Edible Wild Plants – Dandelion

One the most prolific edible plants on earth

” Dandelions are perennial, herbaceous plants that grow best in moist, sunny areas found in all parts of the northern temperate zone. The plant grows year-round but goes dormant in areas that experience a cold winter. The dandelion taproot, thick, sturdy and dark brown, can penetrate the soil up to 10 to 15 feet.” (see sources below)

Chances are, you have seen plenty of dandelions in your life. You may have thought of them as nothing more and another weed to get rid of, but almost every part of the plant is edible. The one exception being the little seed carrying parachute each one is attached to. They may or may not be edible, but most people have a thing about eating fuzzy stuff. I for one am not willing to test them.

The botanical name for dandelions is Taraxacum officinale. Some of the common names for it are Lion’s tooth, blowball and in some areas of the world it is called hawkbits thought that is a name more commonly applied to the genus Leontodon.

A look at each part of the plant

Root

The root is most often used to make tea or a sort of coffee substitute (by roasting the roots). Unroasted roots have a light taste that is mild and works well with lemons. Clean the raw root well, hang to allow it to dry. Chop or slice into small pieces, making sure they are thoroughly dried before storing. One tablespoon of dried root will make an entire gallon of tea.

I have never liked coffee, so the roasted roots are not my thing, but you can change the flavor by adding anything you might add to any other tea or coffee. Flavorings, sweeteners (you can grow your own Stevia too), milk, fruit juice, pretty much anything you can think of to try.

10 Health Benefits of Dandelion Root

1. Widely recognized as a liver tonic as it nourishes the liver.
2. Because of its high iron and zinc content, dandelion root is often used as a treatment for anemia.
3. Has mild laxative properties and is often used to help maintain regularity.
4. Recognized as a great blood builder and for the liver.
5. Aids skin problems as well as detoxify poisons and toxic waste in the body.
6. It is also a mild appetite stimulant; tea made from root and leaves can help relieve digestive problems.
7. Dandelion root functions as a mild diuretic. Because potassium is often lost when using a diuretic, dandelion root is often a better choice for a diuretic than synthetic formulas.
8. Lowers cholesterol according to some studies. Early results of at least one study show that dandelion root supplements may affect the cholesterol profile in diabetic mice positively by lowering LDL and triglycerides while increasing HDL.
9. Its positive effects on the liver and digestion, may help the effectiveness of other vitamins, minerals and nutrients.
10. “Dandelion acts as a tonic to the system. It destroys acid in the blood. As it contains organic sodium, it is very good for the deficiency of nutritive salts, and is recognized as a great blood builder and purifier.“ from the book Herbally Yours

From realfoodforlife.com – link below

Raw Dandelion Leaves

According to Wikipedia, one cup of raw dandelion greens contains the following nutritional values

The young leaves taste the best. They get bitter as they get older and by the time the plant sends out it’s little seed parachutes, they are so bitter, I cannot eat them raw. It sometimes helps to blanch the leaves for about ½ a minute in boiling water, then rinse immediately in cool water before eating them raw.
The most common way to eat the young leaves is in a fresh salad. They can be used like lettuce or spinach as the basis of your salad, then add on any addition items you like. Tomatoes, cucumber, nuts, sprouts, onion or anything else, along with your favorite salad dressing and you have a full meal.
You can even add them fresh to your favorite fresh smoothie recipe to get all the health benefits and nutrients!

Cooked Dandelion Greens

According to mercola.com, cooked dandelion greens contain the following nutritional content.

Dandelion greens can be cooked any way you would cook any type of greens. Sauté or fry them, boil them, chop them and used them in other recipes or anything you like

Health benefits of eating dandelion greens

“Health Benefits of Dandelion Greens: The nutrients in dandelion greens may help reduce the risk of cancer, multiple sclerosis, cataracts, age-related macular degeneration, and stroke.

Studies also show that people who eat more leafy greens have a lower risk of developing diabetes.

Dandelion contains anti-inflammatory properties which may provide benefit to those with asthma and other inflammatory diseases.” According to the website davyandtracy.com.

Dandelion Flower Uses

Dandelion flowers are probably one of the most recognized flowers in the world. They grow almost everywhere, and often in places plants have a hard time taking root in. That does not mean it will always flourish no matter where it grows, but it does mean in a zombie apocalypse, you might find dinner in some unusual places.

Flowers can be eaten raw, added to salads, deep fried with batter, made into wine, or made into jelly. They truly are quite versatile.

As time allows, I will write up some of the recipes I use for making wine and batter frying the flowers. I think I have a jelly recipe too, but since I am diabetic, I have never used it.

Sources:
Columbia University
Sun Warrior
WebMD
lovelovething.com
realfoodforlife.com
Wikipedia
mercola.com
daveandtracy.com

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