“I would invite him to dinner of a few, but choice dishes to cover the table at once, which except they would think of anything better, should be a …. dish of fenugreek….”
-William King, 1663-1712. The Art of Cookery,: In Imitation of Horace’s Art of Poetry
Overview
Fenugreek, Trigonella foenum-graecum, has been used for six millennia, according to carbon dating of charred fenugreek seeds found in archaeological sites. The leaves are used as an herb, the seeds as a spice, and the fresh sprouts as a vegetable. Today, it is used to support healthy blood sugar levels as well as to help with arthritis.
What are the known benefits?
Several studies, summarized here, have shown that fenugreek lowers postprandial and fasting blood glucose.
Any other potential benefits?
Studies also shown improvement in lipid profiles.
Any reports debunking these benefits?
The biggest uncertainty in regards to fenugreek is the quality and size of the studies. Centuries of anecdotal reports and decades of scholarly papers say fenugreek probably works, but this study says more and better proof would be nice. The ADA also warns that taken in conjunction with medication fenugreek may cause hypoglycemia. This monograph from UC warns about possible drug interactions.
What is the scientific mechanism at play?
This study http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12683221 suggests mechanism
This is a corporate publication, but even so … http://www.sigmaaldrich.com/life-science/nutrition-research/learning-center/plant-profiler/trigonella-foenum.html
Conclusion
Is fenugreek one of the best natural herbal and spice cures for for diabetes or pre-diabetes, or metabolic syndrome? Read reviews and click here to learn more about fenugreek teas, seeds, extracts, powders and supplements for sale.
References
https://nutritionj.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/1475-2891-13-7 A review of ten studies.
http://ssjournals.com/index.php/ijbar/article/view/1493 THis study found improvements in lipid profiles.
http://scialert.net/fulltext/?doi=rjmp.2012.449.455 This one found fenugreek seeds raised insulin levels in diabetic rabbits.
http://spectrum.diabetesjournals.org/content/22/4/206.full This reviews several common herbal supplements including fenugreek.
http://www.hindawi.com/journals/ecam/2014/259368/
http://www.scopemed.org/?mno=182175
http://www.hindawi.com/journals/jnme/2014/964873/
http://link.springer.com/article/10.1023%2FA%3A1008021618733#page-1
http://www.scielo.br/pdf/bjps/v49n3/v49n3a03.pdf
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12683221 mechanism
http://www.sigmaaldrich.com/life-science/nutrition-research/learning-center/plant-profiler/trigonella-foenum.html from a company, but nevertheless a good section of possible mechanism.
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