Health Food Stores Research Articles

The retail wellnesscape: conceptualizing consumer wellness in a health food retailing context

PurposeThis paper aims to deepen the knowledge of consumer wellness by conceptualizing this construct in an everyday retail setting, specifically a health food store. With wellness seeking being a central theme in the positioning strategy of many food retail stores, this study aims to investigate the development of an everyday wellness pursuit in a retail setting, identify its underlying dimensions in a health food store setting and establish the key managerial drivers that nurture it in such context, from the consumer standpoint.Design/methodology/approachThe research design uses a qualitative approach. In-depth interviews with 20 customers of six multibranch health food retailers were carried out.FindingsThe findings show the holistic and multidimensional nature of wellness in an everyday consumption setting and highlight the development of physical, emotional, intellectual, social and spiritual consumer wellness in this context. They also bring to light how, in an everyday activity such as a health food retail store visit, retailers can co-create and nurture consumer wellness through their product assortment, store environment and employees’ orientation toward customer wellness.Originality/valueThe main contribution of this study lies in the conceptualization of the retail wellnesscape, defined as a retail space that consumers choose to visit in their daily lives that contribute to their holistic wellness journey. This paper emphasizes both the importance and the feasibility of cultivating consumer wellness on an everyday basis, for both consumers and retailers, while it has traditionally been associated with more occasional and out of the ordinary settings such as wellness tourism.

Perbaikan Proses Bisnis Keripik Pisang menggunakan Lean Business Model Canvas di PT. Dwihanz Sinergi Utama Sidoarjo

Banana chips are one of the popular processed fruit products in foreign markets, such as in Australia, Singapore, and New Zealand. Research to improve optimal business processes. The research procedure reduced data through the analysis of interviews with five informants using BMC and LBMC to find the root of the problem as a guide. On improving business processes with the power of LBMC, the priority here is to find activities that are minimum mandatory to form value for customers. Revenue streams at LBMC include direct sales through its website or physical stores, wholesale partnerships with health food stores, gyms, and gyms, online marketplaces like Amazon or Shopee, as well as collaborations with airlines, hotels, and other hospitality businesses for in-flight snack options. This research contributes to the understanding of business process improvement in the food industry by providing practical insights in identifying customer segments, channels to reach them, cost structures, and revenue streams

P865 Screening for low-processed breads - compositional analysis of food additives used in commercially available breads

Abstract Background Ultra-processed food (UPF) intake has been associated with the development of inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD), particularly Crohn’s disease (CD). Of UPF subgroups, commercially available breads showed greater risk, possibly due to the increasing presence of food additives (FA) like emulsifiers. As bread is a staple food worldwide, often consumed daily, we aimed to screen the ingredients and FA used in bread industry and to assess the availability of low processed breads. Methods We consecutively screened breads available at supermarket and health food store chains popular and widely distributed in Israel. Breads, pita breads and buns (excluding products without food labels), were analyzed by dietitians and categorized into one of three categories according to their processing level and FA types. Low processed category included ingredients used in traditional, home-made breads; medium processed category included FA like malt and added fibers; high processed category included FA like emulsifiers and preservatives, previously associated with impact on microbiota composition or implications on IBD. Results A total of 233 breads were screened, 160 are available at the supermarket, 56 at the health food store, and 17 in both. We categorized 195 (84%) as highly processed, 9 (4%) as medium processed and 29 (12%) as low processed. We identified 36 different types of FA and ingredients used. Most breads contained emulsifiers- 178 (76%) and –preservatives-189 (81%). The most used emulsifier was sodium stearoyl-2-lactylate (SSL, E-481), present in 86 breads (37%), followed by mono- and diglycerides of fatty acids (E-471), DATEM (E-472e) and carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC, E-466), found in 22%, 16% and 2% of breads, respectively. Interestingly, the emulsifier E-481, previously shown to induce microbial alterations, was found in 86 breads (52%) sold in the supermarket compared to none of the breads available in the health food store. Out of the 5 common preservatives, most of the breads contained calcium propionate (E-282) found in 112 (48%) and potassium sorbate (E-202) found in 42 (18%). Additives like enzymes were present in 159 (68%), gluten was added to 148 (64%) and 88 (38%) breads had added fibers. A greater portion of the breads contained yeast (85%) compared to sourdough (47%), with 30 (13%) containing only sourdough. Conclusion Most of the commercially available breads in Israel are highly processed. The use of emulsifiers, preservatives, added gluten and fibers is very common, yet low processed breads are available. These may be more recommended to patients with IBD. Further understanding of the role of FA in IBD etiology may potentially guide dietary recommendations for specific food choices.

