* Please Note: This information is based partly on Traditional Medicine which uses natural materials to support health. This information has not been evaluated or approved by the FDA. These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). These products are intended to support general well being and are not intended to treat, diagnose, mitigate, prevent, or cure any condition or disease. If conditions persist, please seek advice from your medical doctor.
Description
Name
Trigonella foenum-graecuin L. (Leguminosae). Commonly called Fenugreek, or Greek hay. In French, it is Trigonelle fenugrec or Fenugrec; in German, Bocksliornsamen, Bockshornklee or Griechisch-Heu.
Source
Dried, ripe seeds are harvested from plants grown mainly in India and Southwest Asia. They have a mealy, unpleasant taste.
History
Fenugreek was grown by the ancient Greeks to feed animals, and Hippocrates recommended it as a treatment for respiratory infections. Fenugreek was introduced into Europe by the Benedictine monks in the 9th century. It was used by the famous Arabic physicians. At the same time, in India and Egypt, fenugreek was cultivated as a food. Europeans added it to inferior grades of hay in order to improve its odor. Seventeenth century physicians believed that if a women who had just delivered a baby would sit over fumes of a heated fenugreek solution, they would deliver the placenta more quickly. During World War II, people began to use it as a coffee substitute.
Traditional Claims
Emollient, vulnerary, expectorant, demulcent and aphrodisiac. Pulverized seeds were used in poultices to treat boils and skin infections. The most frequent traditional use was for the treatment of upper respiratory infections, although it was sometimes also used to treat diabetes.
Commission E Recommendations
Fenugreek is used externally to treat inflammatory skin disease, and internally to stimulate the appetite.
Proven Effects
Claims about treating diabetes appear to have a basis in fact. An amino acid contained in fenugreek seeds, called 4- hydroxyisoleucine, increases glucose-induced insulin release from the pancreas. In clinical trials with diabetic patients, fenugreek supplementation lowered blood sugars and, at the same time, lowered high levels of bad cholesterol (LDL) without affecting levels of good cholesterol.
The ability to lower cholesterol probably has something to do with the saponins (diosgenin and yamogenin) that make up 1-2 percent of the seeds' contents. Saponins combine with cholesterol in the intestines and prevent it from being absorbed. Remedies containing saponins are also effective expectorants.
Claims that fenugreek stimulates the appetite have been validated in animal studies, but not in humans. In the absence of any hard data, it is anyone's guess whether this herb is really an aphrodisiac.
Dosage
For internal use, Commission E recommends 6 grams of powdered dried seeds once a day, alone or in combination with other herbs. For external use, 50 grams of powdered seeds in 250 cc of water, as a bath additive or made into an ointment.
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Directions
Hot tea brewing method: Bring freshly drawn cold water to a rolling boil. Place 1 tea bag for each cup into the teapot. Pour the boiling water into the pot, cover and let steep for 2-4 minutes. Pour into your cup; add milk and sugar to taste.
Iced tea brewing method: (to make 1 liter/quart): Place 5 tea bags into a teapot or heat resistant pitcher. Pour 1 1/4 cups of freshly boiled water over the tea itself. Steep for 5 minutes. Quarter fill a serving pitcher with cold water. Pour the tea into the serving pitcher straining the tea bags. Add ice and top-up with cold water. Garnish and sweeten to taste.
Cautions
Concerns
Allergic reactions, sometimes severe, have been reported. Fenugreek is a member of the Leguminosae family, and plants in this family are more likely than others to cause allergic reactions.
Warnings
Other than unpredictable allergic reactions, no serious toxicity has ever been reported. Fenugreek is a component of most curry powders, and individuals with known allergies to chickpeas (a close relative) may also have allergies to fenugreek.
Drug Testing
Saponins do not cause positive urine drug screening tests, and it is unlikely that any of the other components would either.
Additional Information
TerraVita is an exclusive line of premium-quality, natural source products that use only the finest, purest and most potent ingredients found around the world. TerraVita is hallmarked by the highest possible standards of purity, potency, stability and freshness. All of our products are prepared with the highest elements of quality control, from raw materials through the entire manufacturing process, up to and including the moment that the bottles or bags are sealed for freshness and shipped out to you. Our highest possible standards are certified by independent laboratories and backed by our personal guarantee.
TerraVita exists to meet and ensure your family's health and wellness without the harmful effects or chemicals and prescription medications. We strive to make all of our products affordable and reliable and are constantly searching the market to maintain our affordability and to look for new ways to serve you and the ones you love. TerraVita has become a trusted household name for many families and can bring you and yours the very best herbal supplements, blends, teas and spices that are on the market today.
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ZooScape is proud to be the exclusive distributor of TerraVita teas, herbs and supplements in the United States, Canada and around the world. Please direct all wholesale and bulk inquiries to Simona Heather at 905-494-1785.
These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Products are intended to support general well being and are not intended to treat, diagnose, mitigate, prevent, or cure any condition or disease. If conditions persist, please seek advice from your medical doctor. The essence of the current American rule on Traditional Uses is, as stated by FTC, "Claims based on historical or traditional use should be substantiated by confirming scientific evidence, or should be presented in such a way that consumers understand that the sole basis for the claim is a history of use of the product for a particular purpose."
