Fenugreek (Trigonella Foenum-Graecum) is a plant grown widely in Europe and Asia that can be cultivated in your own garden. With a long pedigree as an herbal remedy for cough, sore throat, loss of appetite and other ailments, fenugreek is showing promise today as a treatment for tinnitus and Type 2 diabetes. It also helps stimulate breast milk production in lactating women, may help reduce cholesterol in the bloodstream, and improve circulation. This last is probably the reason for its appeal as a sexual stimulant and aphrodisiac.
Growing Fenugreek
An annual, fenugreek grows about two feet high and prefers neutral to slightly acid soil. You can grow fenugreek if you have a spot with full sun and fertile soil. Fenugreek doesn't like to be transplanted though, so place seeds in a sunny spot with good drainage after the threat of frost has passed for the season. Space plants about five inches apart. New plants sprout quickly, and you can grow a patch of fenugreek from year to year easily, harvesting the seeds as a remedy or flavoring and reserving a few for next season's crop.
Uses for Fenugreek
Fenugreek is a common ingredient in curry, and it also seasons many brands of artificial maple syrup. As an herbal remedy, Fenugreek has been used for:
- Sore throat
- Coughing
- Fever
- Ulcers
- Loss of appetite
- Circulation
- Swelling (topically)
- Tinnitus
- Breast growth
- Bronchitis
Don’t take fenugreek if you are pregnant. As with other herbal medications you may be contemplating, consult your medical practitioner before starting a course of treatment, and always be candid about other drugs you may be taking.
Fenugreek Tea
You can prepare a restorative fenugreek tea by steeping a teaspoon of crushed fenugreek or fenugreek seeds in eight ounces of water for five minutes. Have some honey in reserve, though; the tea may be bitter.
Harvesting Fenugreek
Fenugreek pods should be harvested in fall and dried thoroughly. Store seeds in an airtight container in a dark cupboard.
Fenugreek is among the first plants cultivated for its herbal properties. An entry in Culpepper's Herbal, published in 1649, suggests that it: " . . .cleanses the breast, chest and lungs and may be taken with success for any complaint thereof . . ." If you are cultivating an herb garden and want to include a useful herb with a long and interesting history, try fenugreek. Its small leaves and bright green color will make a nice addition to a sunny spot in your garden.
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