Common Names
Alfalfa
Botanical Name
Medicago sativa L.
Family
Fabaceae
Medicinal Uses
Cancer Prevention, Candida/yeast, Cholesterol, Culinary/Kitchen, Female Hormones, Herbal Teas, Longevity Tonics, Menopause, Nutrition, Osteoporosis, Pet, Spring Tonics.
Properties
Anodyne, Anti-inflammatory, Antioxidant, Antirheumatic, Breath, Depurative, Diuretic, Emmenagogue, Galactagogue, Phytoestrogen.
Parts Used
dried leaves, stems, unopened flowers, sprouts.
Constituents
beta-carotene and vitamins c, e, and k
Habitat
It is not picky as to soil, but it does prefer full sun and regular watering. The aerial (aboveground) parts of the plant are used in herbal medicine.
Side Effects
Alfalfa seeds shouldn't be consumed if you have lupus or are in remission. Use alfalfa only during its prebloom stages of growth. Alfalfa seeds should never be eaten unless sprouted because they contain high levels of the toxic amino acid canavanine.
How to Prepare
1. Dried: The dried leaf can be used to make a tea or taken in capsules. Alfalfa leaf is often used in combination with other herbs
2. Sprouts: Fresh alfalfa sprouts are another way to get the benefits of all the nutrients alfalfa has. You can eat them raw in salads, steam and season them, or add them to soups and stir-fries.
3. Seeds: You can also buy alfalfa seeds and sprout them yourself, especially if you are worried about bacterial contamination.
4. Extract: Alfalfa can also be used in extract form. In addition, alfalfa is often used to make liquid chlorophyll supplements because of its extremely high chlorophyll content.
