Fenugreek: Uses in medicine as well as increasing your beauty
This bittersweet herb of Mediterranean origin can be used in cooking, aiding health and has lots of therapeutic and aesthetic uses too.
Useful properties of fenugreek in beauty
- Rich in antioxidants, which help to rejuvenate and repair damaged or weakened tissues.
- Helps you lose weight.
- Great for preventing hair loss as well as strengthening your hair. Here the leaves are used to make poultices applied to the scalp, but the little seeds are also used in salads, juices or smoothies.
Useful properties of fenugreek in health
- Helps to treat diabetes.
- A great stimulant.
- Prevents and combats intestinal parasites.
- Effective anti-inflammatory.
- Very useful in treating any kind of kidney problems, kidney pain, weakness and infections, and helps prevent stone formation, as it reduces calcium oxalate levels in these organs.
- Useful in cases of excess phlegm, coughing, bronchitis and lung problems as it has expectorant properties.
- Stimulates lymphatic drainage, removing toxic and harmful substances from the lymph nodes.
- Is used to treat constipation as it has very effective laxative properties.
- Helps in cases of weak liver, due to its hepatoprotective and diaphoretic properties.
- Can help skin problems: in cases of sensitive skin, infections and dermatitis.
- Assists in reducing bad cholesterol (LDL) in the body.
- It helps control sugar levels in type 2 diabetes cases.
- Contains amino acids that promote insulin production.
- Stimulates uterine contractions in labor (so it should not be consumed during pregnancy, only in the final moments of delivery).
- Has anticoagulant properties.
- Very effective for weight loss because it helps reduce adipose fat tissues.
- Helps fight colon cancer.
Useful properties of fenugreen in women
- Helps women in the breast feeding phase to produce more and better milk.
- Has high levels of phytoestrogens.
- Combats and relieves menstrual pain and symptoms of the menopause
- The plant is considered an aphrodisiac as it stimulates the libido.
- Rejuvenates the skin.
- Vitalises tissues and the immune system.
How to use fenugreek
Indigestion, gas and belching: Eat a teaspoon of these seeds before meals, or add to salads or juices.
Type 2 Diabetes: In a glass of almond milk or oat milk, mix two teaspoons of fenugreek and blend with papaya and lemon juice. Do not add any sugar. Drink daily in fasting for 3 months.
Stomach pain and cramps: in a glass of peppermint infusion (stomachache) or cinnamon (menstrual cramps) add a teaspoon of powdered fenugreek and a slice of fresh ginger. Blend and drink fresh.
Sinusitis, sore throats, ulcers, laryngitis, excessive mucus, coughs, runny noses and yellow phlegm: Boil several orange peels in two cups of water, along with the juice of two lemons, a piece of ginger and a spoonful of fenugreek seeds. Boil for 5 minutes, turn off and set aside. Drink during the day or at night. Do not sweeten with anything.
In the case of laryngitis, hoarseness, sore throat or renal infections (cystitis): Boil half an onion and two garlic cloves in a litre of water for 10 minutes. Turn off and let stand for 5 minutes, adding two teaspoons of fenugreek. Drink during the day.
Skin problems, aging skin, acne, dermatitis or pimples: Mix a slice of aloe vera and a tablespoon of fenugreek in a glass of freshly made carrot juice. Drink at midday.
In cases of skin ulcers, burns and dry skin: Apply a paste made of fenugreek leaves and jojoba oil. Boil a cup of leaves in a glass of water and then mixed well with 7 drops of jojoba. Applied directly on the skin as a poultice.
To make hair grow: Use the same infusion of boiled leaves but mix with a cup of yogurt, two tablespoons of olive oil and fenugreek. Massage well into the scalp with your fingertips.
Weak liver and diabetes: Drink fenugreek infusion with lemon juice daily while fasting.
Other uses: Fenugreek leaves or seeds can be eaten in salads, juices or smoothies. You can also develop and produce fenugreek flour and elaborate dishes with it. Its seed is a spice widely used in Mediterranean cuisine.
Nutritional properties of Fenugreek
- It provides vitamins A and group B and C.
- It has minerals such as calcium, potassium, phosphorus, zinc, manganese, magnesium, sodium, selenium and iron, mucilage and fiber.