Alfalfa contains a broad spectrum of nutrients, including considerable quantities of protein (up to 50%), trace minerals, dietary fiber, and vitamins A, B1, B12, C, D, E, and K. It is also very high in chlorophyll, which is to serve as an antioxidant in the bloodstream. All of this makes alfalfa particularly attractive as a livestock feed. But in addition to being highly nutritive, alfalfa is traditionally known as one of the best herbal treatments for arthritis, rheumatism, and gout. Clinical research of the aforementioned diseases have shown that at least ten to twenty percent of human subjects will experience dramatic reduction of painful symptoms with the use of this herb. Traditional uses in animals have commonly lead to similar results. This is likely attributable to alfalfa’s impressive chemical array of saponins, beta-sitosterol, stigmasterol, alpha-spinasterol, flavonoids, coumarins, alkaloids, beta-carotene, chlorophyll, octacosanol, and amino acids. For arthritis and other inflammatory diseases of the joints, alfalfa can bring long term relief to dogs, cats, rodents, horses, and various other herbivores who receive it as a daily food supplement. For use in therapeutic doses, it acts very well when combined with dandelion, yucca, and licorice (see chapter on arthritis).
