Alfalfa Products
The Alfalfa seed and leaf can be consumed in numerous different ways; in cooking or a smoothie, as a sprout or even made into a tea. Alfalfa comes from ancient origins and is one of the original food stuffs used by the Greeks and Romans. Today Indigo Herbs offers you the opportunity to utilise this cleansing organic whole food and make it a part of a balanced healthy diet. You can also utilise other parts of this versatile herb with our Organic Alfalfa Grass Powder, Alfalfa Leaf Tea, Alfalfa Leaf Tincture and Alfalfa Supplements.
Alfalfa is thought to have been first cultivated by the Persians who then introduced it to Greece when the Persian Empire invaded in 490 BC. From Greece the Alfalfa started to be used by the Romans in the 1st century AD. The Roman writer Palladius mentions it in his book ‘Opus Agriculturae’ and also alludes to its origin being from the Medes in ancient Iran. Since this time Alfalfa has been spread far and wide. It is thought that the Umayyad conquest of Hispania in the 8th century brought this seed to Spain and from there it entered the Americas. It is now recognised the world over for its qualities as a highly nutritious food stuff. It is also worth mentioning that in early Chinese as well as Ayurvedic medicine, the Alfalfa plant was used for a variety of bodily complaints.
Alfalfa grows from two to three feet high depending on soil conditions and water supply. Long taproots draw moisture and nourishment from deep in the subsoil, and enable the plant to grow in dry areas. Some 15 to 50 shoots grow from the crown. The leaves are small, with distinct marginal teeth at the apex. The flowers are predominantly purple, cream, yellow, and white with seed pods being twisted and slightly hairy. Seeds are kidney shaped and yellow to pink in colour.