Prosumers and Sharing Economy in the Organic Food Value Chain

Purpose This paper explores the contextual relevance of prosumers and sharing economy in organic food market in an emerging economy. Design/methodology/approach Case study approach was used to collect empirical data from different types of organic food value chains. Findings Farmer’s Organic food markets compared to online and health food stores tends to facilitate sharing economy more since it helps them to build value, scale and trust. By sharing resources, skills and spaces, farmers organic food markets have increased organic food availability, reduced its cost of certification & operation and managed consumer trust. Subjective influence through social media, prosumers and offline interaction reduces information asymmetry and irresponsible marketing opportunities. Originality/value The research offers a fresh perspective to the organic food sector, particularly with respect to the process of prosumption and sharing economy.

Market Basket Analysis of a Health Food Store in Thailand

This article presents a market basket analysis of a health food store in Thailand. The analysis identifies data attributes that frequently occur together in the dataset. Frequent occurrences of data attributes representing customer purchasing behaviors are extracted as association rules using the frequent pattern growth algorithm. The generated associations are evaluated using standard measures based on occurrence counts and an additional financial measure. Marketing strategies in the form of cross-selling pairs of specific products are then designed based on the data attributes appearing in the significant associations. The cross-selling products are offered at discounted prices and promoted in marketing campaigns. A break-even analysis is performed to estimate the required number of additional sales volumes from each marketing campaign to compensate for the discounted prices. The presented use case demonstrates the effectiveness of extending the market basket analysis to include a financial measure that can lead to practical marketing campaigns.

Sports foods are not all they shake up to be. An audit of formulated supplementary sports food products and packaging in Australian retail environments.

To determine store availability, total number of products, and types of Formulated Supplementary Sports Foods in Australia, along with their stated nutrition content, sweeteners added, total number, and type of claims displayed on the packaging. A cross-sectional, visual product audit of mainstream retailers. Supermarkets, pharmacies, health food stores, and gym/fitness centres. A total of 558 products were captured in the audit, 275 of which displayed the correct mandatory packaging attributes. Three categories of products were identified, based on the dominant nutrient. Only 184 products appeared to display the correct energy value based on the listed macronutrient content (protein, fat, carbohydrate, dietary fibre). The stated nutrient content was highly variable across all product subcategories. Nineteen different sweeteners were identified, with most foods containing only one (38.2%) or two (34.9%) types. The predominant sweetener was stevia glycosides. Packages displayed multiple claims, with a maximum of 67 and minimum of 2 claims. Nutrition content claims were most frequently displayed (on 98.5% of products). Claims included regulated, minimally regulated and marketing statements. Sports food consumers should be provided with accurate and detailed on pack nutrition information, to ensure informed choices are made. However, this audit showed multiple products which did not conform to current standards, appeared to provide inaccurate nutrition information, contained multiple sweeteners, and displayed an overwhelming number of on-pack claims. The increase in sales, availability, and products available in mainstream retail environments, could be impacting both intended consumers (athletes), and general non-athlete population. The results indicate underperformance in manufacturing practices which preference marketing over quality and stronger regulatory approaches are needed to protect consumer health and safety, and to prevent misleading consumers.

Analysis of the Protein Content of Nutritional Shakes

High protein shakes have become increasingly popular as nutritional supplements for adolescents, adults, and senior citizens. They are heavily advertised on television and in print media and are available in grocery and health food stores, at pharmacies, and from online distributors. In this project, students use colorimetric assays to determine the protein concentration of a particular product they bring to class and compare the results to the nutritional label. Students then use denaturing and nondenaturing polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis to characterize the protein composition of their protein shakes. These experiments promote critical thinking about common scientific procedures and should be of interest to both secondary school and college students.

