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Some Useful Health Benefits Of Alfalfa

Alfalfa is a member of the pea family with its name coming from Arabic and meaning the “father of all foods”. It is actually thought to be one of the first herbs that humans encountered and added to their nutrition.

Alfalfa has traditionally been used for culinary and medicinal purposes for centuries. It has also been often used to feed farm animals because of the health benefits it has.

The health benefits of alfalfa come from it being packed up with various vitamins and nutrients that make it a great herb to use for various ailments. Alfalfa is widely available in many different forms. You can purchase it in capsules, powder and even liquid form as extracts.

Vitamin and mineral benefits

Alfalfa has many vitamins and minerals that are essential for healthy nutrition. It consists of all the types of vitamin B, and also has vitamin A, vitamin D, vitamin E and vitamin K. Vitamin K is especially important in regulating blood clotting in the body, and can thus help prevent strokes. Vitamins A, C and E, with zinc that is also found in alfalfa, are great for example in preventing kidney stones from forming. This benefit of alfalfa is especially good when the herb is consumed in powder form.

The health benefits of alfalfa also include its rich mineral content. It contains minerals and nutrients like iron, biotin, niacin, calcium, magnesium, potassium, folic acid, and phosphorous. It is also a great source of protein when the herb is dried.

Further, Alfalfa has a lot of antioxidants in it. One of these is an antioxidant called carotenoid, which, according to a report published in 2008 in Phytotherapy Research, might help fight against free radicals that damage cells and cause diseases in your body. The Home Remedies website also states that alfalfa is rich in minerals that help in strengthening your bones, like calcium and phosphorous, and that this has been found to be beneficial in treating arthritis, for example. They recommend alfalfa tea for best benefits.

What other health benefits of alfalfa are there?

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