Alfalfa, also known as alfalfa, is a perennial flowering plant in the legume family Fabaceae. It is grown as an important forage crop in many countries around the world. It is used for grazing, making hay and silage, and as a green manure and cover crop. The name "alfalfa" is used in North America. The name "lucerne" is more commonly used in the United Kingdom, South Africa, Australia, and New Zealand. Alfalfa is native to warm temperate regions. It has been grown as a livestock feed since at least the ancient Greek and Roman times.

Raw alfalfa seed sprouts contain 93% water, 2% carbohydrates, and 4% protein, with negligible fat content. Each 100 g (3 1⁄2 oz) of raw alfalfa sprouts provides 96 kilojoules (23 kcal) of food energy and 29% of the daily value of vitamin K. They are rich in vitamin C, some B vitamins, phosphorus, and zinc. Long-term consumption of alfalfa seeds may lead to some safety issues and drug interactions, including the possibility of reactions similar to lupus erythematosus, an autoimmune disease.

Alfalfa sprouts may contain microbial pathogens, primarily Salmonella or E. coli, which have caused multiple food recalls and illness outbreaks, placing alfalfa sprouts in the "high risk" category for food safety. People with weakened immune systems, such as the elderly, pregnant women, or those taking prescription medications that affect the immune system, should not consume alfalfa sprouts.