Sprouts for Life: Eco-Feminism and Performance

Sprouts for Life: Eco-Feminism and Performance

Investigation of the effects of different genotypes on regeneration capacity in Triticale

Triticale (x Triticosecale Wittmack) is a synthetic amphiploid cereal that grows on about 3 million hectares in the world. It is grown mostly for forage or animal feed, although some triticale-based foods can be purchased at health food stores or are found in some breakfast cereals. Mature embryos of two triticale cultivars (Ümran Hanım and Melez 2001) were used as the resources explants. The effects of one auxin type (2,4-D) and three various concentrations, (4.0 mg/l; 8mg/l; 12.0mg/l) callus formation and plant regeneration were determined. Callus formation values were detected over 85% in three concentrations. In terms of results, the highest embryogenic callus formation rate was determined 46.91 % at 12 mg/l of Ümran Hanım dicamba. However, the lowest embryogenic callus formation rate was found with a value of 12.86% in Ümran Hanım's 2,4-D 8.0 mg/l hormone application. The highest regeneration capacity was determined at 12.09% at a dose of 12.0 mg/l of Mikham 2001 2,4-D. However, the lowest regeneration capacity was determined at 2.2% at the dose of 4 mg/l of Ümran Hanım 2,4-D. Our results displayed that auxin type and hormone dosage were very significant on the triticale mature embryos.

Analysis of Phenolic Compound Concentrations in Over-the-Counter Herbal Preparations

Many people rely on over-the-counter herbal extracts to treat a variety of health conditions from lethargy to respiratory or gastrointestinal stress to urinary tract infections. These preparations are relatively inexpensive and available from grocery stores, pharmacies, health-food stores, and online distributors. While the labels on these products usually indicate their plant sources and added ingredients such as sugars or alcohol, there is no standardization of their chemical composition. Most of the medical effects of herbal extracts have been attributed to phenolic and polyphenolic compounds, which differ in number, structure, and proportions from one plant preparation to another. Some polyphenolic compounds such as quercetin are antioxidants that can prevent heart disease while others such as baicalein are antimicrobial agents that can inhibit the growth of Gram-positive or Gram-negative bacteria. In this student project, students use a simple colorimetric assay with the Folin-Ciocalteu reagent to measure the total concentration of phenolic compounds in several over-the-counter extracts. These concentrations may vary greatly even among products from the same plant source. This project provides a good opportunity for students to practice experimental design, the use of micropipettes, the construction of standard curves, and quantitative analysis.

Tenderness

Tenderness Mary Milstead (bio) I return to the image of her bare feet—they are small and white, and I am drawn to her softness, which is familiar to me. Telling my mother's story requires this sort of time travel. I know her well, from her silver-white hair down to her painted toenails, but I didn't know her when it happened. It would be another four years before I was born. On a recent summer visit to my home in Portland, my very Texan mother and I sat on my back porch in the afternoon sun. I offered her a foot rub and she accepted, sliding off her flip-flops. She loves the heat, and is always cold when she visits, but we were lucky enough that August visit to be bathed in sunshine—finally, it was warm enough. It was our last afternoon before she flew back home, so we were savoring our time together. She reached down and showed me with her fingers where the pressure point was for her lungs, just below the bone at the ball of her foot. ________ That night, before anything happened, she had been sitting on a low wall looking out at the city lights. Legs crossed, flip-flops dangling from her toes. Her hair was long and black, wavy and parted in the middle. It was mid-January, but a warm night. 1972. She was a nineteen-year-old out on a date with her boyfriend, and she doesn't remember what they were talking about. They hadn't been there long, and it was nice out. [End Page 59] Earlier they'd been at a potluck with a group of friends, and when they'd left, Michael suggested they stop for a while at Mt. Bonnell, a popular overlook with a view of Lake Austin and the city lights in the distance. They'd never been there together before. My mother told me that when he first suggested it, she felt nervous. She was clear that it wasn't any kind of premonition—she never sensed the impending tragedy until it was upon them—just a general sense that it was getting dark. And of course good girls avoided places that might be dangerous at night. But she was with Michael, and he was a great guy: she was safe. She thought, really, that just being with a man meant being safe. It usually did. She and Michael were newly dating, but they'd known each other for a while. He worked as a manager at a natural health food store and was part of her tight circle of friends—mostly young, mostly college students, people interested in spiritual growth and love and peace. She and Michael had talked about marriage, and she thought she might spend the rest of her life with him. So she had a momentary twinge of fear, but it didn't last, and by the time she was walking up the stone steps toward the top of Mt. Bonnell, she was mostly calm and happy, enjoying the night. They sat and talked on a low stone wall with a perfect view. It was just the two of them up there that night, at least as far as they could tell. There was a parked VW Bug in the clearing, but no other people. And so, when one of her flip-flops fell into the dirt just below, she didn't reach down to get it. She heard it land with a soft thud and figured she'd just grab it when they left. Instead, they were soon interrupted by a voice in the dark behind them. "Turn around, and don't make any trouble." Two men, a gun. My mother was not the type of girl to make trouble. And she knew instantly that this was not a joke, not some kind of prank or mistake, no matter how surreal it felt. She would do everything they told her to do. Within a few minutes, one of the men was holding her off to the side of the clearing by her long black hair. The other man was standing by the parked...

