Sprouts are always praised for being high in nutrients and having an organic healing power. But alfalfa sprouts benefits are relatively more impressive than many other sprout family members. These mild crunchy and soberly favored sprouts are becoming an inevitable part of a regular diet of people with a health goal. Alfalfa sprouts are century old and have its history and identity. Here is a bit quick fact about alfalfa sprouts:
Alfalfa Sprouts initially originated from Central and South Asia, but it has subsequently been cultivated around the world for epochs.
Apart from being used as food, it also has excellent antiquity of use and known as a healing herb for humans.
Alfalfa Sprouts: A Brief Overview
Alfalfa(1) is a plant of perennial flowers and member of the legume family. Its legacy goes back to the early eras of Greeks and Romans. Since then, it’s being cultivated as livestock fodder. History says Iran is the first country to understand the alfalfa sprouts benefits and started the cultivation. In ancient India, alfalfa was a great Ayurveda herb, used for better blood cells production.
Our forefathers knew the advantages of alfalfa sprouts and seeds and used it to promote a healthy and healed body. Alfalfa seeds are readily available, and all you need is just a jar and some water is enough to watch the seeds of alfalfa to sprout.
[Also Read: Health Benefits of Millets]
Alfalfa Sprouts Nutrition Facts
Now, let’s try to understand why the ancient wise men were so obsessed with alfalfa sprouts or what are the nutritional components behind all the alfalfa sprouts benefits?
Alfalfa sprouts are rich in vitamin K and comprise of many vital nutrients like vitamin C, copper, folate and, manganese. The shoots are very low in calories.
Essential nutritional values of alfalfa sprouts:
- Potassium
- Iron
- Calcium
- Magnesium
- Vitamin A
- Vitamin B
- Riboflavin
- Thiamin
- Pantothenic Acid
Alfalfa(2) also has a high amount of bioactive herbal compounds. They include coumarins, saponins, phytosterols, phytoestrogens flavonoids, and alkaloids
15 Alfalfa Sprouts Benefits That Can Better Your Health in No Time
You must be very eager and curious to know about the health benefits of alfalfa sprouts by now. Don’t worry! We will not keep you waiting.
1. Prevent Cancer:
As per The Encyclopedia of Healing Foods written by Joseph Pizzorno and Michael T. Murray, alfalfa sprouts are filled with antioxidants and phytoestrogens, and these two nutrients can reduce inflammation, decreases the formation of cancer growth-boosting new blood cells and, balancing hormones.
[Also Read: Herbs to Treat and Prevent Cancer]
2. Heal Menopause and Menstruation Complexities:
The presence of the abundant number of phytoestrogens and vitamin K in alfalfa sprouts brand them as great food for women as these two can balance levels of estrogen to decrease hormone-related menopause issues like depression, and mood swipes. Vitamin K is also known for blood-clotting components, which can control extreme bleeding.
3. Promote Weight Loss:
Because of the microscopic quantity of calories in alfalfa sprouts, they are ideal for people with obesity. Alfalfa sprouts are fiber-rich food which will make you feel full without affecting your daily calorie quota. Moreover, the vitamins in alfalfa sprouts will stimulate the metabolism and increase energy levels. That means burning of more fat.
4. Reduce Risk of Diabetes:
Diabetes is the kind of new age epidemic. The dietary fiber present in alfalfa sprouts makes it an excellent food choice to prevent diabetes. Dietary Fiber is known for balancing glucose and insulin in our body, which prevents the possibilities of diabetes.
5. Control Cholesterol Level:
People with coronary heart disease can be benefited from regular consumption of alfalfa sprouts because these sprouts have cholesterol-lowering components. Reduction of LDL cholesterol minimizes the chance of arteries and blood vessel blockages. These types of blockages are significant reasons for stroke and heart attacks.
6. Enhance Immunity:
15% of our body’s daily requirement intake of vitamin C can be covered with just one serving of alfalfa sprouts. Vitamin C is known for its immunity boosting capability. Alfalfa sprouts stimulate the white blood cells production which can protect us from any inflammation and infections. Vitamin C plays a vital role in collagen synthesis as well.
