Fenugreek
Fenugreek has long been known as a remedy for many diseases. Fenugreek has a number of health benefits, especially for women’s health. These includes increasing milk production in breastfeeding mothers, easing painful menstrual cramps and even increasing sex drive.
Usage
Breastfeeding
Fenugreek increasing milk production in breastfeeding mothers.
Testosterone levels
Fenugreek may also raise testosterone levels in men.
Type 2 diabetes
Fenugreek may be able to help people with type 2 diabetes manage their blood sugar levels.
Traditional Therapy
Egyptians used fenugreek in mummy embalming. It has a history of use in traditional medicines in both India and China, mostly for general weakness, edema, as a lactation and appetite stimulant, and as a quick relief for indigestion issues and fever.
More recently, people used it as a wound treatment and to prevent cellulitis. Therefore, the medicinal use of fenugreek seeds has been evaluated in several human and animal studies, particularly in India and the Middle East.
How to add fenugreek to your diet?
Add to a meal
Add a dash of ground seeds to casserole, cookie recipes or a mayonnaise.
Supplement
Comes in the form of a liquid extract, capsule, and powder.
Fenugreek contains the aromatic compound sotolon, which can cause perspiration and urine to smell like maple syrup after prolonged use
Egyptians used fenugreek in mummy embalming.
In modern Egypt, it’s still added to a bread making.
The use of Fenugreek dates back as far as six thousand years ago.
About
Fenugreek has long been known as a remedy for many diseases. It can be classified as a natural wonder of ancient times when it was extraordinarily praised and appreciated. It is one of the oldest medicinal plants. The healing properties of fenugreek were well known to people, from ancient Egypt to ancient Greece.
It is a plant similar to clover: an annual herbaceous plant that grows up to 50 cm in height. It has a cylindrical stem, branched in the upper part. Fenugreek has pale yellow flowers that bloom from April. The seeds of this plant are collected when it is ripe, which is usually in August. Once collected, it is dried only then it is ready for use, either as a tea, as a spice, or as an ingredient in a cosmetic product.
Composition
The seeds contain a lot of mucus, fatty oil, proteins, fragrant substances, organic compounds with iron and phosphorus, saponins, trigonellines. Of the valuable minerals, it contains copper, iron, magnesium, and manganese. Fenugreek seeds are a rich source of protein, minerals, vitamins, and phytonutrients.
Scientific conclusions made so far suggest that fenugreek can be beneficial in controlling high blood glucose and lipid levels in people with diabetes. Fenugreek's pharmacological potential should be explored further in more extensive studies.
Science
Fenugreek extracts and oils are approved as generally recognized as safe for typical use as a seasoning or flavoring agent by the US Food and Drug Administration.
Side effects that might occur are mainly temporary gastrointestinal discomfort. Intake of this herb appears to be safe at doses typically used in foods to modulate blood glucose and lipid levels.
Safety
Pregnant women should exercise caution because there are reports of the historical use of fenugreek in inducing childbirth. Animal studies confirmed uterine contractile effects. Allergic reactions to this spice have been documented, especially in cases of individuals allergic to other plants of the Fabaceae family.
Fun Facts
Prophet Muhammad said of it: "If you knew the value of this plant, you would pay its weight in gold."
Sources
Kania-Dobrowolska, M., & Baraniak, J. (2020). Trigonella foenum-graecum seeds in treatment of metabolic syndrome (in press). International journal, 66(3).
Sun, W., Shahrajabian, M. H., & Cheng, Q. (2021). Fenugreek cultivation with emphasis on historical aspects and its uses in traditional medicine and modern pharmaceutical science. Mini Reviews in Medicinal Chemistry, 21(6), 724-730.
Recipes
