Global Courant
Although fenugreek seeds are used extensively in the recipes of Middle and Far Eastern countries, it is not as well known in the West as many other spices.
Not only does fenugreek impart a characteristic flavor and taste to food, but it also has some very important disease prevention properties.
In traditional medicine, fenugreek is used to treat a number of conditions, including diabetes, sore throats, and in poultices used to treat ulcers and abscesses. Recent research on the medicinal properties of this spice suggests that it is important not only as a preventative for chronic diseases such as diabetes, but also for improving normal physiological processes, especially related to athletics.
performance.
As with most herbs, it is high in antioxidants and anti-inflammatory compounds such as apigenin,
genistein, kaempferol, quercetin, rutin, selenium and superoxide dismutase. It also contains compounds such as trigonelline that have been shown to prevent the degeneration of nerve cells in neurodegenerative diseases.
Medicinal properties of fenugreek
Cardiovascular disease and blood lipids
Fenugreek has a strong modulating effect on blood lipid levels and can significantly reduce the risk of atherosclerosis. In diabetics, who usually suffer from a lipid imbalance, it has demonstrated a remarkable ability to lower cholesterol, triglycerides and LDL levels while increasing HDL levels. Another property of fenugreek is the reduction of platelet aggregation, which in turn dramatically reduces the risk of abnormal blood clotting associated with heart attacks and strokes. Like most herbs, fenugreek is also high in important antioxidants and has the added benefit of protecting other dietary and internally produced antioxidants from free radical damage. This has important cardioprotective benefits and helps to strengthen the body against a range of other chronic conditions.
diabetes
Fenugreek, which has an antidiabetic effect similar to cinnamon, is one of the most valuable spices for the control of glucose metabolism and thus the prevention and treatment of type II diabetes.
Due to its many properties, it helps in the prevention and treatment of diabetes in several ways.
Fenugreek works in a similar way to the common antidiabetic drug glibenclamide, lowering cellular insulin resistance and regulating blood glucose homeostasis. It has been shown to lower type II diabetes blood glucose levels by as much as 46 percent.
It also increases levels of several important antioxidants and reduces the harmful oxidation of lipids associated with diabetes.
As an added bonus, fenugreek seeds are very rich in a type of dietary fiber that modulates postprandial blood glucose levels by slowing the absorption of sugar in the gut. This mucus-like fiber also reduces the absorption of fat and cholesterol from the gut, providing additional protection against heart disease and obesity.
Stare
Fenugreek is also effective against diabetes-related cataracts that are common in diabetics. The enzymes that control the uptake of glucose into the lens of the eye do not function normally in diabetics and as a result, glucose and its metabolites, fructose and sorbitol, accumulate in the lens tissue. The lenses of diabetic patients are also sensitively damaged by enzymes that normally protect against destructive free radicals, and a combination of these factors leads to the gradual clouding of the lens known as cataract. Since fenugreek has been shown to both partially reverse metabolic changes in the lens and reduce cataract density, it is likely to be even more effective as a prophylactic against cataract formation in diabetics.
Alzheimer’s and other neurodegenerative diseases
Fenugreek contains the compound trigonellene which has been shown to stimulate brain cell regeneration. This property has spurred further research to see if it can help prevent diseases such as Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s.
Sport
One of the major difficulties faced by athletes participating in endurance events is maintaining a readily available energy supply in the body. To achieve this, the carbohydrate stores in the muscles, in the form of glycogen, must be continuously replenished. An event lasting more than an hour and a half depletes glycogen stores, and for the remainder of the event the athlete must rely on external energy sources, such as high carbohydrate drinks, which are inferior to glycogen as an energy source. Post-event glycogen resynthesis is also very important, and the two hours immediately after prolonged exercise is the crucial time for this process to take place.
Fenugreek has been shown to have a strong effect on glycogen replenishment; increase post-event resynthesis by more than 60 percent in some endurance athletes. While its effects on glycogen resynthesis during an event have yet to be tested, fenugreek is likely to show a similar beneficial effect during and after exercise.
Hormones
Fenugreek is one of the richest sources of phytoestrogens and is therefore a very useful spice for women with low estrogen levels. Phytoestrogens are also thought to help protect against certain types of cancer, and it is entirely possible that fenugreek has anti-tumor-inducing effects if this property is investigated in the future.
Selenium
Fenugreek is one of the richest sources of selenium, one of the most important antioxidant micronutrients. When consumed regularly, selenium appears to have a protective effect against a range of cancers, including those of the colon, lung and prostate. Recent evidence also shows that selenium helps prevent the progression of HIV and other chronic viral diseases.
While other spices such as chillies and cinnamon are making culinary and medicinal headlines, the research on fenugreek shows us that this spice has health benefits comparable to or even superior to those of the better-known spices.
However, it is important to realize that synergy between different herbs improves the bioavailability and efficacy of their respective bioactive compounds. Therefore, to take full advantage of fenugreek, it is important to use it with other common herbs, both in the prevention and treatment of diseases.
Fenugreek – fights diabetes, heart disease,
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