Fenugreek is both a herb and a spice. The seeds are used as a spice and the leaves used as a herb.

Fenugreek seeds exert hypoglycemic effects which can benifit dibetes by increasing insulin secretion from the pancreatic cells.

Go to this link to read more on pancreatic diabetes http://care.diabetesjournals.org/cgi/content/abstract/12/10/715

History of treating diabetes with fenugreek:

Fenugreek was an ingredient in Lydia Pinkham’s vegetable compound, which was a marketed as a cure for “female problems”.

Fenugreek is still used for treating many conditions but the best documented are the positive effects on diabetes, although it has been used in this way for centuries as it has been used more recently in controlled studies showing hypoglycemic effects on animals.

Fenugreek has been noted to be more effective on treating diabetes than metformin, which is the most popular anti diabetic drug un the USA.

Cautions:

Although I would usually opt for, and suggest a natural foodstuff , opposed to prescription drugs there does seem to be cause for some caution with this one. I am not suggesting that it may be a good idea for anyone with diabetes to try adding lots of fenugreek into their diet. Especially not recommended for pregnant women due to it’s oxytocic effect which can cause premature births by inducing labour.

Fenugreek is also an anticoagulant so don’t use this spice for medical reasons if you are on any blood thinning medications.

Below is copied from Wikipedia’s

Lydia E. Pinkham’s Vegetable Compound

Of the five herbs in Lydia Pinkham’s original formula:

• Pleurisy root is diaphoretic, anti-spasmodic, carminative, and anti-inflammatory.
• Life root is a traditional uterine tonic, diuretic, anti-inflammatory, and emmenagogue used for amenorrhea or dysmenorrhea.
• Fenugreek is vulnerary, anti-inflammatory, anti-spasmodic, tonic, emmenagogue, galactogogue, and hypotensive.^[12]
• Unicorn Root was used by several Native American tribes for dysmenorrhea, uterine prolapse, pelvic congestion and to improve ovarian function.^[13]
• Black cohosh is an emmenagogue, anti-spasmodic, alterative, nervine, and hypotensive and is used traditionally for menopausal symptoms.^[14]

Of the newer additions, motherwort is a nervine, emmenagogue, anti-spasmodic, hepatic, cardiac tonic, and hypotensive. Piscidia erythrina (Jamaican dogwood) is an eclectic remedy that has been found effective for painful spasms, pelvic pain, dysmenorrhea and ovarian pain.^[15] Licorice is anti-inflammatory, anti-hepatotoxic, anti-spasmodic and a mild laxative. Gentian is a bitter, sialagogue, hepatic, cholagogue, anthelmintic, and emmenagogue. Dandelion is a potassium-sparing diuretic, hepatic, cholagogue, anti-rheumatic, laxative, tonic, and a bitter.^[16]

From a box of her medicine

Lydia Pinkham Memorial Clinic in Salem, MA

(It is often suggested by the alternative medicine community that black cohosh (and a purified version, Remifemin) really do provide relief from symptoms of menopause. A report by the Natural Standard, which performs evidence-based reviews of alternative therapeutics, says:

Black cohosh is a popular alternative to prescription hormonal therapy for treatment of menopausal symptoms such as hot flashes, mood problems, perspiration, heart palpitations, and vaginal dryness. Initial human research suggests that black cohosh may improve some of these symptoms for up to six months. However, most studies are not well designed and results are not conclusive.

The report gives the evidence a “B” rating, “good scientific evidence for this use.”

In a day when the mainstream treatment of these conditions was sometimes surgical removal of ovaries—with a mortality rate of 40%—it can be argued that at the very least Pinkham’s remedy followed the sound medical principle of “first, do no harm.”

Back to my thoughts:

I can well believe that fenugreek could play a part in rectifiying some ” womens troubles “.  when I first started making my fenugreek coleslaw, which some friends have said ” is the best coleslaw they have ever eaten” I can rememver commenting more than once that more hormones seemed to be effected, but it was in an enjoyable way.

My fenugreek coleslaw recipe:

I am sure you can by ready sprouted fenugreek from some health food shops, but I buy the seeds and sprout them at home. Sprouters are fab and one in your kitchen can produce salad all year round.

So, for the coleslaw, in a large bowl toss in a couple of handfulls of fenugreek sprouts, add 1 large red onion very finely sliced, grated carrot and some mayonaise ( hopefuly  made from free range egg’s ).Then just season and toss.

Delicious on a baked tattie or on oatcakes as a snack.

If pregnant and overdue you may wish to have a large bowlfull.