Effectiveness of green tea extract (Camellia sinensis) capsule supplementation for post-exercise muscle recovery in healthy adults: a systematic review protocol.

The objective of the review is to evaluate the effectiveness of green tea extract (Camellia sinensis) capsule supplementation compared with placebo for post-exercise muscle pain and muscle recovery in healthy adults. Green tea extract is popularly consumed by athletes and practitioners of physical activity, as it is easily accessible in supermarkets and health food stores. It is a source of catechins, which assist the endogenous antioxidant system in combating free radicals produced during exercise that can lead to oxidative stress and, therefore, muscle damage and delayed-onset muscle pain. However, there is no consensus on the effect of green tea extract and the ideal and safe dosage to promote muscle recovery. Studies on the effectiveness of supplementation with green tea extract capsules compared with placebo in post-exercise muscle pain and muscle recovery in healthy adults will be included. Studies that are associated with any other source of polyphenols with green tea extract will be excluded. Studies will be identified using the following databases: Cochrane Library, PubMed, Embase, Web of Science, Virtual Health Library, SPORTDiscus, Science Direct, and Scopus. OpenGrey, DART-Europe, and Google Scholar will be used to identify unpublished studies. Studies published in English, French, Spanish, or Portuguese will be included. There will be no restriction on the date of publication. Two authors will independently screen titles and abstracts following previously defined eligibility criteria. After excluding irrelevant studies, the authors will read the full texts of any articles potentially eligible for further evaluation. Any disagreements will be resolved by discussion or by consulting a third author. The included studies will be assessed on their methodological quality using the appropriate JBI critical appraisal checklist, and the data will be extracted by the two authors. A meta-analysis will be performed using a random effects or fixed effects model. The heterogeneity of the data will be calculated. This review will follow the Grading of Recommendations, Assessment, Development and Evaluation (GRADE) to classify the certainty of the evidence. PROSPERO CRD42020138772.

Knowledge, use and practices of licensed dietitians related to dietary supplements in Lebanon.

To evaluate Lebanese licensed dietitians' knowledge, prevalence of use and recommendation of dietary supplements (DS), and their associated factors. Cross-sectional survey. Dietitians across Lebanon were contacted through the telephone and were asked to participate in the study. An online self-administered questionnaire was designed and sent to dietitians either by email or by WhatsApp, between 4 March and 4 May 2020. This study included 319 dietitians randomly selected from the dietitians' list that was provided by the Lebanese Ministry of Public Health. Around 75 % of dietitians had a knowledge score above 50 %. Overall, 73·7 % of them have used DS and 46·1 % have recommended them. Higher knowledge score was associated with less years of experience, using scientific articles as source of information on DS, and participating in research. Resorting to pharmacists was significantly associated with both nutrient supplements (NS) and herbal supplements (HS) use, whereas referring to health food stores was associated with HS use only. NS recommendation to patients was associated with personal NS use (OR = 3·38, P < 0·001), considering pharmacists as a source of information on DS (OR = 2·29, P = 0·01) and discussing DS with patients (OR = 3·82, P = 0·01). Having personally used HS (OR = 12·23, P < 0·001) and having discussed DS with patients (OR = 8·51, P = 0·01) increased the likelihood of recommending HS. A proper DS education, the elaboration of national scientific guidelines and the implementation of concise laws regarding the regulations of DS would play a crucial role in supporting dietitians' practices and improving the quality of patient care with respect to DS.

Unpredictable adverse effects of herbal products

Herbal products are being increasingly used all over the world for preventive and therapeutic purposes because of the belief of their safety. They have become an important part of health care system in many countries since they can easily be purchased in the health food stores or online. However, the lack of sufficient study on their efficacy and toxicity, inadequate controls of their availability, reduce their safety. Unlike conventional drugs, herbal products are not regulated for purity and potency. Herbal products contain substances which can induce or inhibit enzymes that take part in drug metabolism. Therefore the concurrent use of drugs with some medicinal plants can cause serious adverse effects and can also decrease the efficacy of the therapy. Particularly, drugs with narrow therapeutic index and plants which can affect drug metabolizing enzymes when used together, may lead to unpredictable adverse reactions. Impurities, contaminants and adulterants found in the herbal products, are the most common malpractises in herbal raw-material trade. In this review the unpredictable adverse effects of herbal products due to their possible interactions with drugs and also due to the adulteration and contamination with prohibited chemicals will be discussed in detail.

