TheOfficialAndrew
Dandelion
Dandelion is a very common weed that springs up everywhere in the garden, in paddocks, and wastelands. There are a few weeds that look like dandelion and have the characteristic yellow flowers and fluffy pompom seed head that children love to blow upon. The true dandelion, however, has a rosette of long leaves cut into ‘teeth’ that point back to the base of the plant. It has only one, straight stalk with a single flower head.
The stalk is hollow and exudes a milky sap when picked. This m ilk sap can be applied externally to the skin on blisters, sores, pimples, and warts.
Dandelion is a nutrient herb, its leaves are rich in iron, silica, calcium, magnesium, potassium, are high in Vitamin A, B1, B2, and Vitamin C. The flowers can be eaten and contain Vitamin D.
Dandelion is a blood and lymph cleansing and puryifying herb, that stimulates bile and gastric juices to help with digestion, and is mildly laxative. It increases the flow of bile in the liver and through the gall bladder to the bowel, helping to reduce any liver congestion, and is used for gall-stones. Its nutritive salts help neutralise acids in the blood.
Anaemia is caused by a deficiency of proper nutrients in the blood, dandelion is one of the oldest remedies for this.
The young leaves can be either steamed like spinach greens or eaten in a salad, and improve the enamel of the teeth. They are a bitter tonic to improve digestion and are also a diuretic. A daily salad including young dandelion leaves helps protect against hepatitis.
The root has a strengthening and cleansing effect on the liver and contains insulin, which regulates kidney and pancreas function. It increases the flow of urine in liver problems, and is slightly laxative. Dandelion root, drunk regularly, helps with skin diseases, including acne and eczema, water retention, indigestion, constipation, kidney problems, gall bladder troubles, jaundice, rheumatism, regulates blood sugar levels in the body, and is beneficial for female organs.
Dandelion root ‘coffee’
Dandelion roots can be harvested at the end of summer from a plant two years old onwards. Dig up the root, clean it thoroughly, slice it lenghwise into thin slices, and spread out to dry in a clean place, with good airflow, for a few weeks. This is dried dandelion root. Dandelion root can be roasted to make a coffee substitute. It will turn a medium-dark brown colour when ready, this is your dandelion ‘coffee’.
As a refreshing, health promoting drink;
infuse 1/2 – 1 teaspoonful of dandelion root or roasted ‘coffee’, steeped in a cup of boiled water for at least 5 minutes or more as you would in a coffee plunger.
Drink 1-2 cups a day. Good for rheumatism and acid indigestion.
For a stronger, more medicinal decoction;
gently simmer 20 grams of dandelion root in a covered pot with 600 mLs of water for at least an hour, (don’t boil), then steep for another 10-15 minutes.
Take 2-4 tablespoons full regularly throughout the day.
wow Very interesting photo and roots
Very informative post, Andrew! Lately, I’ve been thinking about buying dandelion tea.
Great post … something I knew some, but they are new to me
When I was a kid I used to help my mom harvest them. Afterwards she’d wash them and boil them and we’d eat them with salt and vinegar. They were quite tasty!
I have heard of Dandelion Wine, but have never tried it. Have you?
Great info here Andrew. I didn’t know about the milk being a topical. Awesome.
Didn’t know about it. Thanks for sharing. I just simply know Dandelion as weeds.
I had reviewed many publications about its healing properties. Now I added my knowledge. Thank you
I have seen the teethy dandelions around here, but didn’t know you can use the roots! Great post, Andrew!
It is very good to consume a natural source of vitamins, rather than chemically processed ones. Useful articles, my friend.
Very interesting post. Dandelion leaves are commonly served, together with other wild leaves, in a satisfyingly bitter steamed dish called Horta in Greece. It’s just the leaves, mixed with some olive oil and salt. I love it!
The leaves are also commonly served in salad in France. In fact I’ve seen dandelion seeds(!) for sale in a garden centre there.
But don’t eat them late in the evening – they have a strong diuretic effect, reflected in their name in French: Pissenlit (piss-the-bed) 🙂
There you go Norman!
I drink dandelion root tea sometimes.
I had it awhile back and it’s not that bad at all. I’m not a tea drinker usually that’s why.
thanks for spreading info.
You’re welcome!
Sounds very healthy.
It is. I would be drinking it a lot if I’m a tea drinker but I’ll drink it occasionally.
That’s good information to have, thank you!
You’re welcome Michelle! You plan on trying it sometime? I’m not really a tea drinker but it was delicious!
Very informative post. Thanks for sharing
You’re welcome!