In recent years, herbal medicine has become popular again. For the most part, vainly forgotten, but still effective plants given to us by nature are returning to the list of medicinal herbs. The whole world knows about miraculous ginseng. Many have heard about the healing properties of such herbs as St. John's wort, oregano, linden blossom, plantain, and chamomile. Decoctions, infusions of them are often prescribed by attending physicians, supplementing the course of treatment with chemical preparations with phytotherapy. But what can be said about the healing and other beneficial properties of a plant called fenugreek? "What is it?" - most likely will be heard in response.
In Latin Trigonella, and in Russian fenugreek
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The legume family has a subfamily of Motylkov, which includes the genus Fenugreek. The photo is unlikely to remind you of a meeting with an inconspicuous plant in a meadow or in a field. The herb fenugreek got its name from the old Russian word"to pasture" - pasture. Most likely, the plant was named by the shepherds, who watched how the cattle eat thickets with pleasure, especially dried ones. Cows noticeably increase in milk yield. Therefore, zealous owners, preparing hay for the winter, are satisfied if it contains fenugreek stalks. This feature is noted by botanists who gave the name to the most common species - such as hay fenugreek. It has long been known to folk healers as Greek hay or Greek nomad, fenigrekova grass, cocked hat, blue sweet clover, gunba. In countries with natural habitats, fenugreek has been used by people since ancient times, passing on theoretical knowledge and practical skills from generation to generation.
Description of the plant
The life of fenugreek from germination to withering is only one summer. Rounded hollow stem about a meter high, branching at the top. The leaves are small, trifoliate, like a clover, in the axils of which sit umbellate (or racemose), sometimes single yellow inflorescences. Blooms from May to June. Fenugreek hay (all elements of the plant) has a specific smell. Fruits (small light brown prismatic seeds in thin pods up to 10 cm long) ripen in July-August. They taste sweetish with a slight bitterness, nutty aftertaste and aroma.
Where is fenugreek used?
What is this plant and where can I apply it? First, it is healing. Unripe, but more often ripe seeds are used, less often - flowering herb fenugreek. Included in anabolic preparations for sports nutrition. Scientistsproved: fenugreek, the use of which has been used by alternative medicine since ancient times, still has a therapeutic effect today: anti-inflammatory, regenerating, laxative and diuretic, hypoglycemic, anti-sclerotic, anabolic.
Secondly, beans are edible, the spicy-tasting qualities of which are used in national cooking. In India and Egypt, fenugreek is adored. In these countries, much more is known about the plant than in Russia. There are natural areas or cultivated plantations where fenugreek grows. A photo of extensive sown areas in one of the regions of India is given below. It's just called differently. These are ucho suneli (Georgia), chaman (Armenia), fenugreek in Greece, Germany, helba in Egypt, shamballa or methi in India.
Useful properties and composition of the fenugreek plant
The use of traditional medicine plants in the treatment of many diseases due to the presence of biologically active ingredients in them. Why is fenugreek useful? Let us consider in detail its chemical and biological composition.
Found in seeds:
- Proteins made up of essential amino acids that are the building blocks of the human body.
- Steroid saponins: diosgenin (increases the body's production of sex hormones - progesterone and pregnenolone, which protect pregnancy and regulate menstruation, and in the male body are a counterbalance to estrogen, seeking to reshape the male figure into a female; inpharmacology - for the synthesis of cortisone - a catabolic hormone that breaks down proteins to amino acids, glycogen to glucose; dioscin (has a weak anti-cancer effect). It also contains small amounts of other saponins. They soften thickened mucus and have an expectorant effect.
- Flavonoids: vitexin - expands the bed of blood vessels, strengthens the walls of capillaries; isovitexin - strengthens the nervous system; vicenin - protects cells from radiation and oxidation; luteolin - protection against cancer, allergies, aging.
- Trigonelline. This substance is named after trigonella - this is how fenugreek sounds in Latin. What's this? An alkaloid first discovered in this particular plant. Beneficial is its hypoglycemic and hypocholesterol effect - lowering blood sugar and cholesterol.
- Choline (vitamin B4) - improves memory, is important for the nervous system, lowers blood sugar, prevents fat accumulation in the liver and regulates lipid (fat) metabolism in the body.
- Carotenoids. Fenugreek is a source of vitamin A, which ensures the growth of epithelial cells lining all body cavities, from the nasopharynx to the genitourinary tract. Promotes the immune system, has a beneficial effect on vision.
- Vegetable mucus - envelops the inflamed areas of the internal cavities of the body, protecting them from irritation.
- Bitterness is a storehouse of he alth: enhances the production of hormones in the pancreas, activates the production of bile, enhances intestinal motility, helps the hormonal system, improves immunity,lowers cholesterol, removes toxins, normalizes kidney function, metabolism booster, eliminates cravings for sweets (not without reason they say: "What sweet cripple, then bitterness will cure"), promotes rapid satiety with food, reduces weight, increases blood formation, gives strength.
- Fatty oil is a source of fatty polyunsaturated acids, in particular oleic, linoleic and linolenic acids (regulators of many vital processes in the body), a supplier of vitamin E (an antioxidant that protects body cells from oxidation, a blocker of carcinogens in the stomach, supports muscle activity and preserves the skin, promotes cell regeneration).
