Fenugreek - Side Effects, Uses and Benefits

What is Fenugreek, and How Does It Work?

Fenugreek is an annual herb with light green leaves and small white flowers. It's part of the pea family (Fabaceae) and also known as Greek hay (Trigonella foenum-graecum).

 

Fenugreek plants can grow up to two to three feet high. The seed pods are flat, yellow-brown and contain 10-20 small, aromatic, pungent, and aromatic seeds.

 

Fenugreek is often used as medicine because of its bitter taste. It tastes similar to maple syrup, celery, and burnt sugar. When cooked, however, the taste is far better.

 

The graecum seeds, which are usually dried and ground, are the most widely used part of fenugreek. The leaves can be used for cooking.

 

Fenugreek can either be eaten by mouth or made into a paste to be applied to the skin to reduce inflammation. Fenugreek oil can also be used to make soaps and cosmetics.

 

Fenugreek oil and extract are noted in "Essential Oils in Food Preservation, Flavor and Safety" as having antimicrobial, antioxidant, antidiabetic, and antitumorigenic properties. It is cultivated in India, North Africa, Egypt, and the Middle East. It has been used in traditional medicine for centuries.

 

The fenugreek herb acts as a gum and an emulsifier, making it useful as a stabilizer as well as thickening agent for food. It's also used as a spice and flavoring agent in food preparation.

 

Nutrition Facts

One serving -- 1 tablespoon -- of fenugreek seeds contains:

 

35.5 calories

Carbohydrates: 6.4 grams

2.5 grams protein

Fat of 0.7 grams

Fiber: 2.7g

3.7 mgs iron (20% DV).

0.1 milligram manganese (7 percent DV)

0.1 milligram copper (6 percent DV)

21 mgs of magnesium (5 percent DV).

32.6 milligrams phosphorus (3 percent DV)

0.1 milligram vitamin B6 (3 percent DV)

Health Benefits

This herb is known to alleviate many health issues. However, more research is necessary in order to identify and confirm all its benefits. Here are nine of the most proven fenugreek benefits.

 

1. This can help improve your digestion and reduce cholesterol

This herb may help with numerous digestive problems, such as upset stomach, constipation and inflammation of the stomach. Research has shown that fenugreek's water-soluble fiber, which is also found in other foods, can help relieve constipation.

 

It is also known to improve digestion. This herb is often used in diet plans for ulcerative colitis because of its anti-inflammatory benefits. This herb may be beneficial to those suffering from heart disease, such as hardening or high levels of cholesterol and triglycerides.

 

It also shows potential for helping those who are diabetic. In fact, a study out of India showed that administering 2.5 grams of fenugreek supplement twice daily for three months to people dealing with non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus significantly lowered cholesterol naturally, along with triglycerides, without affecting HDL cholesterol.

 

2. The Body Combats Inflammation

Fenugreek helps with inflammation within the body, which is responsible for health issues and diseases like:

 

Mouth ulcers

Boils

Bronchitis

Infection of tissues below the skin's surface

Tuberculosis

Chronic coughs

Cancer

Kidney ailments

This herbal remedy may not only have preventative benefits for these conditions but it is also thought to lower blood sugar. It could be helpful in managing metabolic and nutritional disorders such as diabetes. A 2017 study showed that the simple addition of fenugreek to a diet plan and exercise can have a synergistic impact on fasting glucose levels.

 

Patients with type 2 diabetes were given 10 grams of the seeds, soaked in hot water each day.

 

Fenugreek is believed to slow down the absorption of sugars from the stomach and increase insulin. Traditional Chinese Medicine refers to Fenugreek as a "phlegm moving" spice. It is believed to be able to release stuck energies and reduce inflammation.

 

Research published in International Immunopharmacology studied the anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effects of fenugreek mucilage on arthritic rats and confirmed its power to fight inflammation. The study also showed that fenugreek may have a beneficial effect on adjuvant-induced arthritis in rats, which could indicate that this herb may be a natural treatment for arthritis.

 

3. Helps Increase Libido in Men

Fenugreek can be used to treat erectile dysfunction, hernias and other male issues, including baldness. It may also increase testosterone and sexual arousal.

 

Although it is best to consult your doctor before using natural treatments for treating disease or improving sexual performance. Fenugreek powder, tea, and tablets have been proven to increase the sexual desire and performance of men and to naturally treat impotence.

 

In a study published in Phytotherapy Research, 60 men between the ages of 25 and 52 years with no history of erectile dysfunction were supplemented with either a placebo or 600 milligrams of fenugreek extract per day for six weeks.

 

The participants completed self-evaluations and noted the effects of fenugreek on their libidos. Final results showed that fenugreek extract had a significant impact on sexual arousal, stamina, and energy. It also helped participants maintain normal levels of testosterone.

