Methi dana may be bitter and chewy, but they hold lot of sweet surprises

Let me begin with a confession. My husband and son hate the taste of fenugreek seeds (methi dana) - they find it bitter and chewy but I still sneak them in a whole lot of dishes.

I have been doing this for years and haven't got caught, well yet. I do it because I love them, and because I know just how wonderful they are for our health.

Also because it saddens me that these have slowly but surely almost disappeared from our spice boxes; I didn't find them in most kitchens I peeped in to check.

It's time to bring them back - as a lot of nutritional punch is packed in these pesky seeds.

Apparently Ayurvedic and Chinese practitioners knew about its goodness thousands of years back. Traditional remedy used it primarily for preventing diabetes and tackling loss of appetite, as well as to stimulate milk production in breastfeeding women (it is one of the natural galactogouges), but now modern science seems to have caught up, and is singing its realms generously. So what if they taste somewhat bitter! Besides bitter is good. To get convinced, read on…

Fenugreek seeds are loaded with B vitamins (thiamin, folic acid, riboflavin, niacin, B6) vitamins A, and C, and are a rich in minerals copper, potassium, calcium, iron, selenium, zinc, manganese, and magnesium. One tablespoon also delivers 20 per cent of our daily iron requirement and surprise-surprise 3gm of protein too. Quite a lot is packed in these tiny seeds.

They pack a lot of fibre (1tbsp gives 3gm), and most of it is soluble fibre which is great to keep our digestion humming along fine, and this makes it work like a laxative too (good bye constipation).

Plus this kind of fibre and the non-starch polysaccharides (NSP) it has helps mop up bad cholesterol from our body and helps turn the lipid profile pink, making it a heart friendly food.

They are great for sorting out digestion issues and are an effective remedy for acid reflux (heartburn) too.

They are friends of our kidney, ie prevent calcification thus keep kind stones away, and liver; protect the liver against alcohol-induced damage and also help reverse low grade fatty liver by increasing levels of antioxidant enzymes in the liver.

Weight watchers can rejoice as multiple studies have shown that it helps improve exercise performance and increase lean mass (muscle). It also prevents bloating (water retention) in the body. Great news for those grappling with weight issues!

Fenugreek contains compounds like diosgenin and isoflavones with oestrogen-like properties, which help reduce symptoms like discomfort and menstrual cramps associated with PMS.

In fact its estrogenic effects are being studied as researchers feel that they could be a possible alternative to Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT) for menopausal women.

Finally, the biggest benefit they are known for, and something that has been researched extensively, is that they help improve insulin function, and thus helps keep the blood sugar levels low.

They have been shown to reduce fasting and postprandial blood glucose levels in diabetic patients. Great news for diabetics, and also a wonderful prevention tool.

Eat them

Soak 1tsp overnight in half a cup of water, and chew the seeds and drink the water first thing in the morning. It's a great way to begin your day right. Plus this water works as an anti-coagulant (dissolves mucus in lungs, throat and sinuses).

To make fenugreek tea, steep 1tbsp in a cup of boiling water for 45 minutes (if you want it less potent then steep for 15 minutes), strain and sip. Great for soothing digestive issue when had after meals.

When lightly roasted, they taste pleasant and can add a lot of crunch to your salads, soups, stir fry's. You can even grind the seeds into powder form and sprinkle a bit over everything you cook. Go on, be liberal with it. It adds a lovely flavour to the dishes.

Can you imagine making upma without the fenugreek crunch, or even papad methi dana ki subzi [made with papad (poppadums), methi dana, raisins, yoghurt, jaggery and spices], methi dana khichdi, vendhaya kozhambu, a saucy south Indian curry… Make more of these dishes, and experiment with some new.

Apparently there is a methi dana ka achaar (pickle) too that's supposed to be delicious, and maybe you know (or not) that they are one of the ingredients used in sambar powder, and also a secret ingredient added to idlis to make them soft.

Also read - Why are we missing out on ancient grains in our diet?