Alfalfa Sprouts & Toxins

Alfalfa is a grazing crop with a wide distribution that includes the United States, Canada, France, South Africa, Asia, Australia and New Zealand. It is largely cultivated as fodder for dairy cattle and other livestock because of its nutritional value. According to MedlinePlus, alfalfa contains iron, calcium, phosphorous, potassium and vitamins A, C, D and E. The young sprouts are touted as a source of nutrients with superior bioavailability, meaning they are better absorbed in the body. There is scientific evidence that alfalfa may lower serum cholesterol and possibly provide other health benefits. However, the sprouts also contain toxins and are associated with side effects.

Description

Alfalfa is a member of the pea family known by the botanical name Medicago sativa and several common names, such as lucerne, buffalo herb and purple medic. Although this plant is a perennial legume that can live up to 20 years given the right environmental conditions, the sprouts demonstrate autotoxicity. Specifically, the sprouts produce toxins, namely medicarpin, which impairs the establishment and growth of successive crops. For this reason, alfalfa cultivation is rotated between growing fields.

Pharmacology

Alfalfa seeds and sprouts have long been used as medicine, and more recently they've been used as a health food. According to the "Physicians' Desk Reference for Herbal Medicines," alfalfa contains a number of carotinoids, including lutein. This herb also contains saponins, which are responsible for pharmacological effects on the cardiovascular, digestive and nervous systems. These agents exhibit antilipidemic effects by binding bile acids needed to absorb cholesterol in the intestines. The plant also contains trace amounts of cyanogenic glycosides.

Contamination

On occasion, commercially cultivated alfalfa sprouts are contaminated by harmful bacteria, such as E. coli, Bacillus cereus or salmonella. These outbreaks, which are dubbed "sproutbreaks," can start with a few infected seeds and affect entire crops, in spite of irradiation. According to an article about sprouts published in "The New York Times" in June 2011, the Center for Science in the Public Interest, in reviewing data from the government, found 45 incidents of bacterial contamination of alfalfa sprouts since 1990, which led to more than 2,500 food-borne illnesses.

Safety Precautions

Alfalfa may produce estrogenic effects, so you shouldn't consume large quantities of raw sprouts if you take birth control pills or have a history of a hormone-driven cancer. This herb may increase the effects of other medications and supplements or interfere with their absorption, such as immunosuppressants, vitamin E, prednisone and anticoagulant drugs. In addition, alfalfa may increase photosensitivity and the risk of sunburn, especially if you use medications that also promote this effect.