Type 2 diabetics take note. Adding fenugreek seeds to your diet can significantly lower high blood sugar levels.
The finding provides hope to more than five million people living with the disease in the UK.
High blood sugar levels stem from poor insulin production. The diabetes complication can damage the eyes, kidneys, nerves, heart, and blood vessels. This can lead to permanent vision problems, nerve damage in the hands and feet, and cardiovascular disease.
Multiple studies have found that fenugreek seeds can compensate for poor insulin production by slowing the rise in blood sugar that follows eating.
The seeds are extracted from the fenugreek plant, a clover-like herb native to the Mediterranean, western Asia, and southern Europe. They are used in cooking, medicine, and cosmetics and have many health benefits.
Multiple studies have found that fenugreek seeds can compensate for poor insulin production
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In one study, published in the Medicine, Agricultural and Food Sciences, 25 patients were given control diets orally consisting of milled rice, boiled rice, and whole wheat (chapati) experimental diets consisting of boiled rice with fenugreek seed powder and chapati with fenugreek seed powder given on four consecutive days.
Blood was collected at 15-minute intervals up to 120 minutes. Glycaemic index – a scale that ranks foods based on how quickly they cause blood sugar levels to rise – was calculated for both control and experimental diets.
What did the researchers find out?
Rice with fenugreek and wheat with fenugreek significantly lowered blood sugar when compared with only rice and only wheat taken orally, respectively.
Furthermore, the mean glycaemic index was significantly lower when fenugreek was given 15 minutes before the meal compared to when fenugreek was given along with the meal.
“Fenugreek has a lowering effect on glycaemic index when added to rice and wheat diets, due to delayed gastric emptying and increased intestinal transit time,” the researchers concluded.
They added: “Adding fenugreek to the diet of diabetes patients 15 minutes before the meal causes a significant reduction in the glycaemic index and is beneficial for diabetes patients for long-term control of their blood glucose levels and prevention of high blood sugar-related complications.”
Other studies have confirmed this effect. A review into the role of fenugreek seeds in diabetes found the seeds improve insulin sensitivity.
However, some studies have not shown the same benefits, and the quality and heterogeneity of studies remain a concern. More studies are needed to assess the effectiveness of fenugreek in type 2 diabetes.
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You should eat a wide range of foods to lower blood sugar levels, says the NHS
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General tips to lower blood sugar
There’s nothing you cannot eat if you have type 2 diabetes, but you’ll have to limit certain foods.
According to the NHS, you should:
- Eat a wide range of foods – including fruit, vegetables and some starchy foods like pasta, potatoes and rice
- Keep sugar, fat and salt to a minimum
- Avoid missing meals if you take medicines that can cause hypos
Physical exercise helps lower your blood sugar level. You should aim for at least 2.5 hours of activity a week, notes the NHS.
And don’t forget to watch out for the symptoms of diabetes, such as feeling more thirsty and urinating more than usual.
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