an ordinary broth from one that smells of spice.
It works in sweet dishes too. In stewed apples or a poached pear, it lets you cut the added sugar noticeably: aniseed gives an impression of sweetness that the palate mistakes for sugar.
Do not confuse it with Japanese star anise. Illicium anisatum looks very similar and is toxic. That is reason enough to buy it through ordinary food retail rather than as unidentified loose spice.
Sources
Average nutritional values per 100 g, provided for guidance only (spices and condiments are eaten in small amounts; values vary by brand and preparation).
