What Is Alfalfa?
Alfalfa is a plant whose leaves and stalks are often used to feed animals like horses. Humans around the world also eat alfalfa sprouted seeds. You might see them for sale in the produce section of your local grocery store.
The scientific name for alfalfa is Medicago sativa, but you could also hear it called buffalo herb, Lucerne, or purple medic.
This pretty plant has been traced back to ancient civilizations. Earliest traces of it have been found in Iran. According to the California Alfalfa & Forage Association, "alfalfa" comes from Arabic, Persian, and Kashmiri words that mean "best horse fodder" and "horse power."
First brought to Greece in 500 BC, when invading armies needed to feed their horses, alfalfa's popularity spread across the globe from there. It was grown in Asia, Europe, South America, and, over time, the U.S. colonies.
But alfalfa didn't thrive in America until the California gold rush in the mid 1800's. Farmers realized that the drought-resistant crop was well-suited for the hot, sunny climate of the west.
Today, California is the largest alfalfa producer in the U.S. The clover-like plants bloom there in the summer, reaching 2-3 feet high and producing blue or purple flowers.
Alfalfa Nutrition
Although alfalfa is often used to feed animals, it's enjoyed by people, too.
Nutrients per serving
Just 1 cup of alfalfa sprouts provides the following nutrients:
- Calories: 7.6
- Protein: 1.3 grams
- Fat: 0.2 grams
- Carbohydrates: 0.7 grams
- Fiber: 0.6 grams
- Sugar: 0.1 grams
Although alfalfa is low in calories, it's high in powerful nutrients like:
- Copper
- Folate
- Iron
- Magnesium
- Manganese
- Vitamin B1
- Vitamin B2
- Vitamin C
- Vitamin K
In addition to many vitamins and minerals, alfalfa has bioactive compounds such as alkaloids, coumarins, flavonoids, and phytoestrogens. These compounds may help prevent health issues such as cancer and heart disease.
Alfalfa Benefits
Alfalfa's wide array of nutrients means that eating it may provide a lot of health benefits. For thousands of years, the Medicago sativa plant has also been used an herbal remedy for different health conditions.
You may want to discuss with your doctor how alfalfa:
May improve blood clotting
A single serving of alfalfa provides 13% of your recommended daily allowance of vitamin K, which is an important vitamin for blood clotting. Vitamin K, along with chlorophyll and iron, also promotes blood production, which could be helpful if you have anemia. If you take the blood-thinning medicationCoumadin, you may want to limit how much alfalfa you eat or take as a supplement. That's because vitamin K can lower how well Coumadin works.
May lower the risk of certain diseases
Free radicals are unstable molecules in your body. Your body can naturally make them as a response to stress or inflammation. They can also enter your body from toxins like tobacco smoke, pesticides, and air pollution. Free radicals can lead to cell damage, raising your risk of heart disease, diabetes, cancer, Alzheimer's disease, and more. The antioxidants in alfalfa can help fight free radicals and could help protect your body from those diseases.
May stabilize blood sugar levels
Alfalfa is a fiber-rich food. It may help control blood sugar levels by slowing the speed at which glucose (blood sugar) is absorbed into your gut. While the results from small early studies are promising, more studies need to be done.
May lower inflammation
Early research shows that alfalfa could have powerful anti-inflammatory effects. For instance, one animal study found that the plant's potent compounds were able to trap free radicals created by nicotine, provide an immune system boost, raise antioxidants, and even improve how well food is turned into energy.
May lower cholesterol
Special alfalfa compounds called saponins could lower how much cholesterol gets absorbed by your intestines. Lowering LDL cholesterol (the "bad" type) can help lower your risk of heart disease, diabetes, and stroke. That said, only a few small studies have shown that alfalfa may have cholesterol-lowering effects. Larger studies are still needed to prove these results.
May prevent urinary tract infections (UTIs)
Alfalfa is a natural diuretic, meaning that it raises how much you urinate (pee). Raised urine flow can help clear out harmful bacteria from your urinary tract. While alfalfa isn't a proven method to treat an active UTI, it could help prevent an infection from starting.
May help with menopause symptoms
If you're assigned female at birth, your periods will stop for good in your 40s or 50s. This is called menopause. It can cause symptoms like hot flashes, night sweats, mood changes, and brain fog. A very small amount of research seems to show that alfalfa could offer some relief for these symptoms. For instance, when 30 women in one study were given an herbal remedy of sage and alfalfa, 20 people saw their hot flashes and night sweats get better. But much more research needs to be done to confirm these results.
Benefits of Alfalfa for Skin
Some research shows that the natural compounds in alfalfa can be good for your skin. For instance, one study found that a cream that contains alfalfa extract helped skin burns heal faster. Another study found that alfalfa extract helped wounded skin cells regrow more quickly.
But these studies involved animals, not humans. More research will need to be done to confirm alfalfa's skin benefits.
