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Trigonella foenum-graecum
Also called Sicklefruit fenugreek, Sickle-fruit Fenugreek, Greek Hay, Greek Clover, Classical Fenugreek
Fenugreek is an annual herb in the pea family, grown for its leaves and aromatic seeds, which are widely used in Indian and Near Eastern cooking. It is a cool-season crop that is easy to grow from seed in full sun.
Fenugreek (; Trigonella foenum-graecum) is an annual plant in the family Fabaceae, which includes beans, peas, and peanuts. It is distinguished by its three small obovate to oblong shaped leaflets.
Most likely originating in the Near East, fenugreek is cultivated worldwide as a semiarid crop. Its leaves and seeds have been used as a culinary ingredient since ancient times, and are common ingredients in dishes from the Indian subcontinent. Its use as a food ingredient in small quantities is safe.
The use of fenugreek has the potential for serious adverse effects, as it may be unsafe for women with hormone-sensitive cancers. Fenugreek is not safe for use during pregnancy, as it has possible abortifacient effects and may induce preterm uterine contractions.
Some people are allergic to fenugreek, including those with peanut allergy or chickpea allergy. Fenugreek seeds can cause diarrhea, dyspepsia, abdominal distention, flatulence, and perspiration, and impart a maple-like smell to sweat, urine, or breast milk. A risk of hypoglycemia exists, particularly in people with diabetes, and it may interfere with the activity of antidiabetic drugs. Because of the high content of coumarin-like compounds in fenugreek, it may interfere with the activity and dosing of anticoagulants and antiplatelet drugs.
Fenugreek is used as a herb (dried or fresh leaves), spice (seeds), and vegetable (fresh leaves, sprouts, and microgreens). Sotolon is the chemical responsible for the distinctive maple syrup smell of fenugreek.
Text excerpted from the Wikipedia article Fenugreek by its contributors, under CC BY-SA 4.0; the excerpts and the care summary drawn from them are shared under the same licence.
The care summary was written by AI (Claude, Anthropic) from the sources on this page, with general growing knowledge where they are silent. Check before relying on it.
Life form, climate and native range: World Checklist of Vascular Plants, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew (CC BY 3.0), reformatted; see Plants of the World Online.
