Alfalfa (Medicago sativa) is a plant in the pea family that's high in protein and is easily digestible. This makes it an excellent feed for dairy cattle, and humans frequently eat alfalfa sprouts as a topping for sandwiches and salads. Alfalfa leaf is also available in pill form as a dietary supplement.
Serving Information
Mature alfalfa grass is difficult for humans to digest due to the extremely high fiber content. This nutrition information for alfalfa sprouts is based on raw alfalfa seeds that have just started to sprout. The serving size is 3 cups of loose alfalfa sprouts weighing 100 grams, or about 3.5 ounces.
Calories
A serving of alfalfa sprouts contains a total of 23 calories. Carbohydrates contribute about 7 calories, fat accounts for about 6 calories and proteins provide the remaining 10 calories. A serving of alfalfa sprouts has about 1 percent of the daily value (DV) for calories, assuming a daily diet of 2,000 calories.
Carbohydrates
A serving of alfalfa sprouts contains 2.1 grams of total carbohydrates, which is less than 1 percent of the DV for carbohydrates. This total includes 1.9 grams of dietary fiber, which is 8 percent of the DV for dietary fiber. The remaining 0.2 grams of carbohydrates come from simple sugars, since alfalfa sprouts don't contain complex carbohydrates.
Fat and Protein
A serving of alfalfa sprouts has a total of 0.7 grams of fat, which is about 1 percent of the DV for total fat. This includes 0.1 grams of saturated fat, which is less than 1 percent of the DV for saturated fat. A serving of alfalfa sprouts also provides 4 grams of protein, which is 8 percent of the DV for protein.
Vitamins and Minerals
A serving of alfalfa sprouts contains 38 percent of the DV for vitamin K, 14 percent of the DV for vitamin C and 9 percent of the DV for folate. It also has 7 percent of the DV for riboflavin, 6 percent of the DV for pantothenic acid, 5 percent of the DV for thiamin and 3 percent of the DV for vitamin A. A serving of alfalfa sprouts provides 9 percent of the DV for manganese, 8 percent of the DV for copper, 7 percent of the DV for magnesium and 7 percent of the DV for phosphorus.
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