Seed of Exotic Herb Helps to Manage Blood Sugar

Widely cultivated in arid geographic regions such as the Indian subcontinent, Fenugreek (Trigonella foenum-graecum L.) is an annual plant in the family Fabaceae.  Fenugreek leaves and seeds are commonly used as a traditional medicine for diabetes in Asia, with a number of previous studies demonstrating its capacity to acutely lower postmeal glucose levels.  Nithya Neelakantan, from the National University of Singapore (Singapore), and colleagues completed a meta-analysis of ten published studies involving the effect of fenugreek intake on markers of glucose homeostasis. The team found that the data suggested that fenugreek seeds may contribute to better glycemic control in people with diabetes mellitus – with an effect of a similar magnitude to intensive lifestyle or pharmaceutical treatment.  The study authors report that: “Results from clinical trials support beneficial effects of fenugreek seeds on glycemic control in persons with diabetes.”