Fenugreek is not a common herb that you may know about. Its botanical name is Trigonella foenum-graecum . Fenugreek is a clover-like herb native to the Mediterranean region, southern Europe, and western Asia. Its seeds, which smell and taste like maple syrup, have been used in cooking and as medicine. Fenugreek is used as an ingredient in spice blends and a flavoring agent in foods, beverages, and tobacco. I feel most individuals have heard of fenugreek due to its effect on boosting testosterone and increasing milk production during lactation.
In the herbal world it has many medical benefits. I use it to lower blood sugar when combined with other herbs as bitter melon, and cinnamon , It useful when combined with chromium , vanadium and alpha lipoic acid.
A recent study used fenugreek as a lipid lowering herb in patients with Type II diabetes. These authors conducted a randomized, controlled trial to investigate the effects of a fenugreek seed powder solution on the lipid profile of patients newly diagnosed with type 2 diabetes. This study was published in the HerbalGram of the American Botanical Council in July 2020. There were significant improvements seen in total cholesterol, triglyceride, LDL-C, and HDL-C levels (P < 0.001 for all). There are many herbs that should also be studied along with fenugreek.
The authors conclude that the fenugreek seed powder solution "had pronounced effects in improving lipid metabolism in type II diabetic patients with no adverse effects" and "may provide new alternatives for the clinical management of type II diabetes."
Until tomorrow…