Alfalfa Leaf Powder

Alfalfa leaf powder reference formula at an example amount of 1,000 mg per serving, developed as a powder, capsule or tablet.

Alfalfa is a reference formula for brands building a single-ingredient alfalfa product around an example amount of 1,000 mg of alfalfa powder per serving. The brand sets the final amount for its market, and reference labels span 250 to 5,000 mg per serving, so the example is a starting point rather than a standard.

Powder is the lead format because a gram-level dose of a green leaf powder suits a scoop, with capsule and tablet developed alongside. The work centers on the botanical itself: the plant part, the drying method and the powder’s bulk density and moisture decide how it fills, presses and stores.

Ingredient Composition

IngredientPer ServingRaw Material FormAlternative Form (same amount of active)
Alfalfa1000 mg (example amount)Alfalfa (Medicago sativa) leaf powder, dried and milled; 1,000 mg powder per serving, from Alfalfa Leaf PowderAlfalfa Extract Powder, a different raw material with its own extract ratio and input calculation

The amount is stated as mg of alfalfa powder at the declared weight. Alfalfa is a whole-plant powder without a single marker compound, so no conversion is made; the specification names the plant part, the drying method and the moisture limit.

Intended Benefits & Formula Rationale

This formula is designed for products positioned around green plant nutrition. Alfalfa is included as the single botanical so that the concept stays on one traditional ingredient.

Intended Benefit DirectionKey IngredientsFormulation Rationale
Traditional green botanicalAlfalfaA review reports that Medicago sativa has long been used as a traditional herbal medicine in several regions and that its major classes of phytoconstituents include saponins, flavonoids, phytoestrogens, coumarins, alkaloids, amino acids, phytosterols, vitamins, digestive enzymes and terpenes [1]. Evidence: Referenced

The amount is an example. The review in [1] compiles ethnopharmacological, phytochemical and therapeutic reports on the plant and does not test this formula at this amount, so any claim on a finished product is reviewed for each market.

Available Formats

Reference labels are mostly powders and capsules, with tablets behind them; these three formats are developed here.

FormatUnitPer ServingPack SizeOther Ingredients (typical)Suitability
Powder1 g scoop (about a quarter teaspoon)Alfalfa powder 1,000 mg90 g tub (90 servings)None, or flavor and flow agentLead format; green color and grassy taste
Capsule2 capsulesAlfalfa powder 1,000 mg180 capsules (90 servings)Vegetable capsule shell, flow agentPortable unit; two capsules per serving
Tablet2 tabletsAlfalfa powder 1,000 mg180 tablets (90 servings)Microcrystalline cellulose, silica, magnesium stearateCompressed unit; dark green speckle

Raw Material Input & Fill (Design Estimate)

Design estimates. Alfalfa leaf powder is taken at its declared weight, so 1,000 mg per serving needs 1,000 mg of raw material; the supplier’s specification replaces this once the lot is chosen.

FormatRaw Material Input per UnitDesign FillBalance for ExcipientsVerification Before Scale-Up
Powder1,000 mg per scoop1 g per scoop0 mgScoop volume against weight, clumping, dispersion in water
Capsule500 mg per capsule530 mg per capsule30 mgTapped density of the leaf powder, capsule weight spread, shell opening time
Tablet500 mg per tablet650 mg tablet weight150 mgCompression, hardness, disintegration, speckling

Liquid and gummy are separate projects, because a leaf powder changes color, taste and settling in those systems.

Formulation Considerations

Plant part and extract. The reference labels use alfalfa powder, alfalfa extract and organic alfalfa interchangeably. The specification fixes the plant part and whether the unit uses powder or an extract, because they have different input weights.
Bulk density. Leaf powder is light and fibrous, so a quarter teaspoon is about a gram and two capsules hold 1,000 mg. A denser granulated grade is considered if a smaller unit is needed.
Color, taste and moisture. The powder is dark green with a grassy taste and takes up moisture. The pack uses a desiccant, and speckling in tablets is accepted or coated depending on the brand.
Microbial load. A dried plant leaf can carry a higher microbial count than a refined ingredient, so incoming testing and a controlled drying process are part of the plan.

Customization Options

Brands adjust the amount, the raw material, the format and the add-ons.

ParameterRangeNote
Alfalfa per serving500, 1000 or 5000 mgExamples for the brand; unit count or scoop size rises with the amount
Raw materialLeaf powder or extractExtract changes the input calculation
FormatPowder, capsule or tabletLiquid and gummy are separate projects
Add-onsChlorella, spirulina, barley grassA second green ingredient changes the color and the blend density

The pilot run confirms the powder flow of the chosen grade, capsule fill weight, and the tablet hardness at the full leaf load.

Flavor Options

FormatSuggested FlavorsWhy
PowderUnflavored, mint, lemonMint and lemon cover the grassy note of the leaf

Technical Status & Data Sources

ItemStatusDetails
Reference formulaNIH DSLDThe ingredient and amount come from a labeled product in the NIH DSLD (1000 mg on the label of CF032740; example DSLD labels 282785, 283564, 283579). The label names the ingredient as alfalfa powder; leaf powder is set as the plant part.
SpecificationSet in formulationAlfalfa (Medicago sativa) leaf powder at 1,000 mg per serving; plant part, moisture, microbial and heavy-metal limits and method are fixed with the supplier. Unit size, fill weight and stability are set in formulation.
Data sourceNIH DSLDDSLD v9.4.0, downloaded 2026-01-10: 50,824 reference formulas merged from on-market labels with complete ingredient amounts. Counts show how labels are distributed.
Market reviewPer marketDose limits, labeling and claims are reviewed for each sales market before a finished product is developed.
ReferencesSources[1] Bora KS, Sharma A. Phytochemical and pharmacological potential of Medicago sativa: a review. Pharm Biol. 2011;49(2):211-20. DOI · PubMed

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