Healthy, strong, and lustrous hair is one thing we constantly struggle for, isn’t it? But what if we say that fenugreek or methi is that one magical herb that can help you achieve all of it?
"From preventing hair fall to treating premature greying, fenugreek has been a handy herb for Indians since ancient times," says Dr. Zeel Gandhi, Chief Ayurvedic Doctor at Vedix.
In this article, let’s take a look at how fenugreek benefits your hair and the best ways to use it.
Highlights:
Does Fenugreek Help Hair Growth?
Fenugreek is a great source of vitamins-A, B, C, K, protein[1], iron, calcium, potassium, phosphates, folic acid, saponins, flavonoids, and many other components that are essential for healthy hair growth. Also, it has powerful antifungal and anti-inflammatory effects that maintain a healthy scalp environment thereby promoting stronger hair growth.
Benefits Of Fenugreek Seeds For Hair
1. Prevents Hair Loss
Fenugreek contains lecithin, which acts as a natural emollient that conditions and moisturizes your scalp and hair deeply. Also, it makes your hair stronger from the roots by providing rich nourishment. Thus, it controls hair shedding efficiently.
2. Revives Damaged Hair
Fenugreek is a great source of protein and amino acids, which help repair the hair shaft damaged due to dehydration, heat styling, chemicals, sun damage, or color treatments. It boosts the cuticle integration in your hair shaft, thus promoting thicker hair growth.
3. Fights Dandruff
Dr. Zeel says, ‘’The natural saponins present in fenugreek have rich antifungal and antibacterial properties that keep the microbial infections on your scalp at bay.’’ Thus, fenugreek helps in combating dandruff and itching by controlling the infection-causing bacteria and yeast on your scalp.
4. Controls Scalp Inflammation
Fenugreek has rich anti-inflammatory properties[2] that reduce inflammation and pain in your hair roots. Also, it contains natural antioxidants that help in fighting off the oxidative stress caused by free radicals in your hair follicle cells. Thus, fenugreek helps in strengthening hair roots and boost stronger hair growth.
5. Adds Shine And Soft Texture
Fenugreek contains mucilaginous fiber that absorbs moisture tremendously. Thus, fenugreek helps in maintaining the moisture barrier in your hair strands, in turn, improving the shine and imparting softer texture.
6. Prevents Premature Grey Hair
The rich content of iron and potassium present in fenugreek helps you deal with premature greying problems efficiently. ‘’Fenugreek balances the deficit of minerals required for sufficient melanin production in your hair follicles, which gives the dark color to your hair naturally,’’ says Dr. Zeel.
Recent studies revealed that fenugreek helps in controlling DHT hair loss in men and women[3].
How To Use Fenugreek For Hair?
1. Fenugreek Hair Oil
Add a spoon of fenugreek seeds into a cup of coconut or sesame oil. Heat the oil on a low flame until the seeds turn brown. Let the oil cool down and store it in a glass container. Use the oil to massage your scalp and hair twice or thrice a week an hour before hair wash.
2. Fenugreek Hair Conditioner
- Soak two spoons of fenugreek seeds overnight and grind them into a fine paste. Add 1 egg yolk and 1 spoon of fresh yogurt into it. Mix well and apply the paste as a deep conditioning mask twice or thrice a week.
- You can also add a spoon of fenugreek paste into a cup of coconut milk and apply it thoroughly to your scalp and hair. Cover your hair with a warm towel for half an hour and then wash it off with an Ayurvedic shampoo.
3. Fenugreek Shampoo
Soak a handful of soap nuts (shikakai), soapberries (reetha), dried amla (Indian gooseberry), and fenugreek seeds each in 1 liter of water overnight. The next day, boil the water with ingredients until the quantity becomes half. Let it cool down and strain the decoction into a clean container. Use the decoction as your herbal shampoo twice or thrice a week.
4. Fenugreek Hair Rinse
Soak 2-3 spoons of fenugreek seeds in a jar of water overnight. After shampooing your hair the next morning, discard the seeds and give your hair a final rinse with a jar of methi water. This gives your hair increased softness and luster.
5. Fenugreek Hair Mask
- Soak 1-2 spoons of fenugreek seeds overnight and grind them into a fine paste the next morning. Add a spoon of lemon juice to it and apply it as a hair mask. After half an hour, rinse it off using warm water. This is suitable for any hair type.
