Fenugreek Seeds for Weight Loss: Are they Really Beneficial?

Do you know what is fenugreek? Have you ever heard of it, or even tasted it? Well, this herb is very beneficial for the health and makes a great addition to many dishes. It can even help you with weight loss! That’s right, the galactomannan (water-soluble heteropolysaccharide) in fenugreek seed is beneficial for losing weight. If you want to learn more about this, keep reading!

What are Fenugreek Seeds?

Fenugreek seed is an annual herb that has light green leaves and small white flowers. It is part of the pea family, or the Fabaceae plant family, and is sometimes referred to as ‘Greek hay.’ The plant can grow up to 3 feet tall, producing seed pods that have 10-20 small, flat, yellowish pungent seeds. Fenugreek has a long history in traditional medicine in India, Egypt, the Middle East and North Africa.

Fenugreek seeds taste bitter, like burnt sugar, but it has a more pleasant taste after it’s been cooked. The seeds are usually dried and ground up to create an herb for additional flavour or spice, but they are also useful as a stabilizer and thickening agent for foods. The leaves can also be used in cooking.

Many cosmetic products and soaps use fenugreek extract. You can eat the seeds directly or use them to make a paste to soothe inflammation.  The oil and extract are known to have anti-tumorigenic, anti-diabetic, antioxidant and antimicrobial properties.

Nutritional Value of Fenugreek Seeds

A 100-gram serving of fenugreek seeds may contain the following essential nutrients:

How do Fenugreek Seeds Help with Weight Loss?

Here are some of the possible reasons why fenugreek seeds aid in losing weight:

1. Fenugreek significantly reduces caloric intake and increase the body’s metabolic rate. Increased metabolism further increases caloric breakdown, which leads to a natural reduction in weight.
2. Fenugreek doesn’t contain any unhealthy carbs. In fact, it contains mild traces of healthy carbs. This automatically prevents unnecessary weight gain.
3. Fenugreek can reduce hunger pangs.
4. Fenugreek has 75 percent water-soluble fiber, which is essential in easing constipation by increasing the body’s metabolic rate.
5. Fenugreek seeds are rich in galactomannan, a healthy type of polysaccharide that triggers the body’s fat and sugar breakdown. This may lead more burnt calories and fewer layers of fat.

How to Use Fenugreek Seeds for Weight Loss

Fenugreek is a famous weight reducing agent, which can even help treat diabetes, high blood pressure and metabolic conditions. Below are some of the best ways to incorporate it into your life.

• Fenugreek and honey. Fenugreek and honey tea is an effective herbal weight loss remedy which may lead to a slimmer waist and a naturally gorgeous figure.
• Fenugreek tea. Not only does this help with weight loss, but it can also help treat diabetes. It even offers other benefits like blood pressure control and digestive help.
• Sprouted fenugreek seeds. Fenugreek sprouts are astoundingly rich in essential vitamins and minerals. Consuming these early in the morning may help you lose weight naturally and improve your overall health status.
• Water soaked fenugreek. Fenugreek water can help you feel full, which will keep you from overeating.
• Warm fenugreek seeds. This may make the seeds a bit more palatable!