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Dr. Donna Schwontkowski
Alfalfa has been used for centuries by people world-wide for
overall support and rejuvenation. Because of its deep root system,
alfalfa is a rich source of the minerals calcium, magnesium, phosphorous,
iron, potassium and trace minerals. Specifically, it is one of the best
sources of protein and is very high in chlorophyll, carotene, the Vitamins A,
D, E, B-6 and K, and several digestive enzymes. This may be why it is
said to help reconstitute bone and when fresh, is beneficial for rickets.
Alfalfa
is one of the most studied plants. Research suggests that it
may inactivate dietary chemical carcinogens in the liver and small intestine
before they have a chance to do the body any harm. It is commonly used
for bladder infections. Used on the skin or in the bath, Alfalfa is
good for fatigue and muscle tenderness. It is also used to reduce pain
and inflammation of rheumatism and arthritis. Alfalfa is used as an
appetite stimulant, vitality augmenter (tonic), a digestive stimulant, for
insomnia, and to relax the nervous system.
http://www.purlife.com/medicago.htm
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The World Preservation Society
“Because of a long root system which absorbs abundant
minerals, alfalfa is very high in minerals and vitamins, particularly iron,
calcium, magnesium, potassium, trace minerals and vitamin K. It helps
to remove toxins and to neutralize acids.. It is good for anemia, menopause,
arthritis, gout, stabilizing blood sugar levels, balancing pituitary gland,
and detoxifying the blood and kidneys. Alfalfa helps soothe ulcers, the
liver and acts as a heart tonic. It helps with estrogen production and
morning sickness. It has a natural fluoride and is a mild
diuretic. Alfalfa may be used for reducing fevers and rheumatism and
has a mild laxative effect. It is good for cystitis or an inflamed
bladder and relief from bloating and water retention.”
http://www.purlife.com/medicago.htm
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Alfalfa history
ALFALFA -- The Father of all Foods aka King of the Plants
Alfalfa was brought to America
around 1850, Peru,
and today is the largest crop grown in this country. By nature ALFALFA is
very alkaline, which helps to eliminate excess uric acid, and extremely rich
in chlorophyll. Chlorophyll promotes healing more than almost anything, as it
is more like our blood than anything there is outside of our bodies. ALFALFA
has many different compound of calcium in it. It is also rich in potassium,
magnesium, vitamins A, E, K, D, B6, and U and protein. It has high amounts of
phosphorus, iron, potassium, chlorine, sodium, silicon, magnesium, B1, B2 and
B12. ALFALFA is such a good all around herb, that many different animals live
on it alone for their diet. A surprising fact about ALFALFA is that it is
higher in protein than beef. ALFALFA is 18.9 percent protein, while beef is
16.5, eggs are 13.1, whole wheat is 13.8 and milk is 3.3 percent protein.
It contains all eight essential enzymes, lapase to break down fat, amylase
sucrase which converts cane sugar into dextrose, peroxidase which is an
oxidizing aid for blood, pectinase to digest starches, coagulase to coagulate
milk and help to clot blood, emulsion to act on sugars, which helps digestion
and protase which digests proteins.
Alfalfa is one of the most complete and rich of all foods. In addition to its
high content of vitamins and minerals, it is also high in proteins.
Furthermore, it also contains every essential amino acid. Its detoxification
surpasses most of other food tested. Higher resistance to disease and
prevention of exhaustion were also reported in tests. Another study showed
that Alfalfa contains eight essential enzymes that are important for food
digestion.
Being more technical, Alfalfa contains vitamin A, D, E, K, U, C, B1, B2, B6,
B12, Niacin, Panthothanic acid, Inocitole, Biotin, and Folic acid. In the
mineral range, it contains Phosphorus, Calcium, Potassium, Sodium, Chlorine,
Sulfur, Magnesium, Copper, Manganese, Iron, Cobalt, Boron, and Molybdenum. It
also contains fiber, Proteins, and trace elements such as Nickel, Lead,
Strontium and Palladium.
http://www.easygreen.com/articles/nutritional_values.php
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Herbs First
Vitamin E is contained in alfalfa to the tune of 173.8 mg. per
pound. Vitamin E is essential for the proper functioning of the reproductive
system, and the Vitamin E found in alfalfa is so much more valuable than the
synthetic variety which is not readily assimilated by the body. According to my
personally supervised laboratory analysis of field dried alfalfa the
following results were obtained:
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Moisture: 9.5%
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Carbohydrate: 3.7%
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Protein: 15.3%
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Nitrogen: 50.9%
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Fat: 1.9%
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Calcium: 1.47%
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Ash: 8.0%
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Potassium: 1.97%
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Fiber: 28.6
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Phosphorus: 0.24%
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Sodium: 0.15%
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Magnesium: 0.31%
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Chlorine: 0.28%
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Copper: 8.3%
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Zinc: 6.9%
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Sulfur: 0.29%
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Iron: 0.017%
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Manganese: 25.4%
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The following results have been reported in
milligrams per pound:
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Carotene: 123
mg/lb
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Vitamin A:
104,833 mg/lb - This is extremely high for a food
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Thiamin: 2.5
mg/lb
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Niacin: 18.0
mg/lb
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Pantothenic acid:
9.0 mg/lb
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Biotin: 0.15
mg/lb
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Chlorine, Folic acid, Pyridoxine: found in
very small amounts. Also Bentaine. As mentioned earlier, Vitamin D is found
as 4740 International Units per pound of dried alfalfa. There is 173.8 IU's
of Vitamin E in the specimen we gave for analysis. All these figures will, of
course vary with the time and season of the harvest. Our sample had 9.4 mg.
per pound of Vitamin K, the clotting factor.
Now for the percentages of the essential amino acids found in alfalfa:
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Argenine: 0.8%
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Methionine: 0.1%
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Cystine: 0.4%
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Phenylalanine: 0.8%
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Histidine: 0.3%
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Threonine: 0.7%
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Isoleucene: 0.9%
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Tryptophan: 0.3%
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Leucine: 1.3%
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Tryosine: 0.6%
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Lysine: 1.1%
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Valine: 0.8%
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Vitamin U, generally found in cabbage juice,
acts as a healing agent in ulcers both in humans and laboratory animals
according to many researchers.
http://www.herbsfirst.com/NewsLetters/1099alfalfa.html
(expired)
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Alfalfa for Distance Horses
Copyright Susan Evans Garlinghouse 1998.
Whenever you hear the comment, "Well, that's what we've been feeding for
forty years and all our horses have done just fine on it", the odds are
they're talking about alfalfa. In most parts of the country, it's
cheap, is the most common hay available and it just looks like great
feed---bright green, leafy and the horses just gobble it like candy. If it
looks that good, and the horses like it that much, it must be the best
available feed...right?
There's
no denying that good-quality alfalfa is a highly nutritious forage---higher
in protein, energy and many minerals than any other roughage feed.
However, rather than making this an optimum feed for distance horses, this nutritional
density puts alfalfa into the category of "too much of a good
thing." This article will discuss some of the specific reason of how and
why alfalfa should best be used in a distance horse's nutritional program.
http://www.shady-acres.com/susan/alfalfa.shtml
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