 

4. Promoting breastfeeding milk flow

Fenugreek can also be used to help breastfeeding mothers who have low milk supply. Galactagogues can boost breast milk production.

 

Galactagogues help increase milk supply. They stimulate the milk ducts, and can boost milk production as quickly as 24 hours.

 

While further research is necessary to determine the exact safety and efficacy fenugreek has for breast milk production, many scientific journals have published studies that show its effectiveness in promoting milk flow.

 

Although this is a potential fenugreek seeds benefit for women, researchers generally recommend that seeking help from a lactation consultant should be your first course of action if you're having issues with breast milk production.

 

5. Helps Treat Wound, Skin and Scalp Issues

Fenugreek can be used externally to treat inflammation and reduce internal inflammation. It has been shown to reduce inflammation in the external environment and may be useful for treating:

 

Muscle pain and swelling, as well as lymph nodes irritation

Gout

Wounds

Leg ulcers

Sciatica

Dandruff

Eczema

It is crucial to check the area before you do anything to it.

 

Hair benefits can also be attributed to fenugreek. Although limited research has been done, it is believed that fenugreek and fenugreek seed paste can be used to enhance hair texture and promote hair growth.

 

6. Adds flavor and spice to food

In foods, fenugreek powder is often included as an ingredient in spice blends, mostly found in Indian fare, such as curried dishes. It is also used in imitation maple syrup, tobacco, foods, drinks, and tobacco as a flavoring agent.

 

You can also use fenugreek leaf in salads. Indian cuisine uses both dried and fresh fenugreek.

 

7. Helps Increase Appetite

Fenugreek's flavor enhancement properties are not the only benefits. It also increases appetite, which is a result of its nutritive and restorative properties.

 

A study published in Pharmacology, Biochemistry, and Behavior was designed to investigate the effects of a fenugreek seed extract on feeding behavior. Experiments were conducted to determine the effects of fenugreek seed extract on food intake and motivation to eat.

 

The results showed that chronic oral administration of the fenugreek extract significantly increased food intake and the motivation to eat. However, the report did not show that the treatment can prevent or reduce anorexia.

 

8. May Enhance Exercise Performance

The Journal of Sports Science and Medicine reports a study on the effects of combined creatine and fenugreek oil supplementation on strength and body composition in men.

 

Forty-seven men who had been resistance-trained were then divided into two different groups based upon their body weight. Each group then took either 70 grams of a dextrose placebo, five grams of creatine and 70 grams of dextrose, or 3.5 grams of creatine and 900 milligrams of fenugreek extract and participated in a four-day-a-week periodized resistance-training program for eight weeks.

 

Participants were assessed on their body composition, endurance of muscular strength and anaerobic capability. The creatine/fenugreek group showed significant increases in lean mass, bench press and leg press strength.

 

The study concluded that creatine combined with fenugreek extract supplementation had a significant impact on upper body strength and body composition as effectively as the combination of creatine with dextrose.

 

Why is this good? This is why fenugreek is so good.

 

9. Increases blood sugar

A clinical trial found that consuming fenugreek leaves soaked in hot water can be a complementary treatment for type 2 diabetes.

 

Eight weeks passed before 11 of the 18 participants ate fenugreek seed soaked in hotwater, while seven others ate fenugreek seed mixed with yogurt. The blood glucose levels of participants who ate the seeds soaked with hot water were significantly lower than those who ate them mixed with yogurt.

 

What is fenugreek, exactly? Dr. Axe

How to Use (Plus Recipes).

Fenugreek has a long history as both a culinary and medicinal herb in the ancient world. Fenugreek is used to cook, stimulate milk production and for traditional remedies such as diabetes and lack of appetite.

 

It's also applied to the skin and hair to reduce inflammation.

 

Here are some of these most common uses for plants:

 

Breast milk production may be boosted by fenugreek or tea supplements, especially after child birth.

Digestion: Fenugreek tea, seed powder or supplements may help aid digestive issues like constipation, upset stomach and loss of appetite.

To reduce inflammation and pain, fenugreek can be used topically as an anti-inflammatory poultice.

Cholesterol: Although evidence is mixed, fenugreek powder or supplementation may be able to lower high cholesterol levels.

Skin health: Fenugreek oil or seed powder can be used topically to improve skin health and reduce inflammatory disease symptoms.

Hair health: Mix fenugreek seeds powder with coconut oil, aloe vera, and massage into your scalp. Let it sit for five minutes and then rinse.

Exercise performance: Although there is mixed research on fenugreek for testosterone levels, supplementing with the plant for eight weeks may improve exercise performance and decrease body fat.

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