Benefits of Alfalfa for Hair
Medicago sativa may also be helpful in getting rid of unwanted hair, although more studies need to be done to pinpoint the reason why.
Experts believe it may have to do with the high level of natural estrogen, or what's known as a "female" hormone, in alfalfa. Hair growth is linked to androgens, or what are known as "male" hormones, even though everyone, no matter your gender, has them. Alfalfa's high estrogen levels may counteract androgens and stop excess hair from growing.
Side Effects of Alfalfa
If you're healthy, eating alfalfa sprouts or taking it in a supplement is probably safe. In fact, it may even help your immune system work better than usual. But alfalfa can cause some issues you should be aware of.
Digestive issues
Some people who take alfalfa supplements on a regular basis say that it causes:
- Loose stools
- More frequent stools
- Diarrhea
- Gas
- Stomach cramps
Alfalfa allergy
Some proteins in alfalfa may cause an allergic reaction when you eat them. This may be more likely to happen if you have an allergy to other types of plant foods. If you work on a farm where you're around bales of alfalfa, you might also develop a respiratory allergy that affects your nose and lungs. That's not because of the alfalfa itself but because of the tiny specks of dust, mold, and other organic matter that can build up on it. Many farming products cause this reaction. You could have a stuffy or runny nose, or asthma symptoms.
Risk of contamination
Raw alfalfa sprouts have sometimes been linked to outbreaks of food poisoning. Bacteria like E. coli and salmonella on sprouts can cause symptoms like diarrhea, stomach cramps, headaches, and fever. Severe cases can put you in the hospital and may even be life-threatening.
To lower your risk:
- Store alfalfa sprouts in your refrigerator.
- Use sprouts soon after you buy them.
- Rinse sprouts with cold running water before you eat them.
Interference with drugs
Alfalfa may interfere with how well certain medications, like some forms of birth control, work. And because alfalfa promotes blood clotting, you should talk to your doctor if you're taking a blood-thinning medicine like Coumadin. You may need to limit how much alfalfa you eat or avoid it altogether.
Who should not use alfalfa?
It's generally not advised to use alfalfa or eat raw alfalfa sprouts if:
- You're pregnant
- You're nursing
- You have lupus (alfalfa may cause your symptoms relapse)
- You have gout (alfalfa is high in purines, chemicals that you need to avoid when you have gout)
- You have a weakened immune system
Children and elderly people should avoid raw alfalfa sprouts.
If you have diabetes, check with your doctor about how much alfalfa is safe for you to have. Using alfalfa along with diabetes medication may cause your blood sugar to drop to unsafe levels.
What Forms Is Alfalfa Available In?
If you go to a farm, you'll probably see bales of dried alfalfa used to feed animals like cows and horses. At the grocery store, alfalfa sprouts are found in the refrigerated area of your produce section. In health food stores, you'll probably find Medicago sativa in different forms, including tinctures (very strong liquid extracts), capsules, and tablets. In powdered form, it could also added to foods, drinks like teas and smoothies, and other health supplements.
How to Grow Alfalfa Sprouts
Fresh alfalfa sprouts are sprouted seeds that growers harvest before they're fully mature. You can often find them at grocery stores. If you prefer, you can also sprout them at home.
To sprout your own alfalfa, add about 2 tablespoons of seeds to a bowl or jar of water. Let it sit for 8-12 hours. Drain the seeds and rinse them off. Remove as much water as you can, then let them sit at room temperature in a sunny area for 3 days. During that time, rinse and drain them every 8-12 hours.
After 3 days, move the seeds to a spot with indirect sunlight and continue to rinse them every once in a while. They should be ready to eat after 5 or 6 days.
Just like the raw sprouts you see at the store, there's also a risk of bacterial contamination when sprouting seeds at home. Take steps to ensure clean and safe growing conditions. And just like you would with store-bought sprouts, rinse thoroughly before using them.
How to Use Alfalfa
Fresh alfalfa sprouts can add a crunchy addition and a mild flavor to sandwiches, wraps, and salads. They can also be used in summer rolls or as a garnish for soups or tacos.
You can also buy alfalfa in dried form. Dried alfalfa can be boiled in water with other herbs to make tea or ground up and added to smoothies. It can also be added to empty gel capsules to make your own herbal supplement.
The FDA doesn't have the power to approve the safety of any health supplements or even check to make sure they work well. Just because you see the word "natural" on the label doesn't mean that it comes with fewer risks. Check with your doctor before you start taking alfalfa every day. If they give you the okay, make sure to follow the instructions on the label.
Takeaways
Alfalfa has been used around the world for many years as a medicinal, or healing, plant. But more research needs to be done to prove its benefits. It's not recommended for everyone. For instance, alfalfa can interfere with some types of medication and may make some health conditions worse. If you're interested in making alfalfa a part of your daily diet, talk to your doctor first.
