Fenugreek: why you must eat more of this superfood
Nutritionist swears by spice to address diabetes, indigestion, blood pressure and weight issues
Come winter, markets in India are flooded with glossy, emerald green fenugreek leaves that cooks snap up to make healthy and delicious dishes. Known as methi, the ingredient is paired with potatoes to make aloo methi, or kneaded into dough to make fluffy, deep-fried puri bread or crispy paratha – to be savoured with tangy pickles.
My grandmother loved making saag – a gruel of chopped fenugreek leaves and yellow, green and red lentils. Simmered over a slow earthen stove for hours, once cooked it was mashed to a velvety consistency, and served in a bowl with roti or rice.
Granny would also incorporate fenugreek in teatime snacks such as mathri – deep-fried and flattened discs made from refined flour, fenugreek, salt and carom seeds.
Classified in the same family as soy, dried fenugreek seeds, leaves, twigs, and roots are commonly used as a spice, flavouring agent or supplement. Though associated mostly with Indian cooking, the herb is used widely across Sri Lanka, Nepal, Bhutan and in other parts of Asia.
Chef Vivek Rana of The Claridges hotel, in the Indian capital, New Delhi, uses fenugreek to amplify a dish’s taste while making it healthier. He incorporates it in breads, chicken curry and vegetable dishes and creates platters of fenugreek-based dishes.
The spice needs to be used judiciously, lest it overwhelm a dish. “Less is more in the case of fenugreek. Also, to whittle down its bitterness, we always soak it in water first with a sprinkling of salt and then squeeze the liquid out before cooking,” he says.
Fenugreek’s fresh leaves, seeds and powder have been used for centuries by practitioners of Ayurveda – traditional Indian medicine – to address a range of health issues.
According to Ayurveda, fenugreek helps lower blood sugar levels, boosts testosterone and increases milk production in breastfeeding mothers. It may also lower inflammation and help with appetite control.
Regular consumption of fenugreek seeds helps in reducing triglyceride (lipid) levels in the blood and boosts beneficial high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol levels, practitioners say.
Western studies also attest to fenugreek’s health benefits. In a 2017 study, mice fed a high-fat diet with two per cent whole fenugreek seed supplementation for 16 weeks had better glucose tolerance than those who did not receive the supplementation.
In a 2015 study, nine overweight Korean female participants were given either a fennel, fenugreek, or placebo tea to drink before lunch. Those who were given the fenugreek tea reported feeling less hungry and were more easily satiated.
Fenugreek’s history of medicinal use is among the longest of any plant, with roots in both traditional Indian and Chinese medicine systems. The plant is listed for its medicinal qualities in China’s national pharmacopoeia – an official compendium of drugs that the government endorses.
Considered bitter in taste and “heating” in nature, it is used to dispel dampness and cold, and to warm the kidneys.
Nutritionist Reema Hingorani Madhian, who runs wellness clinics in New Delhi and nearby city Noida, says fenugreek is a storehouse of nutrients including folic acid, riboflavin, copper, potassium, calcium, iron, manganese, and vitamins A, B6, C and K.
She lists its benefits as lowering blood sugar levels, improving insulin resistance, reducing polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) symptoms, and aiding in children’s hormonal development.
Include fenugreek in your daily diet for optimal benefits, she recommends.
“Roast a teaspoon of fenugreek seeds and have them with water on an empty stomach. The seeds can also be soaked, boiled and consumed to address diabetes, indigestion, flatulence, blood pressure issues as well as weight and appetite management.”
Fenugreek also plays a key role in maintaining heart health, as it is rich in potassium that counters the action of sodium, thus contributing to a steady heart rate and blood pressure, Madhian says.
Roast a teaspoon of fenugreek seeds and have them with water …
REEMA HINGORANI MADHIAN, NUTRITIONIST
Fenugreek extracts are also used in soaps, cosmetics, teas, spice blends and condiments.
Diosgenin, the natural antioxidant compound in fenugreek, has anti-inflammatory properties that treat acne and moisturise the skin, says Noida-based dermatologist Vandana Malik.
“A face pack made with fenugreek powder and raw milk or curd can smoothen fine lines and brighten the complexion,” she says. Fenugreek seeds also make a good natural scrub, she adds.
For optimal health benefits, the German Commission E – a scientific advisory board of the country’s Federal Institute for Drugs and Medical Devices – recommends a daily intake of six grams of fenugreek.
Ingesting more than 100 grams of fenugreek seeds daily can trigger intestinal distress, nausea and uterine contractions in women. It is not recommended for children under two.
“Fenugreek can also react adversely with a variety of medications. So always consult a healthcare provider before you start consuming it,” Madhian says.