Alfalfa – Introducing the king of foods

Carlos Sánchez 29 May, 2019 Plants Leave a comment

Like in natural and traditional medicine, using herbs and plants in our diet is becoming quite popular. Alfalfa is one of them since it is a plant with many benefits for our health, such as treating urinary infections.

Index

1. Let’s meet alfalfa
2. Alfalfa plant
3. Properties of alfalfa
4. Benefits of alfalfa for health
5. How to take alfalfa
6. Alfalfa in capsules
7. Contraindications of alfalfa
8. Bibliography
9. Related Entries:

Let’s meet alfalfa

The alfalfa or Medicago sativa, is a plant that belong to the family of green peas. It is a perennial herb that can grow up to 60cm in height. The fruit from the sprouts is a legume between 4 and 7 millimeters in diameter. In addition, it has no thorns and it has a spiral shape.

Its green sprouts have always been related to traditional medicine. Not in vain, it is sold due to its richness in amino acids, minerals and vitamins. All these elements are very useful if we lack energy or for insufficient diets and tiredness. In fact, it is traditionally known as the ‘king of foods’.

Alfalfa plant

Medicago sativa is mainly native to Asia and it is one of the first herbs discovered by humankind. As we have already said, this product belongs to the family of peas, called Fabaceae. Quite often, it is also used to feed animals (its most common use around the world). This is due to the fact that it has the highest nutritional value from all the hay crops.

Another interesting fact about alfalfa is its etymology. It comes from Arabic, more specifically from the phrase “al-fac-facah” which means “father of all foods“. This is due to its high essential mineral content, which will see in more detail later on.

Nowadays, people commonly sell it and use it in countries like the United States, Canada, as well as South America or Europe. Before, it was used in ancient China to treat digestive problems as well as to make renal treatments.

Properties of alfalfa

Multivitamin: it a plant with very deep roots, which means that it takes many nutrients during its growth. Consequently, they will provide many benefits for the human body, and specially the body of athletes. This multivitamin richness is made up of biotin, vitamin A, C, D, E and K, apart from all the vitamin B complex
Minerals: For the same reason, the alfalfa also has important minerals like calcium, folic acid, iron, magnesium and potassium. It is also rich in protein
Diuretic properties against fluid retention or urinary tract infections

Benefits of alfalfa for health

Lowering the bad cholesterol due to its high mineral and vitamin content which cleanses the blood
Regulating the blood sugar, which can be used by diabetic people. Due to its high manganese content, some scientists believe that it could lower the blood sugar levels. Therefore, it could help diabetic people which have had problems with the insulin response.
Preventing and treating anemia due to its vitamin C and iron content
Supporting cancer treatment. Taking alfalfa branch helps to detect the cancerous agents in the colon and help to eliminate them naturally
Preventing asthma and respiratory problems apart from relieving the symptoms of menopause. Moreover, the alfalfa can also improve the vitamin K levels of those people who takes antibiotics.

How to take alfalfa

For centuries, this plant has provided many benefits for our health. But there are different ways of using or preparing the alfalfa.

A popular way of getting the benefits from this product is by drinking infusions. On the other hand, if you want more benefits and a more pleasant flavor, we suggest combining alfalfa tea with another flavored tea. Because, while the benefits of this herb are quite evident, the flavor can be a little bit bland.

Finally, dry or dehydrated alfalfa is another great alternative, if not the best. We can mix alfalfa with different gastronomic dishes, such as salads, soups or stews. As long as we do not exceed the recommended daily dose, we will make our meals healthier without altering their flavor.

Alfalfa in capsules

This natural herb can also be taken in capsules, like a normal supplement. We believe this is a great way of obtaining all its benefits for our health on a daily basis.

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