Fenugreek - Side Effects, Uses and Benefits

What is Fenugreek, and How Does It Work?

Fenugreek can be described as an annual herb that has small white flowers and leaves. It's part of the pea family (Fabaceae) and also known as Greek hay (Trigonella foenum-graecum).

 

Fenugreek plants are about 2 to 3 feet tall. Seed pods have 10-20 small yellow-brown, pungent, aromatic seeds.

 

Fenugreek seed have a bitter taste similar to celery or maple syrup. They are used in medicine. However, it has a far more pleasant taste when cooked.

 

Fenugreek is most commonly used for its graecum seeds. These are typically dried and ground. 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 extracts are used in cosmetics and soap manufacturing.

 

The book Essential Oils in Food Preservation, Flavor and Safety explains that fenugreek oil and extract have antimicrobial, antioxidant, antitumorigenic, and antidiabetic properties. It is widely grown in India, North Africa and the Middle East.

 

Fenugreek is a gum and emulsifier. This makes it useful for thickening food as well as stabilizing it. It's also used as a spice and flavoring agent in food preparation.

 

Nutrition Facts

One tablespoon of fenugreek leaves contains:

 

35.5 calories

Carbohydrates: 6.4 grams

2.5 grams protein

0.7% of fat

2.7 grams fiber

3.7 milligrams iron (20 percent DV)

0.1 milligram manganese (7 percent DV)

0.1 milligram copper (6 percent DV)

21 milligrams magnesium (5 percent DV)

32.6 milligrams phosphorus (3 percent DV)

0.1 milligram vitamin B6 (3 percent DV)

Health Benefits

Although more research is required to confirm all the benefits of this herb, it has been proven to be beneficial for many health problems. Here are nine of the most proven fenugreek benefits.

 

1. Can Improve Digestive Problems and Cholesterol Levels

The herb can help with many digestive issues, including upset stomach, constipation, and inflammation. Research has shown that fenugreek's water-soluble fiber, which is also found in other foods, can help relieve constipation.

 

It also works to improve digestion and is often incorporated in an ulcerative colitis diet treatment plan due to its anti-inflammatory effects. This herb appears to benefit those with heart conditions, such as hardening of the arteries and high blood levels of certain fats, including cholesterol and triglycerides.

 

It can also be used to treat diabetes. 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. Combats Inflammation Inside the Body

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 problems

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 concluded that "a simple complementary addition of fenugreek seeds can have a synergistic effect along with diet control and exercise on fasting blood glucose."

 

The study involved 10 grams of seeds that were soaked in hot, boiling water daily for patients with type 2.

 

Fenugreek may slow the absorption sugars in your stomach and stimulate insulin. In Traditional Chinese Medicine, the spice is known as a "phlegm mover" and is said to break up stuck energies and cool inflammation within the body.

 

International Immunopharmacology published research that confirmed the anti-inflammatory, antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects of fenugreek. This research also "demonstrated a potential beneficiary effect of Fenugreek Mucilage on adjuvant-induced Arthritis in Rats," suggesting that this herb could be used as a natural arthritis treatment.

 

3. Helps Increase Libido in Men

Some fenugreek uses for men include treating hernias, erectile dysfunction and other male problems, such as baldness. It may also increase testosterone and sexual arousal.

 

While it's best to consult with a physician before using natural therapies for treating disease or improving sexual performance, fenugreek seed powder, fenugreek tea and tablets have been shown to increase sexual desire and performance in men, as well as naturally remedy 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.

 

Through self-evaluation, the participants noted their results with fenugreek, reporting that the fenugreek dietary supplement had a positive effect on their libidos. Ultimately, the study found that fenugreek extract had a significant influence on sexual arousal, energy and stamina and helped participants maintain normal testosterone levels.

 

4. Promoting breastfeeding milk flow

Fenugreek is also beneficial for breastfeeding women with low milk supply. Because it is a galactagogue, it can help increase breast milk production.

 

Galactagogues can be substances that increase milk supply. They stimulate the milk ducts and can increase milk production in as little as 24 hours.

 

While more research is needed to determine the exact efficacy and safety of fenugreek for increased breast milk production, several studies in scientific journals note its use in promoting milk flow.

 

This is a potential benefit of fenugreek seed seeds for women. However, research generally recommends that you seek help from a lactation consultant if you have issues with breastmilk production.

 

5. Helps Treat Wound, Skin and Scalp Issues

Fenugreek has been shown to reduce inflammation. It can also be used externally as an ointment. Research indicates that this reduces external inflammation and can treat:

 

Pain and swelling in the muscles and lymph nodes

Gout

Wounds

Leg ulcers

Sciatica

Dandruff

Eczema

It's important to test the area first to ensure that it does not burn or further inflame the area, however.

 

Fenugreek has hair benefits, too. 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's also used as a flavoring agent in imitation maple syrup, foods, beverages and tobacco.

 

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

 

7. This helps to 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.

 

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

 

The study showed that chronic oral administrations of fenugreek root extract had a significant effect on food intake and motivation to eat. The report also indicated, however, that the treatment does not prevent anorexia nor the decreased motivation to eat.

 

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.

 

Body composition, muscular strength endurance and anaerobic capacity of participants were tested. The creatine/fenugreek group showed significant increases in lean mass, bench press and leg press strength.

 

Study concluded that creatine supplementation with fenugreek oil supplementation had a significant effect on body composition and upper body strength as well as dextrose.

 

This is why it's so good. This is why fenugreek is so good.

 

9. Increases blood sugar

A clinical trial showed that ingestion of fenugreek seeds soaked in hot water shows promise as a complementary therapy in the treatment of type 2 diabetes.

 

Over the course of eight weeks, 11 out of a total of 18 participants consumed fenugreek seeds soaked in hot water, and the remaining seven consumed fenugreek seeds 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 seed is commonly used in cooking and as a folk or traditional remedy for diabetes and loss of appetite, as well as to stimulate milk production in breastfeeding women.

 

To reduce inflammation, it can also be applied to the hair and skin.

 

Here are some of these most common uses for plants:

 

Breast milk production: Fenugreek supplements or tea may help boost breast milk production, especially in the days immediately following child birth.

Digestion: Fenugreek seeds, powders, or supplements may be helpful in reducing digestive problems such as constipation and upset stomach.

Inflammation: Fenugreek extract can be applied topically as a poultice to reduce inflammation and pain.

Cholesterol: Although there is mixed evidence, using fenugreek seed powder or supplements may help reduce high cholesterol levels.

Skin health: Fenugreek seeds or oil can be applied topically for skin improvement and inflammatory disease symptoms.

Hair health: Combine fenugreek and coconut oil to make a herbal treatment for your hair. Massage the mixture into your scalp. Allow it to sit for 5 minutes, then rinse.

Exercise performance: Fenugreek supplementation for eight weeks can improve exercise performance as well as decrease body fat.

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