- Soak 1 spoon of fenugreek seeds in 2 spoons of apple cider vinegar overnight. The next morning, apply it to your scalp and hair. Leave it for half an hour before washing it off using an Ayurvedic shampoo. It is best for people with excessively oily hair.
How To Eat Fenugreek Seeds For Hair Growth?
You can eat fenugreek in the following ways for improving your hair growth:
1. Raw Fenugreek Seeds
You can use 5-10 raw fenugreek seeds as a tempering ingredient in your everyday dishes such as dal, sambhar, rasam, etc.
2. Fenugreek Water
You can soak 5 grams of fenugreek seeds or powder in hot water for 5-10 minutes and have it as your morning drink on an empty stomach.
3. Sprouted Fenugreek Seeds
You can add a spoon of sprouted fenugreek seeds to your salads daily. Fenugreek seeds take about 3 days to germinate and you can store the sprouts for a week by refrigerating.
4. Roasted Fenugreek Powder/Paste
Dry roast fenugreek seeds on a medium flame for 5-10 minutes. Grind the roasted seeds into a fine powder and store it in an airtight container. You can sprinkle a spoonful of fenugreek powder or add the paste in your curries for flavor.
Vedix Tip: As per Ayurveda, fenugreek balances Vata and Kapha doshas, but may increase Pitta dosha slightly. Hence, people with Pitta dosha dominant Prakriti are recommended to eat fenugreek seeds in combination with a spoon of ghee to balance down Pitta dosha.
Do Fenugreek Seeds Have Any Side Effects?
Different side effects[4] that you may experience if you take fenugreek in excessive amounts include:
- Headaches
- Diarrhea
- Bloating and gas formation
- Dizziness
- Nasal congestion
- Facial swelling
- Wheezing
- Coughing
- Severe allergic reactions (in sensitive people)
Important Note:
People with diarrhea, bleeding disorders, and pregnant women are not recommended to have fenugreek.
Frequently Asked Questions On Fenugreek
1. Can You Use Fenugreek On Hair Everyday?
Not needed. Topically, using fenugreek on your hair twice or thrice a week is more than enough to deal with different scalp and hair problems. It may increase Pitta dosha on your scalp when you use it daily.
2. How Much Fenugreek Should You Take For Hair Growth?
According to the Ayurvedic pharmacopeia of India, an adult can take fenugreek as per the following dosages:
A. Fenugreek seeds or methi churna (powder form): 3-6 grams/day before breakfast.
B. Methika swarasa (juice extract): up to 12 ml/day.
However, your Ayurvedic doctor may suggest the most suitable dosage of fenugreek herb based on your medical history.
3. How Long Should You Leave In A Fenugreek Mask?
Typically, you can leave the fenugreek mask on your hair for about 30-45 minutes and then wash it off with lukewarm water. ‘’However, you can leave it overnight and wash your hair the next morning when you have severely dry hair and dandruff problems,’’ says Dr. Zeel.
4. Is Drinking Fenugreek Water Good For Hair?
Besides providing essential nutrients for your hair growth, fenugreek water can work to flush out the damaging toxins from your body. Also, it helps in improving your digestion and bowel movement[5]. Thus, fenugreek helps in maintaining the harmony of your Ayurvedic doshas in the body, which in turn, promotes voluminous hair growth and prevents dryness and dandruff problems.
5. How Long Does It Take For Fenugreek To Grow Hair?
Studies have shown that fenugreek can exhibit a significant reduction in hair fall and promote new hair growth when people take it as an oral dose of 300 mg/day for about six months. Also, fenugreek can impart thicker hair growth with enhanced shine and texture when you use it consistently for 3-4 months.
Important Note:
Please seek your doctor’s advice regarding the dosage if you want to use fenugreek in oral supplementation form.
The Last Word
While fenugreek can be used on any hair type, people with extremely dry and damaged hair can benefit the most from its use. Now that you know how amazingly effective fenugreek is for your hair health, do incorporate this magical ingredient into your hair care routine and diet regularly to reap the maximum benefits.
At Vedix, we customize an Ayurvedic hair care regimen for you based on your elevated doshas along with your specific scalp and hair issues.
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