The dandelion's are out in full force now just as they appear every year at this time. They're especially apparent now before our lawns have their first mowing of the season, or we have a chance to whack them with weed killer! Knowing about their healthy properties, I just had to share and get the word out before the killing begins. I know they are unsightly to a perfectly manicured lawn, but I hope to convince you to think again and not spray them with weed killer! (Weed killer is a whole other topic.) If you decide not to harvest them for dinner or teatime, just pull them, and mow that green lawn.
Every part of the dandelion, the root, the leaves, and the flower, are good for us. As I sit here sipping on my roasted dandelion tea, let me tell you some of the amazing properties and potential health benefits of this plant.
The whole plant is super nutritious with vitamin A, C, K, E, B vitamins, folate, and minerals such as calcium, magnesium and potassium. Dandelions contain more protein and iron than spinach. They are also packed with antioxidants that help fight free radicals in our bodies. Antioxidants also help with aging, and studies have shown that dandelion root extract increases the generation of new skin cells. The flower contains even higher concentrations of polyphenols, another type of antioxidant that helps calm and prevent inflammation.
The root is rich in inulin, a soluble fiber that supports the growth and maintenance of healthy bacteria in our gut. Considering the prevalence and increase of environmental toxins, prescription drugs, antibiotics, and food toxins, we all need help with our gut flora.
The chicoric and chlorogenic acid in dandelion help reduce blood sugar, cholesterol and triglyceride levels in lab animals by helping to improve insulin secretion, and improving the absorption of glucose in the blood. Herbal medicine practices use dandelion for their diuretic effect, which can help to reduce blood pressure.
If you’re interested in adding dandelion to your diet, try dandelion tea, and use the leaves in cooking. You don’t have to pull them out of your lawn or garden and harvest them (but you can). Health food stores, Asian grocery stores, and up scale grocery stores stock dandelion greens. The leaves have a bitter element, so use them as you would any other bitter green, and experiment with using dandelion leaves in place or along side other greens like spinach, Swiss chard, etc.
Here are a few dandelion green preparations to try.
- Sauté greens with olive oil, garlic, a pinch of sea salt, and a shake of red pepper flakes to serve as a side dish.
- Add chopped raw greens to a white bean salad, or use this combination and cook the greens and beans in vegetable stock or chicken broth as a side dish, or use more broth for a soup, similar to the popular Italian escarole and white bean soup.
- Eat them raw in a mixed green salad with vinaigrette dressing.
- Use greens with eggs as you would for a veggie omelet, or in a frittata.
Is dandelion in your diet? Comment here and let us know about your relationship with dandelion. If this is new for you, what will you try?