Alfalfa: A Staple in the Fields & the Medicine Cabinet
You’ve seen it growing in fields while driving through farmland. You’ve garnished a sandwich with its crunchy, tasty sprouts. But did you know that Alfalfa is a potent ingredient for perimenopause support?
Alfalfa contains phytoestrogens, which are plant compounds that resemble estrogen and provide safe, natural hormonal support. If you’re feeling the effects of midlife hormone upheaval, the alfalfa in our Wile Perimenopause Support supplement can contribute to a calmer, happier and more focused you.
Why We Love Alfalfa
- Alfalfa is chock-full of antioxidants. This means that it supports organ and cell health and can even decrease your risk for some diseases like cancers and heart disease.
- Alfalfa is rich in vitamins and minerals. Looking to up your nutrition game? Look to alfalfa. While we often think of it as fodder for livestock, alfalfa is fabulous food for humans, too. It’s high in vitamin K and vitamin C, as well as iron, folate and magnesium.
Key Benefits:
Hormonal Support - The phytoestrogens in alfalfa can help balance your hormones. This is important because shifting hormones cause all the uncomfortable effects of perimenopause. Taking alfalfa in a formula like our Perimenopause Support supplement can help you use plant power to get to the root of your perimenopause concerns.
Fights Hot Flashes - Sometimes this gets lumped into the general category of women’s hormonal balance support, but alfalfa’s hot flash-fighting powers bear repeating! The phytoestrogens in alfalfa help fill the gap in estrogen levels, which in turn keeps your body — and your body temperature — regulated. Call us if you miss hanging out with your face in the freezer. You’ll be the first!
Boosts Liver Health - Antioxidants, phenols and saponins in alfalfa all contribute to its status as a liver health hero. While recent studies back this up, it’s worth noting that Indigenous Americans caught onto alfalfa’s liver-supporting prowess long ago. If you want to treat your metabolism to a little TLC, alfalfa is your friend.
Traditional Uses:
Alfalfa is popular in Traditional Chinese Medicine and Ayurveda as a treatment for stomach ache and digestive issues. It’s also used in Ayurveda as a cure for water retention and arthritis.
After alfalfa arrived in North America, Indigenous Americans began using it to treat jaundice and to encourage healthy blood clotting.
About Alfalfa:
Alfalfa has long green stems with small leaves and purple clover-like flowers. It’s a popular agricultural crop, but it also pops up in gardens throughout North America.
Alfalfa was cultivated as many as 6,000 years ago in what is now Turkey and Iran. The word alfalfa is derived from the Arabic for “father of all foods.” This plant is super nutrient-rich, so whoever named alfalfa was really onto something!
Found In
Things to Know about Alfalfa:
Alfalfa is generally very safe, but it may not be for everyone.
If you have a hormone sensitive condition, it’s best to avoid alfalfa and other ingredients containing phytoestrogens.
As an immune-system booster, alfalfa is also contraindicated for those with auto-immune conditions.
Clinical Research
- De Franciscis, Pasquale, Nicola Colacurci, Gaetano Riemma, Anna Conte, Erika Pittana, Maurizio Guida, and Antonio Schiattarella. “A Nutraceutical Approach to Menopausal Complaints.” Medicina-Lithuania 55, no. 9 (August 28, 2019): 544. https://doi.org/10.3390/medicina55090544.
- De Leo, V., D. Lanzetta, R Cazzavacca, and Gianluca Morgante. “[Treatment of Neurovegetative Menopausal Symptoms with a Phytotherapeutic Agent].” Minerva Ginecologica 50, no. 5 (May 1, 1998): 207–11.
- Kargozar, Rahele, Hoda Azizi, and Roshanak Salari. “A Review of Effective Herbal Medicines in Controlling Menopausal Symptoms.” Electronic Physician 9, no. 11 (November 25, 2017): 5826–33. https://doi.org/10.19082/5826.
- Raeeszadeh, Mahdieh, Javad Beheshtipour, Rozhin Jamali, and Abolfazl Akbari. “The Antioxidant Properties of Alfalfa (Medicago Sativa L.) and Its Biochemical, Antioxidant, Anti-Inflammatory, and Pathological Effects on Nicotine-Induced Oxidative Stress in the Rat Liver.” Oxidative Medicine and Cellular Longevity 2022 (March 26, 2022): 1–13. https://doi.org/10.1155/2022/2691577.
Sources
- “Alfalfa – Health Information Library | PeaceHealth,” n.d. https://www.peacehealth.org/medical-topics/id/hn-2035004#:~:text=Alfalfa%2C%20an%20herb%20with%20weak,for%20women%20with%20menopausal%20symptoms.
- “Alfalfa: MedlinePlus Supplements,” n.d. https://medlineplus.gov/druginfo/natural/19.html#:~:text=Hormone%2Dsensitive%20condition%20such%20as,%2C%20don't%20use%20alfalfa.
- Ball, Don. “Little Known Facts About Alfalfa.” Auburn University. Auburn University, n.d. https://uknowledge.uky.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1165&context=ky_alfalfa#:~:text=Alfalfa%20originated%20in%20the%20vicinity,with%20domestication%20of%20the%20horse.
- Jones, Taylor. “Alfalfa.” Healthline, September 3, 2016. https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/alfalfa#other-benefits.
- WebMD Editorial Contributors. “Health Benefits of Antioxidants.” WebMD, November 17, 2020. https://www.webmd.com/diet/health-benefits-antioxidants.
Photo courtesy of Kym MacKinnon via Unsplash
This article is intended for informational purposes and is not intended to replace a one-on-one medical consultation with a professional. Wile, Inc researches and shares information and advice from our own research and advisors. We encourage every woman to research, ask questions and speak to a trusted health care professional to make her own best decisions.
