Agua de alfalfa: what it is, how to make it and benefits

What is it?

Agua de alfalfa is a refreshing Mexican drink of bright green colour prepared with blended alfalfa sprouts, lime juice, pineapple, sugar and water. It has a mild, slightly sweet and refreshing herbaceous flavour, with a characteristic vegetal background balanced by the acidity of the lime and the tropical sweetness of the pineapple. It is one of the most traditional aguas frescas of central Mexico, especially popular in Puebla, Tlaxcala, Hidalgo and Mexico City. Although its consumption has in recent years been associated with the detox and green-drink movement, it is in fact a preparation with decades of presence in Mexican markets. Its refreshing profile and its high content of chlorophyll, vitamins and minerals position it as a healthy alternative to sweeter aguas frescas such as jamaica or tamarind.

Origin and history

Alfalfa (Medicago sativa) is a legume native to south-west Asia and Persia, cultivated since antiquity as fodder for livestock. It reached New Spain in the sixteenth century, brought by the Spanish as a fodder crop for their horses and cattle. Although its fundamental use has always been animal feed, in Mexico a human consumption based on its tender sprouts developed during the twentieth century, possibly inspired by herbal-medicine traditions that document alfalfa as a tonic since ancient Greece. Agua de alfalfa became popular in the 1950s and 1960s in the markets of central Mexico, especially in Puebla and Mexico City, associated with purifying and energising properties. Larousse Cocina includes it among the traditional Mexican aguas frescas within the category of drinks with herbs or vegetables. Today it coexists with the global resurgence of green juices and detox smoothies, but it keeps its character as an accessible popular drink far removed from the sophistication of premium juices.

Characteristic ingredients

The tender alfalfa sprouts are the main ingredient, not the mature fodder plant. They can be grown at home by germinating them in a glass jar for five to seven days, or bought fresh in Mexican markets. For the agua they are washed, drained and blended with cold water, the juice of one or two limes, a thick slice of fresh pineapple and sugar to taste. They are then strained through muslin cloth or a fine sieve, removing the plant fibres to obtain a clean texture. The pineapple provides enzymes (bromelain) that soften the natural astringency of the alfalfa, as well as tropical sweetness. The typical proportion is one cup of alfalfa sprouts, half a pineapple, three limes and two litres of water with half a cup of sugar. Some variants add mint leaves, fresh ginger, nopal or spinach. It is served very cold with plenty of ice and, optionally, a decorative slice of lime. It is best consumed the same day it is prepared because the chlorophyll oxidises and the drink loses brightness and flavour.

Cultural significance

Agua de alfalfa is an expression of the Mexican popular herbal tradition, in which plants and herbs are incorporated into the everyday diet for their nutritional properties. Its consumption is associated with popular beliefs of purification, energy and immune-system strengthening, although its real benefits come from the contribution of chlorophyll, folic acid, vitamins K and C and minerals such as iron and calcium. Traditional Mexican cuisine, UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage since 2010, includes vegetable aguas frescas as an expression of its heritage. In Mexico City, the stalls of the La Merced and Coyoacán markets keep alive the consumption of agua de alfalfa alongside others such as oat, beetroot and lime with parsley. The Mexican sprout industry, dominated by small family producers, has grown significantly over the last fifteen years driven by interest in natural eating; agua de alfalfa has been one of the drinks most benefited by this trend, finding a place in both traditional fondas and modern juice bars.

Frequently asked questions