Useful Information on Alfalfa - Medicago Sativa

Other Common Names: Jatt, Kaba Yonca, Lucerne, Mielga, Mu Su, Sai Pi Li Ka, Yonja, Medicago sativa

Range: Europe - Mediterranean; China; Iraq; Kurdistan; Turkey; USA

Habitat: Waste ground, avoiding acid soils.

Composition: Leaves (Fresh weight)- Water: 82.7 Calories: 52 Protein: 6 Fat: 0.4 Carbohydrate: 9.5 Fiber: 3.1 Ash: 1.4 Calcium: 12 Phosphorus: 51 Iron: 5.4 Vitamin A: 3410 Thiamine: 0.13 Riboflavin: 0.14 Niacin: 0.5 Vitamin C: 162

It may possibly have been a native of Europe; it is of great antiquity, having been imported into Greece from the East after Darius had discovered it in Medea, hence its name. It is referred to by Roman writers, and is cultivated in Persia and Peru, where it is mown all the year round. It first came into notice in 1757 in Britain.

Alfalfa leaves, either fresh or dried, have traditionally been used as a nutritive tonic to stimulate the appetite and promote weight gain. The plant has an oestrogenic action and could prove useful in treating problems related to menstruation and the menopause. Some caution is advised in the use of this plant, however. It should not be prescribed to people with auto-immune diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis.

The plant is antiscorbutic, aperient, diuretic, ecbolic, haemostatic, nutritive, stimulant and tonic. The expressed juice is emetic and is also anodyne in the treatment of gravel. The plant is taken internally for debility in convalescence or anaemia, hemorrhage, menopausal complaints, premenstrual tension, fibroids etc. A poultice of the heated leaves has been applied to the ear in the treatment of earache. The leaves can be used fresh or dried. The leaves are rich in vitamin K which is used medicinally to encourage the clotting of blood. This is valuable in the treatment of jaundice. The plant is grown commercially as a source of chlorophyll and carotene, both of which have proven health benefits. The leaves also contain the anti-oxidant tricin. The root is febrifuge and is also prescribed in cases of highly coloured urine. Extracts of the plant are antibacterial.

Leaves and young shoots - raw or cooked. The leaves can also be dried for later use. Very rich in vitamins, especially A, B and C, they are also a good source of protein. The leaves are a rich source of vitamin K. A very nutritious food in moderation, though it can trigger attacks in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus and large quantities can affect liver function and cause photosensitization. A nutritional analysis is available.

The seed is commonly used as a sprouted seed which is added to salads, used in sandwiches etc or cooked in soups. The seed is soaked in warm water for 12 hours, then kept moist in a container in a warm place to sprout. It is ready in about 4 - 6 days. The seeds can also be ground into a powder and used as a mush, or mixed with cereal flours for making a nutritionally improved bread etc.



An appetite-stimulating tea is made from the leaves it has a flavor somewhat reminiscent of boiled socks and is slightly laxative.

The plant can be grown as a low dividing hedge in the vegetable garden.

Known Hazards: The plant contains saponin-like substances. Eating large quantities of the leaves may cause the breakdown of red blood cells. However, although they are potentially harmful, saponins are poorly absorbed by the human body and so most pass through without harm. Saponins are quite bitter and can be found in many common foods such as some beans. Thorough cooking, and perhaps changing the cooking water once, will normally remove most of them from the food. Saponins are much more toxic to some creatures, such as fish, and hunting tribes have traditionally put large quantities of them in streams, lakes etc in order to stupefy or kill the fish. Alfalfa sprouts (and especially the seeds) contain canavanine. Recent reports suggest that ingestion of this substance can cause the recurrence of systemic lupus erythematosus (an ulcerous disease of the skin) in patients where the disease had become dormant.