Fenugreek Herb Heirloom Organic 20 Seeds

One of the oldest medicinal herbs. Great for a spice and it has many health benefits. You will recognize the smell of the seeds the moment you open the bag. Fenugreek is sold in capsule form in most drugstores and markets for its amazing properties. I like it because it has a unique smell and taste. Fenugreek is a tender, erect annual with three-part leaves and pea-like flowers that grows in fertile, well-drained, alkaline soil in full sun. It reaches a height of less than three feet and has a sweet hay scent when dried. A native of the Mediterranean area, the seeds have been used for thousands of years for medicinal purposes. It is one of the oldest known medicinal plants and dates back to ancient Egypt, where archaeological evidence suggests that Egyptians used it as a food, as a medicine and in their embalming process. Likewise, the Greeks and Romans considered it a valuable food and medicine and used it to remedy sore throats and colds and also considered it an effective aphrodisiac. The Romans gave Fenugreek its botanical specific, foenum-graecum, which is Latin for "Greek hay," as it was a well-known fodder crop for animals. Fenugreek has been cultivated for medicinal use in China, India, Morocco and Turkey, where seeds have been used as a potent antioxidant with beneficial effects on the liver and pancreas. In India, the spicy seed is included in curry powder and the shoots curried as a vegetable. Fenugreek is also used as a bright yellow dye. Some of Fenugreek's chemical constituents include mucilage, diosgenin, coumarin, protein, lecithin, beta-carotene, amino and other acids, saponins, essential fatty acids, folate, calcium, iron, magnesium, manganese, phosphorus, potassium, selenium, zinc, B-vitamins and vitamin C. Recent research has indicated that Fenugreek may have excellent positive results in treating diabetes. Preliminary and double-blind trials have found that Fenugreek helps improve blood sugar control in patients with insulin-dependent (Type 1) and non-insulin-dependent (Type 2) diabetes. The herb was shown to lower blood glucose levels for Type-2 diabetes sufferers, and some insulin-dependent diabetics in one study in India, who were on low doses of insulin, took Fenugreek, and it reduced blood sugar and other harmful fats. Furthermore, an amino acid in Fenugreek (hydroxyisoleucine) is said to stimulate the pancreas to secrete insulin, another way the herb may help diabetics. Fenugreek is said to also lower high cholesterol. In further studies, the herb decreased the levels of low-density lipoprotein (LDL or bad cholesterol) in the blood without affecting the good cholesterol. The seeds contain natural saponins (or "soaps") that cleanse the bulkier forms of cholesterol from the bile, and the high fiber content in the seeds may be another reason for its cholesterol lowering qualities, because fiber frequently inhibits the absorption of cholesterol and facilitates its movement through the system. None of these claims have been validated by the FDA at this time. Seeds can be sown directly into garden when soil is warm, started in pots and tranfered to the garden or grown indoors. Zones 3-10