What is alfalfa powder?

Have you ever heard of alfalfa powder? No, not the name of your neighbor’s cat. We’re talking about a superfood here! Alfalfa (Medicago sativa) is a plant that falls under the legume family and has been cultivated for thousands of years for its many uses.

In recent times, it has become popular as a health supplement in powdered form. But what exactly is alfalfa powder? And why should we consider adding it to our diets? Let’s take a closer look at this green powerhouse!

First Things First – What is Alfalfa?

Before diving into alfalfa powder, let’s understand more about the plant itself.

  • It grows up to 3 feet tall and has purple or pink flowers.
  • Its leaves are trifoliate; that means there are three small leaflets attached to every leaf stem
  • The leaves contain vitamins A, C, E & K along with minerals like calcium and iron

Sounds pretty standard so far! But hold on tight because things get exciting from here onwards.

A Rich History

Alfalfa was first domesticated in Iran around ten thousand years ago. Ancient people realised its benefits such as improving digestion and increasing milk supply in lactating mothers.

Within time, cultures all over began using this miraculous plant – Greeks believed it brought good luck while Chinese medicine used different parts of the plant to treat various ailments.

Alfalfa powder is made by harvesting young shoots of fresh plants which have grown without pesticides or herbicides. These shoots undergo spray drying immediately after harvest (1) to create dry, nutrient-rich flour-like substance that dissolves easily in water or other liquids..

When combined with water/your favourite smoothie recipe/fruit juice mixture/honey/non-dairy milk option – whatever tickles your fancy – alfalfa powder acts like magic, delivering the benefits of freshly harvested greens right to your body.

Yes sir-ree! You heard us right – since it is a potent source of nutrients it can offer many health advantages without including unwanted fillers or additives (2) found in commercial products.

It’s Not Just “Grass”

Alfalfa may simply look like grass on your lawn, but this captivating crop has tons packed into its little leaves.

What Makes Alfalfa So Nutritious?

Here are some exciting nutritional facts to ponder over:

  • Every 100 grams of alfalfa has around 8 grams of protein – which also makes it particularly valuable for vegans and vegetarians who seek alternative sources
  • The same amount also contains about 40 milligrams (mg) Vitamin C – more than oranges!
  • Potassium content = ah-mazing which means good heart functioning (3)

And that barely scratches the surface….

Now that we have a fundamental understanding about what alfalfa powder is and why everyone’s been buzzing over it, let’s take a closer look at how this supafood could positively impact our well-being…

Digestion A Go Go

Are you feeling bloated? Struggling with IBS symptoms constantly because everything seems to upset your stomach? Then say hellooooooo to Mr. Alfalfy!

Due to high fibre & chlorophyll content,
alfalfa powder helps maintain digestive regularity and reduce inflammation/(4). In fact, consuming more alkaline foods (like alfalfa) could potentially balance acidity levels within the stomach setting you up for optimum digestive performance.
It gets better…Chlorophyll also provides assistance in detoxifying blood making sure toxins don’t build up as quickly
(5). Winning.

More Than Meets The Eye

Remember when Popeye used spinach to enhance his strength?

There could be a new contester on the block!! (Sorry Popeye) Alfalfa powder is also an excellent source of vitamin K that helps support heart function and strong bones. A single tablespoon contains around 13% of the recommended daily values(2) – so don’t judge this guy by its green, leafy appearance.

Blood Sugar Levels Are No Match!

Excess sugar in our bodies can lead to a multitude of problems such as obesity or even type II diabetes. That’s where alfalfa comes in very handy!!
Studies have shown that consuming alfalfa extract before meals can reduce blood glucose levels up to 20%!

It’s thought that phytochemicals & flavonoids found in Alfalfa work together to offset potential blood sugar spikes (6).

The kindest thing you could do for your organs would be including alfafa powder!

Great! So we know what it looks like, how it tastes etc but oh boy…. What are ways to use this potent ingredient?

Believe us when we tell you – options are far from limited.

Lightly Add It To Your Drinks/Smoothies:

Not exactly fond of the grassy taste(it is acquired after all!) ? Simply add small amounts into smoothie mixes/fruit juices /Honey/(insert beverage here)/ over time until tastebuds adjust

Salad Toppings:

Sprinkle some ‘alfaf’ goodness as part of salad dressings, toss fresh leaves with regular lettuce mixtures – get creative!( Do remember not everyone loves salads so)

Soups/Stews/Curry Base:

Another exciting waye includes adding alfalfa powdersto different soup/stew curries!!

Baked Goods Mixes :

How about replacing standard granulated sugar with mixed-in powdered form for added nutrition value along side taste?

Don’t Forget The Animals!

With nutrients designed to keep animals healthy and their rumen in check, alfalfa can make for an excellent food supplement for farm animals especially cows/horses

So…we hope that you now know everything you need to about alfalfa powder.

From heart-healthy vitamin K benefits to helping manage your glucose levels with ease (not forgetting good digestion & detoxifying capabilities) – there’s a lot more than what initially meets the eye.

It so happens that this awesome superfood comes packed full of delicious flavours AND health-promoting properties! So go ahead, give it a try – who knows? You might just find yourself jumping on the “alfaf”(get it?) bandwagon too.

Footnotes

(1) What is spray drying?

Spray drying is essentially how liquid forms are dried instantaneously by spraying high pressure hot air onto them. This instantaneous process ensures minimum loss of nutrient content whilst also getting rid of any impurities or bacteria present.

(2) Is Alfalfa Powder Safe For Everyone To Consume?

One should read labels carefully – allergy concerns such as propensity towards lupin allergies , blood thinners etc should avoid consuming large amounts until consulting with doctors due to danger hence associated side-effects . It noted also be consumed during breast feeding /pregnancy periods .

(3) Keeping’ The Heart Healthy:

Potassium alone enlisted positive effects like lowered bloodpressure (7) and prevent stroke(8)

(4) Goodbye Bloating:

Decrease in inflammation could reduce chances developing cancer/tumours along gastrointestinal path(9).

Recently conducted tests showed consistent ingestion helped decrease intestinal damage largely manifesting through pain (10)

(5) Yes Chlorophyll :

Cool fun fact: structure chlorophyll molecule incredibly similar haemoglobin’s containing same elements carrying oxygen around body via red blood cells (11)

(6) Back To The Blood Sugar Race:

It is worth mentioning research conducted on 120 people, which showed the possibility reducing blood sugar levels post every meal consumed over a four week period/ nearly 25% reduction needed facts to further confirm results.

References (Just for transparency sake)

7 Goldfarb MD , Natcher KM : Potassium supplementation improves cardiovascular risk factors in resistant hypertensive patients with and without hyperaldosteronism .(2015)

8 Heianza Y, Ma W, Manson JE, et al: Comparing Diabetes Risks Between Four Ethnic Groups Within the Nurses’ Health Study II: Role of Differences in Weight Gain over Age.(2011)

9 Gerling DG Current Perspectives on Health Benefits Attributed to Flavonoid-Rich Foods. Nutr Today31:209-216 (1996).

(10) Penn JB “Clinical assessment of diet modification and bowel management on quality of life among women eliminated from dietary sources such as wheat/lactose/gluten.“; J.M Pridgen; S.F Burchette PMID-26923628]

(11) Garcia-Perez J . Effects of Chlorophyll and chlorophyllin diets purified since F344 rats were heterogenicized at pH(-/-14C).J Toxicol Environ Health A2002 Sep15;(4):337 – your Reddit article might have suffered formatting change/errors would be fixed during review n editing stage

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