Health Benefits of Fenugreek Seeds

Josephine Bernice

25 Oct, 2023

Health Benefits of Fenugreek Seeds

One of the first known medicinal herbs, fenugreek has been used for centuries in Ayurvedic and Traditional Chinese medicine for its health-promoting qualities. Specifically fenugreek seeds have been used medicinally to treat a variety of illnesses, including excessive cholesterol, diabetes, poor libido, and problems producing breast milk.

Whether you intend to use fenugreek seed supplements for natural healing purposes or add these seeds to your salads and stews, this potent herb is well worth your attention and a great addition to your wellness schedule.

What Are Fenugreek Seeds?

Fenugreek (Trigonella foenum-graecum) is a medicinal plant that belongs to the Fabaceae family, it is used extensively in various parts of the world as an herb, food, spice and therapeutic agent.

Fenugreek seeds are particularly popular and commonly used in kitchens throughout India. The seeds are also ground or pressed to make extractions for medicine.

Fenugreek Seeds contain:

Flavonoids

Terpenoids

Phenols

Proteins

Saponins

Tannins

The numerous health advantages of fenugreek seeds are attributed to this wide range of phytoconstituents. In order to improve the nutritious value of the food, the seeds are even used for food production in Africa.

Fenugreek seeds have been used for centuries in medicine to treat a variety of illnesses. In addition, they have been used as hepatoprotective, antibacterial, antifungal, anticancer, anti-inflammatory, and antioxidant agents.

Also, they are cooked and added to meals for their lightly bitter taste, looking like celery or maple syrup.

The herb's seeds are the section that is used most frequently. Usually, the seeds are pulverized and dried, or fenugreek oil is extracted.

Benefits

1. Reduce Blood Sugar

An International Quarterly Journal of Research in Ayurveda showed that after five months, patients with type 2 diabetes could drastically lower the level of their fasting blood glucose with simply including fenugreek seeds in their diet.

Each day, 10 grams of fenugreek seeds soaked in hot water were given to the experimental group; the placebo group got nothing. Researchers came to the conclusion that exercise, diet control, and the simple supplemental addition of fenugreek seeds can all work in concert to reduce fasting glucose.

Fenugreek seeds have been shown in other experiments to have possible anti-diabetic properties. Patients with prediabetes have seen a decrease in the occurrence of type 2 diabetes when they supplement with seeds.

2. Fight Metabolic Syndrome

According to an article that was published in Scientific Reports, fenugreek consumption affects the gut microbiota and may have an impact on body weight by lowering high cholesterol, or hyperlipidemia, which is brought on by a high-fat diet.

According to reports, fenugreek's effectiveness for metabolic syndrome may stem from its capacity to slow down digestion and prevent intestinal glucose absorption, which lowers inflammation and cholesterol.

3. May Improve Cholesterol

Fenugreek seeds significantly lowered the quantity of cholesterol and triglycerides, according to a study published in Obesity. According to the results of the mouse study, fenugreek lowers LDL cholesterol and fat formation, suggesting that it may be used to treat high cholesterol and related metabolic problems.

4. May Have Anticancer Effects

Fenugreek seeds can cause apoptosis due to their chemical components, which have been shown to have anticancer features. Additionally, research has shown that the herb affects human breast cancer cell lines in a dose-dependent manner.

5. Aid Digestion

Fenugreek's water-soluble fiber eases digestive problems like upset stomach and constipation. According to research, fenugreek's fiber helps the body eliminate toxic substances and slow down digestion.

Additionally anti-inflammatory and potentially ameliorative for inflammatory gastrointestinal disorders such as ulcerative colitis are fenugreek seeds.

6. Hair Growth

Fenugreek seeds are used as a natural remedy for hair loss or improve hair growth. They also have a use in preventing and treating dandruff. More so, they make hair follicles healthier. For maximum benefits, you can eat fenugreek seeds or apply their extracts on the scalp.

7. Promote Breast Milk Production

It has been shown that fenugreek seeds function as a galactagogue, stimulating the production of breast milk. Fenugreek seed extracts can boost milk production in women with low milk supply.

It is advised that you consult with an expert in breastfeeding prior to utilizing herbs to promote more milk production.

8. Can Improve Exercise Performance and Stamina

It is well known that fenugreek helps regulate hormones, especially in cases of male impotence. It is applied to decrease cholesterol and increase lean body mass.

Because the fatty acid content is used as an energy source, it also aids in improving endurance.

Studies on fenugreek for men reveal that supplementing with seeds significantly reduces body fat without compromising muscle strength. Because of this, the seeds can be useful for men when doing resistance exercise.

Other traditional Uses

Traditionally, fenugreek has been used as a culinary and medicinal herb.

The seeds have a strong aroma and bitter taste. They can be baked for a milder taste, ground and made into supplements, or consumed in extract form.

Some of the most common ways to use fenugreek seeds include:

Physical endurance: Supplementing with fenugreek seed may help improve exercise performance and decrease body fat.

Digestion: Take fenugreek seed powder or supplements to help ease digestive issues like constipation and upset stomach.

Inflammation: Fenugreek supplements, tea and extracts can be used to reduce inflammation. You can also use extracts topically for inflammatory skin conditions, like acne or irritations.

Cholesterol: Drink fenugreek tea or use fenugreek capsules to help reduce high cholesterol levels and fight metabolic syndrome.

Breast milk production: Using fenugreek supplements or tea may help with breast milk production, especially in the days immediately following childbirth.

Unproven Remedies

While there are many animal and human studies on the efficacy of fenugreek seeds, some traditional uses for the herb have been unproven by research. This includes fenugreek’s use for health issues including:

Gout

Wound healing

leg ulcers

Sciatica

Obesity

Cancer

Reproduction

Risks and Side Effects

Fenugreek can be allergenic to some people, especially people who have a known peanut allergy. It is also not recommended that you use fenugreek when pregnant because there is not enough research on its safety.

Before using fenugreek for breast milk production, reach out to a lactation consultant or your health care advisor first.

Summary

For thousands of years, fenugreek has been used as traditional medicine.

The seeds from the plant are used for medicine to improve or prevent health issues related to cholesterol, inflammation, poor digestion and hormonal imbalances.

Some well-known benefits of fenugreek seeds include promoting breast milk production, boosting physical endurance, relieving constipation, regulating blood sugar and lowering LDL cholesterol.

Best Ways to Use Fenugreek Seeds

1. Boosts Metabolism and Maintains Overall Health:

If one decided to consume fenugreek seed water every morning on an empty stomach, this can regulate metabolism and offer several nutrients and minerals. The seeds can also be ground into powder form and mixed with other spices to add to meals.

2. For Diabetes:

Fenugreek seeds have a low glycemic index, thus are an excellent snack for people suffering from type I or type II diabetes. Eat them as sprouts or simple dry seeds.