Alfalfa (Medicago sativa) is a crop that is also known as the “Queen of the Forages.” It is primarily grown in northwestern states such as Idaho, Oregon, Wyoming, Washington and some parts of Nevada and California.1 Historically, the alfalfa plant was discovered by Arabian horsemen who noticed that their horses gained a boost in energy and performance once it was eaten. People who ate alfalfa also received similar benefits, which helped spread its reputation around the world.
What does alfalfa look like? Fully grown, it produces flowers that have one-sided clusters, with each cluster having 10 to 20 purple petals with a leguminous shape. Alfalfa can also grow up to a meter (3.2 feet) tall, and their roots can spread as much as 15 meters (49.2 feet) down into the ground, making them resilient to droughts. The leaves are scattered among the stem, consisting of three leaflets that look like a clover.2
Most parts of the alfalfa plant are edible, such as the leaves and young shoots. Alfalfa sprouts can be added to various dishes for garnishing or used in place of salad greens.3
The Agricultural Uses of Alfalfa
Alfalfa is known throughout the agricultural world as hay, which is fed to livestock such as horses, cows and chickens. To make hay from alfalfa, the plants are allowed to grow until the early bloom period, where they are then harvested. Afterward, they are dried and cured before being fed to the animals. Alfalfa is also economically important to the U.S., because it is exported to other countries for livestock consumption.4,5
For farmers, alfalfa is popular because it adds nitrogen to the soil, which helps negate the need to use nitrogen fertilizer.6 When crops are rotated, the nitrogen that the alfalfa left in the soil will be absorbed by the new crops, which can help improve harvest quality. It can also save farmers lots of money because they don’t have to purchase fertilizer anymore.7
Alfalfa is classified as an insectary, or a plant that attracts beneficial insects. Since there are plenty of parasitic insects that feed on crops, this can reduce the quality and quantity of the harvest. Planting alfalfa beside endangered crops can divert the parasitic insects into being consumed by the beneficial insects that alfalfa attracts. Pesticide use can be avoided through this method as well.8
The Various Health Benefits of Alfalfa Sprouts
People can take advantage of alfalfa by consuming alfalfa sprouts which, despite their small size, contain a concentration of various vitamins and minerals that can help provide the following health benefits:
•Improve Digestive Health A single cup of alfalfa sprouts contain 0.6 grams of dietary fiber,9 which can help improve your bowel movements. In addition, dietary fiber can reduce your risk of digestive disorders such as gastroesophageal reflux disease, constipation, hemorrhoids and duodenal ulcers.10
•Reduce Inflammation Research has shown that alfalfa sprouts contain high levels of vitamins C11 which can help reduce systematic inflammation throughout your body, prevent chronic disease and oxidative stress.12
•Fight Free Radicals Some animal studies have discovered that alfalfa contains antioxidant properties with varying effects. In one example, researchers noted that alfalfa helped reduce the production of reactive oxygen species (ROS),13 while another study noted that helped inhibit lipopolysaccharide-induced inflammation.14
•Manage Diabetes In a mice study published in the Pakistan Journal of Pharmaceutical Sciences, researchers discovered that administration of alfalfa sprouts have antihyperlipidemic and antihyperglycemic properties.15
•Lower Cholesterol Levels A study published in the Journal of Clinical Investigation noted that alfalfa helped reduce hypercholesterolemia (elevated cholesterol levels in the blood) in monkeys without changing HDL cholesterol levels.16