Fenugreek Seeds
Cost per kilo 8,00 €

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Fenugreek is an annual plant in the family Fabaceae, with leaves consisting of three small obovate to oblong leaflets. It is cultivated all across the world and its seeds are a common ingredient in dished from the Indian subcontinent. Some of the common names of fenugreek include greek-hay, mehti, bird's foot, greek-clover, etc.

Fenugreek seeds are tiny and bitter in taste. Toasted gently, they exhibit strongly aromatic and pungent flavor. Traditionally, fenugreek had found use in curing digestive problems and in improving breast milk secretion in the nursing mothers.

Fenugreek is believed to have been brought into cultivation in the Near East and specimens have been recovered from Tell Halal, Iraq, dated back to 4000 BC and desiccated seeds have been recovered from the tomb of Tutankhamen.

Major fenugreek-producing countries are Afghanistan, Pakistan, India, Iran, Nepal, Bangladesh, Argentina, Egypt, France, Spain, Turkey and Morocco. The largest producer however is India.

Fenugreek's dried or fresh leaves are used as an herb, the seeds are used as a spice and the fresh leaves, sprouts and microgreens are used freely in cooking. The cuboid-shaped, yellow to amber coloured seeds are frequently encountered in the cuisines of the Indian subcontinent, used both whole and powdered in the preperation of pickles, vegetable dishes, daals and spice mixes such as panch phoron and sambar powder. They are often roasted to reduce bitterness and enhance flavor.

In Turkish cuisine, fenugreek seeds are using in making a paste known as çemen . Cumin, black pepper and other spices are added into the mixture, especially to make pastirma.

Medicinal Applications:

  • Fenugreek seeds are rich source of minerals, vitamins and phytonutrients.
  • The seeds compose ample amounts of soluble dietary fiber. Due to their mucilaginoud nature, soaking the seeds in water softens their outer coat and turns them slimy. 100 grams of fenugreek seeds provide 65% of dietary fibers
  • Non-starch polysaccharides consitute major portion of this fiber content in the fenugreek seeds. The compounds inside the seeds help lower blood LDL-cholesterol levels by inhibiting bile salts re-absorption in the colon. They also bind to toxins in the food and help to protect the colon mucusa from cancers.
  • Non-starch polysaccharides increase the bulk of the food and speed up bowel movements. These compounds, help assist in smooth digestion and help relieve overall constipation ailments.
  • It has been established that an important amino acid present in fenugreek has facilitator action on insulin secretion. In addition, fiber in the seeds helps lower rate of glucose absorption in the intestines and thus help regulate blood sugar levels.
  • The seeds contain many phytochemical compounds and together, these compounds attribute for the medicinal properties of fenugreeks. Some of the compounds are choline, trigonelline, diosgenin and yamogenin.
  • This prized spice privides an excellent source of minerals like copper, potassium, calcium, iron, selenium, zinc, magnanese and magnesium.
  • It is also rich in many vital vitamins including thiamin, pyridoxine (vitamin B6), folic acid, riboflavin, niacin, vitamin A and vitamin C.
  • Throughout the centuries, the seeds have been used in many traditional medicines as a laxative, digestive and as a remedy for cough and bronchitis.
  • If used regularly, fenugreeks may help control cholesterol, triglycerides as well as high blood sugar (glycemic) levels in diabetics.

Excess intake of fenugreek seeds by pregnant mothers would pose premature childbirth risk in them.

We inform you that we are not doctors but traders. What is written in our online store has a simple informative character and in no way replaces medical science. Always consult your doctor about your health issues.

nutrition facts