How's This For Private Inurement?

A nonprofit organization was established to provide education related to “health, balanced, effective living, and happiness in the form of one‐on‐one counseling, public lectures and seminars for established groups, including churches, yoga centers, fitness centers, health food stores, and bookstores.” During this entity's initial years of operations, it will primarily fund the continuing education of its founder, president, and director, who is engaged in full‐time studies at an institution to become certified in a health care profession. This funding will encompass airfare and other transportation, an apartment and furnishings, tuition, school supplies, and training seminars. Plus, this individual will be paid a salary while studying.

Maca's therapeutic effects

The maca plant (Lepidium meyenii), native to the Andes of central Peru, has traditionally been used as a staple crop as one of the few plants that successfully grow in that harsh climate. But over the last decade, interest in maca has increased worldwide and it has been advertised as a superfood with the ability to balance hormones, improve concentration, enhance fertility, and increase energy and stamina. Maca is a cruciferous vegetable related to broccoli, cauliflower, turnip, and cabbage that is rich in protein and fiber as well as many essential amino acids. Maca boasts high amounts of vitamin C, iron, calcium, and copper, and various plant compounds believed to be the source of maca's beneficial effects on vigor. Maca's glucosinolates have an antibiotic-like effect and help ward off bacterial, viral, and fungal infection in the intestines. Maca's polyphenols are considered the source of improved digestion, brain function, and blood sugar levels, and offer protection against blood clots, heart disease, and certain cancers. The antifungal action of maca extract is thought to be related to the presence of imidazole alkaloids chemically similar to antifungal azoles. There are many studies assessing maca's medicinal benefits regarding sexual dysfunction regulation; neuroprotective effects; memory enhancement; and the root's antidepressant, antioxidant, anti-cancer, and anti-inflammatory properties. A 2012 review by Gonzales in Evidence Based Complementary Alternative Medicine assessed evidence from 75 clinical studies for the effectiveness of maca. The authors found that though further research is required, available data suggest that maca shows significant positive effects on fertility, mood, memory, osteoporosis, metabolism, and the treatment of some tumors. Most studies of maca focus on fertility and libido, and have shown there is some evidence that maca root affects men's fertility. A small number of studies have shown an improvement in some menopausal symptoms. A systematic review of randomized controlled trials published in Maturitas in 2011 found that maca eased menopausal symptoms including hot flashes and interrupted sleep. A highly cited 2006 clinical study by Meissner et al. in International Journal of Biomedical Science evaluated the therapeutic effects of maca as a non-hormonal alternative to hormone replacement therapy in perimenopausal women. Results revealed that in addition to reduction in body weight and blood pressure and an increase in serum high-density lipoprotein and iron, maca balanced levels of follicle-stimulating hormone, estradiol, prostaglandin, and adrenocorticotropic hormones. The researchers reported that maca significantly reduced frequency of hot flushes, incidence in night sweating, interrupted sleep pattern, anxiety, irritability, depression, and heart palpitations. Peruvians in the central Andes dry maca root and consume 20 g to 100 g maca powder daily in porridge or a sweet drink. Doses up to 3 g daily for up to 4 months have been found to be safe in clinical trials. Maca is generally sold as a powder, in capsules, or liquid extract, available from health food stores and online markets. The taste and aroma of maca is reminiscent of caramel or butterscotch. Maca is often included in smoothies, sprinkled on oatmeal, or included in no-bake desserts. In general, maca is considered safe and there is some evidence for beneficial pharmacological effects, but more studies presenting robust data are needed as the overall evidence is too limited to draw firm conclusions. There are no reports of adverse reactions after consuming maca. Maca has a high vitamin K content. Patients who take warfarin should be informed that more frequent INR monitoring may be required when taking maca.

Nutritional Values of Foods on a Population of the Czech Republic

The aim of this text is to present the results of the research we carried out on a group of inhabitants of the Czech Republic who actively (or at least occasionally) engage in sports activities. The aim of the research was to analyse the consumer behavior of athletes in the Czech Republic with an emphasis on their use of health food stores and their habits in monitoring the nutritional values of food, in the content of sugar and carbohydrates in the food they consume. Excess sugar consumption; obesity; and, conversely, the issue of a healthy lifestyle and the growing interest in healthy “alternative” lifestyles, have often been a subject of debate. The research has shown, among other things, that 58% of respondents consume sugar; 70% of men and 88% of women shop at health food stores at least occasionally; and the most monitored values are calories, carbohydrates, and sugar.

