Dandelion

Taraxacum officinale

Dandelion

This wonderful plant is one of the most common weeds on Earth. The ubiquitous dandelion’s ingenious seed-spreading adaptation is one of its most well known features. Is Mother Nature suggesting a need for this plant almost everywhere man dwells? Who among us has not blown the downy top of a dandelion and watched the tiny seedpods carried away in the wind? There are many different common names for the Taraxacum genus throughout the world originating from how the plant looks to what type of action it produces in the body. The French “dent-de-leon” meaning, “tooth of the lion” seems to be the derivation of our North American common name, Dandelion. The leaves do indeed resemble sharp teeth. Dandelion greens and roots have both been consumed by many different cultures as a food source and are both nutritionally dense and healthy choices.

What is Dandelion Used For?

Dandelion is a rich source of vitamins A, B complex, and C, as well as minerals such as iron, potassium, and zinc. Dandelion leaves are used to add flavor to salads, sandwiches, and teas. The roots are used in some coffee substitutes, and the flowers are used to make wines. Traditionally, dandelion roots and leaves were used to support the liver. Native Americans also boiled dandelion in water and took it to support healthy excretion from the urinary tract, skin health, and upset stomach. In Traditional Chinese Medicine as well as European herbal Medicine Dandelion was and still is used to support the liver and gall bladder, to promote digestion and to support the detoxification process. The leaves have more of a noticeable effect for supporting healthy fluid elimination.