7. Improve Digestion:
Our body needs dietary fiber to optimize digestion. Nutritional fibers(3) promote the stool movement in the bowel. Alfalfa sprouts can boast of its high amount of dietary fiber. So, consuming these magic sprouts can give you a break from chronic constipation, gastrointestinal distress, and diarrhea.
8. Speed Healing Process:
Vitamin K is known for speeding the blood clotting process in our body. Natural blood clot functioning of our body helps us to heal faster from an injury and prevents fatal infection. Alfalfa sprout’s rich density of vitamin k can improve our healing. However, excess blood clotting or consumption of vitamin k rich food can be a cause of cardiovascular issues.
9. Boost Growth:
A 100-gram serving of alfalfa sprouts supplies nearly 10% of our daily protein requirement. Protein can help our body to grow, repair itself from inside and develop properly. It also boosts muscle growth and reduces fat deposition.
10. Fight Osteoporosis:
Calcium, Iron, Magnesium and Vitamin k is necessary to build strong bones. Alfalfa sprouts have all these bone and health-boosting nutrients. Consuming alfalfa sprouts in a moderate amount may reduce the risk of early symptoms of osteoporosis.
11. Improve Metabolism:
Dietary fibers and different types of vitamin B play a significant role in stimulating metabolism. Better metabolism means better hormone production, enzymatic circulations, and many other primary bodily functions. Alfalfa sprouts have these two vital and metabolism-boosting components.
12. Provide Better Skin:
Alfalfa sprouts works have anti-aging properties. Anti-aging properties can reduce early signs of aging like blemishes, fine-lines are wrinkles. It also improves skin elasticity.
13. Provide Antioxidant:
Antioxidants are also responsible for better and improved mental health. It can reverse the effects of oxidative stress. Daily consumption of alfalfa sprouts can keep your blood clean and improve kidney and liver function.
14. Treat Anemia:
Alfalfa is a rich source of iron. It has substantial amounts of chlorophyll, iron, and vitamin K. These three components can improve the production of blood and gradually balance the blood cell count required to treat anemia.
[Also Read: Natural Treatments to Get Rid of Anemia]
15. Heal Acid Reflux:
Alkaline foods like alfalfa sprouts reduce the stomach’s acidity and enhance its pH balance. It also gives you some relief from gastronomical irritability, ulcer burning, etc. Apart from that, the presence of dietary fibers also helps you with enhanced digestion.
What are the Side-Effects and Safety Measures to be Considered!
Apart from all the alfalfa sprouts benefits, we have talked about so far; they do have side-effects. However, you will benefit from it only if you consume it in moderate amount. Before you start consuming alfalfa sprouts, here are the side effect you should aware of:
1. These sprouts can cause uterine contractions. So, it is better to avoid consuming alfalfa during pregnancy.
2. If you are taking any blood thinner, then alfalfa should not be a part of your diet. Vitamin K improves our body’s natural blood clotting capacity which is exactly opposite of what blood thinners do.
3. Diabetes will be benefitted from the consumption of alfalfa sprouts. However, if you are already taking medicines to lower your blood sugar level, then consult your doctor once because we need a certain level of sugar in your blood. Alfalfa sprouts could lower the sugar level giving rise to symptoms like fainting, lightheadedness and cognitive confusion.
4. People with autoimmune disorder or lupus should avoid alfalfa sprouts intake.
5. Try to avoid packed sprouts from stores. Usually, these long-packed sprouts accumulate enough bacteria and contaminate it. These contaminated alfalfa sprouts can cause food poisoning if you have a weak immune system.
6. We know you are impressed after knowing alfalfa sprouts benefits, but overconsumption of alfalfa sprouts can increase toxins in your body because alfalfa seeds when sprouted, accumulate microorganisms.
The abundance of minerals, vitamins and all the other nutritional components makes alfalfa sprouts a great snack option. The alfalfa sprouts benefits are now known to many people, and many others like you are thinking of making it a part of your diet. Moderate consumption of organic healing food is far better than supplement intakes or pill dependency. If you can boost your immunity organically and prevent the chance of future ailments, then why should you go for pills? Now, take some right actions, go to the gourmet shop, and grab some alfalfa sprouts.
