Alfalfa Facts, Information and History

This article briefly takes you through some alfalfa facts, information as well as the history of the plant.

Information regarding the health benefits of alfalfa as well as some possible side effects of alfalfa usage are discussed in the other related alfalfa articles.

Even though the alfalfa plant is primarily considered a forage crop for animals, it has been recognized for its uses as an herbal medicine for close to 1500 years now.

This herbal medicine is known to be effective in treating high blood cell production - this is done by ingesting the seeds and sprouts of alfalfa.

Alfalfa leaves and stems are also a rich source of proteins, vitamins and minerals, and aid in combating deficiency of the same.

Alfalfa is a slim, bushy perennial plant native to western Asia and the eastern Mediterranean region. It is a legume belonging to the pea family Papilioaceae and the genus / species medicago sativa.

Alfalfa is one of the oldest cultivated plants in history. Other common names include lucerne, lucerne grass, chilean clover and buffalo grass.

An interesting alfalfa fact lies in the language origin of the name of the plant. Etymologically, its name is derived from "al-fac-facah", which means "father of all foods" in Arabic.

This plant bears blue-green trifoliate leaves and mauve flowers. The seeds are sickle shaped pods and alfalfa sprouts have high medicinal value.

The parts used for human nutritional consumption are usually the stems and leaves as well as the sprouts from the seeds.

Alfalfa sprouts are commonly also referred to as alfalfa grass, while both these names are often associated with the alfalfa plant, especially with reference to human consumption.

Listing out the properties of this healing herb would require a mention of its cooling, sweet, and astringent qualities.

An important alfalfa fact would be its power packed nutritional constituents. This would include minerals and vitamins, organic acids, free amino acids, non-protein amino acids (example canavinine), strachydrine, coumarins, isoflavonoids, saponins and steroids such as b-sitosterol, campesterol, stigamsterol, etc. Alfalfa also contains vitamins A, D, E and K, chlorophyll and carotene, as well as minerals such as potassium, calcium, and magnesium.

Commercially, alfalfa is available as dried leaf, health drinks and tea; as alfalfa supplements such as tablets, capsules and extracts; as well as in other forms.

Another interesting alfalfa fact to note is that modern day use of the plant is not just restricted to medicine and forage - it is also used in organic gardening. Alfalfa is typically used as a fertilizer since it adds value to the soil due to its nitrogen fixing attributes.

Alfalfa Pages | Alfalfa Facts, Information and History | Some Information on Planting Alfalfa or Growing Alfalfa | Health Benefits of Alfalfa | Alfalfa Health Benefits - Ways to consume alfalfa | Possible Side Effects, Precautions, and Contraindications of Alfalfa

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