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What I like most about doing these flavor profile articles is that sometimes I get to try a tea that I have not had before. In this case, Fenugreek seed tea. I had heard of this herbal infusion but had never been exposed to it on any level.
So I was unsure of what to expect, exactly. I knew a little about the tea but there were no real good explanations of what the tea tasted like. I used the fenugreek seed tea offering(*affiliate link) from Buddha Teas as my tea of choice for this flavor exploration. So I was going in without a good idea of what to expect from the tea, with only the aroma to guide me.
What does Fenugreek Seed Tea taste like? Fenugreek tea has a flavorful nutty base flavor with a slight bitterness to this tea. It is also slightly sweet and has a pretty pronounced maple flavor rounding out the experience.
As it turns out Fenugreek tea has quite a complex flavor to it. You know the basic flavor notes but read on to dive in-depth into each flavor and how it interacts and compliments the other flavors of this interesting and delicious seed herbal tea.
What Fenugreek Tea Should Taste Like
I am going to break down each of the predominant flavors into its own little category in order to give you the best description of this seed tea that I can. Starting with what I would consider the base flavor of the tea.
A Nutty Flavor Base
The nutty flavor is something you would kind of expect from a seed tea. And Fenugreek seed tea doesn’t disappoint in that regard. The nutty flavor is front and center but not overwhelming in the least. It acts as a base that the other, more familiar flavors can build upon.
I wouldn’t really consider it a roasted flavor, although that does sometimes turn out to be the case for some teas. And often these two tastes are used interchangeably.
For me, though I see them as separate flavors. Keep in mind that everyone reacts to flavors differently, a roasted flavor to you might be a nutty flavor to me. It is often dictated simply by how we choose to discuss the individual flavors.
Slightly Bitter
I detect a slightly bitter note to the tea. It is very subtle because the other flavors in the tea really counteract the bitterness naturally.
But I feel like it is still there in enough abundance that it should be mentioned to paint a complete picture of the flavor of Fenugreek seed tea. I found that the slightly bitter flavor was there regardless of how long I steeped the tea.
This leads me to believe that it is simply a part of the overall taste profile of the tea and that if you taste it there is not much else to be done about it.
Fenugreek Seed Tea Has A Maple Like Flavor
This is the flavor that everyone remembers after they drink a nice cup of fenugreek seed tea. It tastes like maple. It is the most pronounced flavor in the entire tea I think. Mainly because of the familiarity of the flavor and because you can really smell it before you take a sip.
To be clear this is not the maple that you would expect from a syrup or something really sweet like that. It has the flavor of maple minus about 99% of the sugar that maple syrup would have.
There is still a nice sweetness to the tea however which we will get to next.
Slight Sweetness
It is always tough to describe sweetness when it comes to tea. When you say something is slightly sweet people instantly think sugar or that type of sweetness. It is not even close to a sugar or honey sweetness.
There is simply a nice undertone of something slightly sweet. It is not overpowering.
It doesn’t interfere with the flavor as a tablespoon of sugar often does. Just a gentle sweetness that makes the fenugreek seed tea a smooth and relaxing maple delight.
I would say the sweetness is on par with a sencha green tea, check out our favorite Sencha Green teas, but the flavor profile is obviously very different.
Fenugreek Seed Tea is Relaxing
Everything about a flavor profile is somewhat subjective. I write what I taste, others might view the flavors differently. But that subjective really comes through in how the tea makes you feel.
In the case of Fenugreek seed tea, I find it incredibly relaxing to drink. I think it has to do with the maple aroma and flavor. It reminds me of southern cooking a bit I think. The smell of pancakes and maple syrup in the morning is very relaxing for me. Fenugreek seed tea gives me a sense of comfort food I think.
The Aroma Of Fenugreek Tea
The aroma doesn’t stray far from the taste of this particular tea. That is not always the case but for Fenugreek seed tea you get what you expect for the most part.
The aroma has a very nice maple smell to it and it can really fill a room with its delightful and comforting aroma that just invites you to take a sip of this wonderful tea.
Related Questions
How can I make fenugreek tea taste better? Adding a bit of honey or sweetener will help the tea taste a little sweeter and more palatable for some people. Even the slight bitterness can be off-putting for newer tea drinkers so cutting through the bitterness with some added sweetness is a good way to go.
How often should I drink fenugreek tea? You can drink fenugreek tea multiple times per day. But keep it within reason. The most common suggestion is that 3 cups a day should be the upper limit for this seed herbal tea. It also has a good amount of benefits when taken in moderation(source).
Can You Mix Fenugreek Seed Tea With Other Teas? You can certainly blend this tea with others. Given its interesting maple flavor and slight sweetness this would be a prime candidate to blend with a robust tea like a traditional black tea. It also works well with chamomile tea, you can find other flavor ideas for chamomile tea here.
Should you grind fenugreek seeds before adding them to water? This is probably the best way to make fenugreek seed tea. By crushing the seeds in a mortar you help draw out the flavor and make it easier for the seeds to infuse the water with their great flavors.
My Thoughts On Fenugreek Seed Tea
As I mentioned at the top of this article, this was the first time I had tried fenugreek seed tea. I am pleased to say that it was a very good tea to drink. I don’t have a lot of experience with seed teas in general but I found this one to be welcoming and relaxing to drink.
I think the maple flavor has a lot to do with how much I enjoyed this seed herbal infusion. The maple aroma and flavor are very comforting and helped put aside any apprehension I may have had about trying a new tea for the first time.
Apprehension is a strong word for it really. It’s just when you try something for the first time to try and build an expectation of what it is going to taste like. But because of the maple aroma, it was pretty clear that I was going to enjoy this fine herbal tea.
I think many of you will be very satisfied with fenugreek seed tea as well and I hope you add it to your list of new tea experiences to try in the near future.
Thanks for visiting and have a wonderful day.