Dandelion, Friend or Foe?

History

The genus name is Taraxacum and is derived from the Greek taraxos (meaning disorders) and akos (meaning remedy); this states that the dandelion has the ability to correct a multitude of disorders. Many historical people valued it as a healthful food and medicine.

• Gauls and Celts ate the plant.
• Normans of France used it to control scurvy and as a diuretic.
• Monasteries planted dandelion in their medicinal gardens.
• Europe used it extensively for medicinal effects as a diuretic and tonic.
• Early colonists brought it to America and used all its parts. Think about that! The colonist thought is was important enough to bring to America, and we are constantly trying to destroy it.

Nutritional Attributes

• Nutritional dense greens you can eat.
• One cup of dandelion greens has 103 mg of calcium.
• Good source of vitamins C, A, and K.
• Good source of potassium.
• You can check out the entire nutritional value of dandelion greens here.

Health Benefits

In many countries, especially in Asia, dandelions are eaten regularly for medicinal and nutritional value. Dandelion root and greens have a toning effect on the body. They are a rich source of nutrients and other compounds that may improve liver function, promote weight loss, improve blood sugar control, and possess diuretic activity. The root is regarded as a liver remedy. Both in animal and human studies, it has been shown to enhance the flow of bile, improve liver congestion, bile duct inflammation, hepatitis, gallstones, and jaundice. The root, especially if harvested in the fall, has a very high concentration of inulin. Inulin serves as a source of food for the friendly bacteria in your gut. Dandelion can also help manage high blood pressure.

So now do you think a bit differently about those “pesky” weeds in your yard? I have decided to embrace them and the knowledge of our ancestors. For years, we have fought the battle but as of two years ago we no longer use any herbicide or pesticide on our lawn. We do feed our lawn to keep it thick, and this year we are putting in two or three garden areas to grow our own produce. As far as the dandelion battle, I have decided to harvest what I can and use them as our creator intended.

How to Use Dandelions

PLEASE NOTE: DO NOT CONSUME ANY DANDELIONS THAT YOU CANNOT VERIFY THEY HAVE NOT BEEN SPRAYED WITH ANY TOXIN.

All parts of the dandelion are edible – the roots, leaves, stem, buds, and flowers! Here are a few ways to use them.

• Leaves should be thoroughly washed, gently dried, and torn apart and can be eaten raw in salads. If the leaves are more mature, then cooking like any other green will be more palatable.
• Dandelion leaves can be purchased at farmer’s markets, specialty stores, and even some mainstream grocery stores seasonally.
• Roots can be washed, dried, roasted, and ground to be used to make dandelion “coffee”. Dried dandelion root can be purchased from online sources too.
• Flower buds can be pickled.
• The leaves and roots can be consumed as a tea. If you are not wanting to forage your own, dandelion tea is readily available. 
• The flower petals can be used dried or fresh as a garnish in salads or desserts. The young petals are said to have a honey-like flavor. (I will have to wait until I have flowers to pick before I can confirm).
• Dandelion is also a great companion plant for gardening because its long tap roots bring up nutrients to the shallow-rooting plants in the garden adding minerals and nitrogen to the soil.
• They also attract pollinating insects which helps fruit production.

I am a proponent of food as medicine. It has been shown that dandelion has medicinal attributes so instead of waging war on this weed, let’s embrace it as a healing plant.

Have you battled dandelions? Will you think of them differently now? Will you embrace the power of food and add them to your diet?

Be blessed and be a blessing,

Heather

Sources

• Brown, K., (2019). Herbalism at home. Emeryville, CA. Rockridge Press.
• Edible Wild Food. Dandelion – taraxacum officinale. Retrieved from https://www.ediblewildfood.com/dandelion.aspx
• Editors. (2019, April 11). Dandelion recipes: a wonderful, edible weed. The Farmer’s Almanac. Retrieved from https://www.almanac.com/content/dandelion-recipes-wonderful-edible-weed
• Murray, M. ND, Pizzorno, J., ND, and Pizzorno, L., MA. (2005). The encyclopedia of healing foods. New York, NY, Atria Books.
• Quillen, A. Don’t weed ‘em out: how to use and benefit from dandelions. Retrieved from https://www.fix.com/blog/dandelion-health-benefits/
• Rose, S. The surprising superfood from your backyard: dandelions. Retrieved from
• Self Nutrition Data. Retrieved from https://nutritiondata.self.com/facts/vegetables-andvegetable-products/2441/2

Posts may contain affiliate links. If you purchase a product through an affiliate link, your costs will be the same but Chronicles in Health will receive a small commission. This helps cover some of the costs for this site. I appreciate your support!

The information, including but not limited to, text, graphics, images and other material contained on this website are for informational purposes only. The purpose of this website is to promote broad consumer understanding and knowledge of various health topics. It is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health care provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition or treatment and before undertaking a new health care regimen, and never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have read on this website.