Alfalfa Tea Is a Nutrient-Rich Brew That May Possess Considerable Medicinal Benefits

Alfalfa tea comes from the steeped leaves of the alfalfa plant. It has been renowned for countless centuries as a medicinal herb. Alfalfa is a perennial flowering plant that has a long list of dietary and healing applications. Belonging to the pea family Fabaceae, alfalfa has been utilized as an herbal medicine for over 1,500 years.

Many people believe that eating alfalfa contributes greatly to a sound diet. And why not? Besides wheatgrass and algae, alfalfa is believed to have the greatest nutrient content among the so-called 'green herbs'. Alfalfa tea nutrients include fiber, vitamins, minerals, and protein. It is believed to possess all of the required digestive enzymes.

Alfalfa sprouts are typically eaten as part of salads and sandwiches. It is also consumed as a stand alone vegetable and as a component of many savory dishes.

Avid consumers of alfalfa say that the first culinary encounter with this herb is not likely to be pleasant as it may impart a burning sensation to the tip of the tongue. But they hasten to add that the vegetable is an acquired taste and soon, the eater will begin to appreciate it.

Dehydrated alfalfa leaves are also commercially available as a dietary supplement in several forms, such as tablets, powders and tea. To derive the nutrients from alfalfa tea, steep a handful of the dried leaves in a mug of newly-boiled water and allow it to stand for about 5 to 7 minutes.

Interestingly, alfalfa is widely grown throughout the world as forage for cattle. Its primary use is as feed for high producing cows due to its high protein content and highly digestible fiber. It is also used for feeding beef cattle, horses, sheep, and goats.

The Arabs were the first ones to feed alfalfa to their horses as they believed the plant made them swift and mighty. Alfalfa has been an animal crop for over a thousand years but is also used as an herbal medicine. It is most often harvested as hay. The Arabs were in fact the first ones to find alfalfa and named it 'the father of all foods'. Early on, they discovered that the leaves of the alfalfa plant are very rich in minerals and nutrients. True enough, modern science has revealed that it is high in potassium, calcium, magnesium, zinc, carotene, as well as vitamins A, C and K.

For their part, the Chinese have been using alfalfa to relieve fluid retention and swelling since the sixth century. Traditional Chinese medicinal practitioners used alfalfa tea made from young leaves to treat disorders related to the digestive tract and the kidneys.

Similarly practitioners of Ayurvedic medicine used alfalfa tea from the leaves for treating poor digestion. They likewise made a cooling poultice from the seeds for boils. At the time, alfalfa was also believed to be beneficial to people suffering from arthritis and water retention.

Meanwhile, research done in the modern age has proven that alfalfa tea nutrients may be responsible for a host of medicinal properties. For one, it is believed to help lower blood levels of bad cholesterol and glucose. There has been a recent discovery that certain chemical component agents in the plant have a tendency to attach themselves to cholesterol which prevents it from remaining in the blood stream and sticking to the gut. These agents may also have an action that relates to lowering blood sugar levels.

Alfalfa tea has also demonstrated effects that it may be a good diuretic and laxative. It also seems to works well in the treatment of urinary tract infections, as well as disorders and ailments affecting the kidney, bladder and prostrate.

Alfalfa tea may also be good for reducing fevers. Its rich chlorophyll content may help in purifying the blood. It also seems to wield beneficial properties for treating an upset stomach, promoting the appetite and keeping calcium deposits from clogging the linings of the arteries. It also contains natural fluoride that may help prevents tooth decay.

While many positive effects may be derived from the nutrients found in alfalfa tea, there have been reports that a small percentage of people developed lupus-like symptoms after consuming the plant. Auto-immune diseases were also said to have been activated when consuming large quantities of alfalfa. These phenomena seem to be explained by the fact that the amino acid L-canavanine is present in the seeds and sprouts of the plant. That is what is believed to have caused this reaction. However, it is not present in the leaves of the plant where the tea is derived. As such, food and drug authorities have declared alfalfa leaves as "Possibly Safe" for most adults but alfalfa seeds have been given a "Likely Unsafe" rating if used on a long-term basis.

Phytoestrogens have also been discovered in alfalfa so women with hormone-related ailments may want to avoid the use of this tea and herb. Pregnant and nursing women are also advised to avoid its use as more conclusive findings on safety are yet to be made.

Nevertheless, overall findings reveal overwhelmingly positive benefits for those taking alfalfa tea and herb. It is quite interesting to note that modern science has effectively been able to prove the healing benefits of this green herb known since ancient times. This seems to suggest the use of natural remedies like alfalfa tea will likely continue to increase, as people's enthusiasm for these methods are unlikely to diminish over time.