Fenugreek Seeds – Health, Uses, and Side Effects

The Fenugreek seeds have been used throughout history given the wide range of health benefits it has been providing humankind.

It is one of the most sought after annual herb in Asia and the Mediterranean.

In this blog post, we are going to delve into the world of fenugreek and understand its health benefits, uses, and possible side effects.

So, without wasting even a moment, let’s dive straight into the content.

What is Fenugreek?

The Fenugreek (Trigonella foenum-graecum) is an herb that is taken by mouth to cure a wide range of health problems.

This herb is similar to clover and is native to the Mediterranean region, Asia, and Europe. The seeds are used in many ways.

These can be used while cooking. Fenugreek seeds are also used to make medicine or to hide the taste of medicines.

Have you ever tasted the maple syrup? Well, Fenugreek seeds taste and smell just like that. The leaves of Fenugreek, however, are widely eaten as a vegetable.

Fenugreek has a number of other names like Alholva, Woo Lu Bar, Bird’s Foot, Medhika, Chandrika, and more. Let’s discuss the benefits of using Fenugreek.

Health Benefits of Fenugreek

• Breastmilk Production

Fenugreek seeds when used daily can improve milk production in a breastfeeding woman. However, the pieces of evidence are quite limited.

Some of the earlier research claims to improve the milk volume when fenugreek tea is consumed.

Other research shows that consuming capsules containing fenugreek thrice a day, 5 days after giving birth shows zero effects on breast-milk production.

• Boost Testosterone Level

There have been studies done on 30 college-aged men for 8 weeks receiving 500 mg of fenugreek every day after weightlifting.

This showed a spike in testosterone levels in the group of men who consumed fenugreek. Not just that, this was the group that underwent a loss in fat.

• Control Blood Sugar Level

Fenugreek helps to control sugar levels and fight against diabetes. The fenugreek seeds supplements have been known to affect both type 1 and type 2 diabetes.

Therefore, fenugreek’s role in improving insulin function in the body cannot be ignored. This is partly due to high fiber content in the seeds.

• Reduce Pain During Menstrual Periods

The fenugreek seeds, when consumed thrice daily for the first three days of a typical menstrual cycle, can alleviate the pain in women.

This has also reduced the amount of painkillers involved before. The quantity of fenugreek we are talking about here is 900 mg three times every day.

• Increase Interest in Sex

If a person is suffering from low libido and no testosterone spikes, fenugreek is at his rescue.

Taking a specific amount of fenugreek (generally 600 mg) a day can improve the sex drive of the person in subject and can boost the interest in healthy sex.

• Improve Sexual Performance

Fenugreek has shown great improvements in older men who have started to lose interest in sex. We are talking the same amount we mentioned before i.e. 600 mg.

The fenugreek seeds extract can improve the person’s ability and sex drive.

• Appetite Control

Fenugreek intake has had a great influence in control the appetite of a person.

There have been many researches done over the usefulness of fenugreek seeds in reducing the fat intake in people.

Three studies show that the reduction in fat intake was made possible by fenugreek when consumed for 14 days.

• Cholesterol Control

The health menace cholesterol has caused all over the world is quite evident.

The fenugreek seeds have shown its effectiveness in reducing the cholesterol levels and also triglyceride levels in patients. Here is a research you would want to consider.

• Heartburn

Fenugreek is known to have the same antacid effects of that of premium medications.

Research has been conducted on people with frequent heartburn problems.

The study was conducted for over 2 weeks and fenugreek passed the test by reducing their symptoms.

• Inflammation

However, the usage of fenugreek seeds to reduce the effects of inflammation or to show anti-inflammatory effects has not been determined in humans.

But, the usage of this herb to curb the problem on rats and mice has been well documented.

• Parkinson’s Disease

Research has shown that consuming fenugreek supplements which are precisely fenugreek seed extracts can help curb the symptoms of Parkinson’s disease.

This is possible if the intake is done daily for two times and carried on for 6 months.

• Ovarian Cysts

When it comes to ovarian cysts, the results concluded from multiple researches have been conflicting.

One research shows that consuming fenugreek daily for eight weeks helps to curb ovarian cysts symptoms.

Another research, on the same hand, shows that taking 1000 mg of fenugreek seeds can reduce the size of the cysts and successfully regulate the menstrual cycle.

Side Effects of Fenugreek

To be honest, Fenugreek is a relatively safe herb to be used for health concerns.

But, there have been anecdotes where people have claimed to have side effects like diarrhea and indigestion after using the seeds or products containing fenugreek.

Not just that, people have also experienced a dramatic reduction in appetite which can be disastrous if you are looking to put on weight.

People have also reported experience a strange body odor after using fenugreek. This, however, has not been documented yet.

Studies done on animals suggest that very high doses of fenugreek might lead to DNA damage, reduced fertility, or even neurological problems. There is also an increased risk of miscarriage.

Therefore, we highly recommend you to check with a medical practitioner before using any fenugreek supplements.

Wrapping Up

What do you think about Fenugreek? Have you ever used them before?

We would love to know your take in the comments section! We hope this piece of content brought great value to you.

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