Alfalfa for Anemia

Alfalfa medicago

Alfalfa is one of the oldest plants to be farmed by humans. It has been used for hundreds of years as food for people and animals. The word “alfalfa” comes from an Arabic word which translates as “father of all foods.” Alfalfa is rich in vitamins and phytochemicals (plant chemicals that are good for human health). In particular, it is rich in beta-carotene and vitamins C, E, and K.

Using Alfalfa to Treat Anemia

Method

• Eat alfalfa sprouts on sandwiches, add alfalfa seeds to salads, or cook alfalfa as a vegetable.
• Drink alfalfa tea (use one or two teaspoons of alfalfa, steeped in boiling water for 10-20 minutes.
• Take alfalfa capsules, tablets, or extracts (these can be found in a health food store). Follow the directions on the container.

Why It Works

Alfalfa is rich in vitamin C, which helps the body to absorb the iron in food.

Precautions

Some people who have supplemented with alfalfa by taking it in a concentrated tablet form have developed lupus-like symptoms, such as muscle aches, fatigue, abnormal immune function, kidney abnormalities, and antinuclear antibodies in the blood. Doctors think that these symptoms are a reaction to L-canavanine, an amino acid which is in alfalfa sprouts and seeds, but not in the leaves. People who already have lupus should avoid alfalfa.

In rare cases, people have developed low blood counts, skin inflammation, and gastrointestinal upset after taking alfalfa. Skin reactions are probably the result of an allergy to alfalfa. Alfalfa can also cause blood sugar levels to drop.

Doctors advise pregnant or breastfeeding women to avoid alfalfa supplements, such as tinctures, extracts, and tablets, but eating alfalfa as a food is generally thought to be safe.

Alfalfa can interact with certain kinds of drugs, and can alter the levels of potassium and calcium in the body. It also contains estrogen-like chemicals, which, theoretically, could interact with the body’s own hormones or change the body’s hormonal balance. Because many plants contain chemicals that can interact with drugs, if you depend on regular prescriptions or expect to be taking a drug while also taking a plant-based supplement, you should first consult the doctor who prescribed the drug.

In general, when you are supplementing with a food item, it is safer to eat it as a food rather than taking it in more concentrated forms, such as extracts and tablets. Alfalfa is regarded as very safe when eaten as a food -- it is only likely to cause side effects when it is taken in very concentrated amounts. Even then, side effects are rare. When preparing raw alfalfa sprouts, be sure to wash thoroughly, as occasionally raw vegetable sprouts are contaminated with bacteria.

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