Prevalence of Gluten Contamination in Certified and Non-Certified Foods Labelled “Gluten-Free”

Abstract Objectives Gluten is a common protein found in wheat, rye, and barely, and can sometimes be found in products that do not contain these grains. Gluten contamination in naturally gluten-free foods, products processed to remove gluten, and foods made with non-gluten derivatives is of concern for those suffering from an intolerance to gluten, such as Celiac disease. For these individuals, knowing whether or not food products advertised as “gluten-free” are truly so is necessary for their health and safety. The current study was designed to determine the reliability of “gluten-free” food labels in the consumer marketplace. Methods Samples of “gluten-free” foods were collected from a variety of locations, including grocery stores, health-food stores, and other non-grocery retailers. A total of 243 samples were analyzed using a Nima Gluten Sensor (antibody-based colorimetric assay) to determine if gluten content was &amp;lt; 20 ppm, the maximum allowed by US law for a product labeled “gluten-free”. Results Of the samples tested, 98 were certified as “gluten-free” (&amp;lt;10 ppm) by the Gluten-Free Certification Organization (GFCO); only 13 of these (13.3% of samples) were found to exceed 20 ppm of gluten. By comparison, 145 samples were labeled “gluten-free” on the packaging but did not contain GFCO or other recognized certification; of these, 42 (29.0%) were found to actually contain more gluten than allowed by law. Samples obtained from grocery stores (n = 161) and health-food stores (n = 29) had relatively few positive results (14.3% and 13.8% respectively), whereas samples obtained from stores whose primary function is not to sell food (n = 53) were much more likely to exceed the federal limit on gluten (43.4% of samples tested). Conclusions While results reveal that “certified gluten-free” products (GFCO or other organizations) should be more trusted by consumers in their claim of being “gluten-free”, contamination still poses some risk to those who are intolerant of gluten, and that risk is increased when certification is absent. Funding Sources Funding for this study came from the Robert M. Geist Endowed Chair in the Biological Sciences at Capital University.

Shopping Behavior in ‘Health-Food Stores’: Does It Have a Hedonic Aspect?

Individuals are changing their approach to food and this phenomenon does not affect only consumption of good food, but also purchasing behaviour. The presence of products that support a healthy lifestyle is one of the main factors people take into account when choosing a retailer. As a consequence, the market is characterized by the proliferation of healthy store formats. However, very few studies have tried to analyze shopping experience inside these stores and its antecedents. Moreover, no studies have tried to investigate how the healthiness of the assortment impact on shopping experience. Thus, the present work aims to understand the impact of healthy assortment, healthy in-store communication and atmosphere on shopping value (both utilitarian and hedonic) and the effect of shopping value on customer&amp;rsquo;s satisfaction and loyalty to the store. For the purpose of the present study, a total sample of 101 shoppers was interviewed inside a new healthy store format developed in Milan by a leading French retailing company in 2017. Data were analysed using SmartPLS package. Our findings suggest that hedonic attitudes, formed favourably by perceptions of the healthiness of the assortment and products value, have a positive impact on satisfaction and loyalty to the store.

A review on Medicago sativa: A potential medicinal plant

Medicago sativa (Family: Fabaceae) was used traditionally for the treatment of arthritis, kidney problems, fever, as diuretic, anti-cancer, anti-rheumatic, cardiotonic, depurative, lactagogue, emmenagogue, antiscorbutic and in the treatment of boils. Leaves and sprouts were also consumed as vegetable salad. The leaves or seeds were sold as bulk powdered herb, capsules, and tablets for nutritional supplement in health food stores. The phytochemical analysis of Medicago sativashowed the presence of proteins, carbohydrates, saponins, lignin, phenolic compounds, tannins, alkaloids triterpene glycosides, carotenoids, sterols, phytoestrogens, flavones, isoflavonoids and phenolic compounds. The previous pharmacological investigation showed that the plant possessed antioxidant, antidiabetic, reproductive, anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, dermatological, anxiolytic, hepatoprotective, neuroprotective, immunological, cardioprotective, cytotoxic, anti-scorbutic, anti-anemic, xanthine oxidase inhibition and many other pharmacological effects. The current review discussed the bioactive constituents and pharmacological activities of Medicago sativa.