Description :
Alfalfa is a perennial flowering plant in the Legume (pea) family. It grows from a base that is partially embedded in the top of the soid to between 1 and 3 feet tall. Groups of three compound leaves grow from single stems that branch from the main stalk. Purple flowers grow from separate stems. The ripe fruit is black or brown and contains several yellow seeds.The root of the alfalfa plant reaches deep into the soil, allowing the plant to extract a wide range of micro-minerals and other nutrients from deep in the ground. Internally, Alfalfa was used before modern medicine to help lower blood sugar, help lower serum cholesterol, help treat anemia, and provide high-powered nutrition. None of that has been verified by the FDA.
History and Folklore:
Alfalfa has been used as a food for both humans and livestock since at least 1300 B.C. Today, it is the third most valuable crop in the US after corn and soybeans. Because of its ability to trap nitrogen from the air, alfalfa makes a good ground cover or rotation crop, both of which help reduce the need for chemical fertilizers.
Cultivation and Harvest:
Harvest the areal parts of the plant (stems, leaves, and flowers) when the plant just starts to flower. Dry the harvested material for use as powder, teas, tinctures, and extracts. The leaves can be eaten fresh as a part of a salad or soup.
Precautions:
Do not use with blood thinners or diabetes medication.
Traditional Herbal Actions*:
Alterative, Diuretic, Cardioactive, Antipyretic, Aperient, Oxytocic, Nutritive.*
Other Names:
Chilean clover, buffalo grass, father of all foods, buffalo herb, lucerne, purple medic, Spanish clover, California clover, purple medick, medicago, fuelle de luzerna (French), holy hay, trefoil
Tincture Ingredients: Alfalfa (Medicago sativa)
None of these items or statements are approved by FDA. Consult your physician before taking any supplement. Do not take herbs or tinctures during pregnancy without consulting your healthcare provider. This product is not intended to diagnose or treat any disease. All information here is for entertainment and educational purposes only.
*These statements have not been verified by the FDA and is only referenced here as a fun fact and/or for historical commentary, is not to be used as medical advice in any way. Consult your doctor before ingesting any herbal product.
Willow –