- Essential (aromatic) oil - used in ancient times for embalming, now used for massage.
- Phenolic compounds. The most noticeable are coumarins enclosed in fenugreek. What's this? Anticoagulants to prevent blood clots.
Microcomponents:
- potassium (to balance water and s alts, activates enzymes, is part of body cells, nerves and brain);
- zinc (enzyme activator and DNA synthesizer, for growth and normal development, supports immunity and sense of taste and smell);
- sodium (regulator of acid-water balance, normalizes blood pressure);
- calcium (blood clotting enhancer, heart rate regulator, maintains bone structure and tooth enamel, needed by muscles to contract, hormones and enzymes produced, nervous system signal transmitter);
- copper (key element of collagenskin and all connective tissues, necessary for pregnant women in the process of fetal development, heals wounds);
- manganese (for glucose and cholesterol metabolism, keeps skin, bones and cartilage he althy);
- phosphorus (in combination with calcium forms bones and teeth, in which the content of the element is 85%, essential mineral - is part of the cells and nucleic acid in the genes);
- magnesium (desired element - performs more than three hundred biochemical functions; relaxes muscles, stabilizes heart rate, synthesizes proteins, preparing them for use by the body).
Fenugreek in medicine
For centuries in Asian and Western European countries, this plant is considered a cure for a thousand diseases. The British Herbal Pharmacopoeia lists fenugreek seeds as a medicinal product. New scientific research confirms the medicinal value of the plant.
Currently, an acute shortage of plant materials containing steroidal saponins drew the attention of pharmacologists to fenugreek, the use of which is possible to obtain cortisone and diosgenin - drugs.
Healer of Women
Due to its high content of phytoestrogens, fenugreek is considered a women's medicine. Healers prescribe taking seeds in the last month of pregnancy and after childbirth. Fenugreek for lactation is the first remedy. It promotes the formation of the lactogenic hormone prolactin in the pituitary gland, which is manifested by an increase in the mammary glands and a rush of milk in large volumes. Sufficient quantitythe same hormone prevents pregnancy while breastfeeding.
Breast massage with fenugreek essential olive oil increases breast volume.
Eases painful periods and helps menopausal women overcome the discomfort of hot flashes.
For men
The Chinese use fenugreek (herb and seeds) in cases of male impotence. Regular (but not excessive!) consumption of seeds increases libido and enhances orgasms.
Helpful for everyone
In Bulgaria, fenugreek seeds have long been used to restore strength.
Yellow tea is popular in Egypt, which promotes thermoregulation: in the heat it cools and reduces sweating, improves mood. It is an antipyretic and expectorant for colds, lung diseases. It thins phlegm well.
Regular consumption of seed powder strengthens the body. The work of the gastrointestinal tract is facilitated, intestinal peristalsis is enhanced. Used in powder for bloating - fenugreek eliminates food fermentation.
Helps reduce weight for obese people.
From a decoction of grass or seeds, baths are made for sweating feet. Applying essential oil to calluses heals them.
Poultice of slurry of seed powder with vinegar softens boils. A bandage of warm gruel, but without vinegar, cleanses open purulent ulcers, treats skin diseases, neuralgia, relieves inflammation in the joints.
Seed powder and fenugreek oil cleanse the body of cholesterol, which lowers blood pressure. Helpsreduce weight for obese people.
Fenugreek for hair (rubbing gruel into the roots, wetting strands with infusion) is an excellent remedy for getting rid of dandruff and baldness.
Eating sprouts of germinated grains, young shoots, infusion of seeds has an insulin-like effect - not only stevia, Jerusalem artichoke, bean leaves, but also fenugreek lowers sugar levels.
Recipes
Infusion: 2 tbsp. l. seeds pour a glass of boiling water. After 5 hours of infusion, the liquid is drained. Inside - ½ cup 3 times a day. Damaged hair is treated with the same infusion, rubbing the liquid into the roots.
Mush: prepared from 2 tbsp. l. seeds, filled with half a glass of boiling water - heated in a water bath until the water is completely evaporated and gruel is formed. Or dilute fenugreek powder with boiling water.
Egyptian yellow tea (helba): rinse fenugreek seeds; measure with a teaspoon of grains (1 tsp is enough for a glass), which are poured into a saucepan and poured with boiling water, boiled over low heat for 7-8 minutes, then the liquid is drained - this is tea, the unusual taste of which is complemented by honey, lemon, ginger.
Contraindications
Men don't need to get carried away with fenugreek immensely. Women need advice from a gynecologist. For pregnant women up to the last month of bearing a child and for those who have a high level of estrogen, fenugreek is definitely contraindicated.
Reviews
Helba yellow tea is a miracle. Arabs easily cope withhot dry winds - instead of water they drink yellow tea. In addition, it is nutritious, reduces hunger, gives vigor and good mood.
Regular drinking of fenugreek infusion in the last month of pregnancy and during the feeding period has a positive effect on the quantity and quality of breast milk. Addition of fenugreek seeds (lightly fried) or a powder of them as a spice in various dishes improves their taste, adding spice.
Here is such a wonderful healer this fenugreek. Reviews of his power are numerous. This is really a medicine of nature, if not from a thousand, but from 100 diseases - that's for sure.
For centuries in Asian and Western European countries, this plant is considered a cure for many diseases. New scientific research confirms the medicinal value of the plant.
