Dandelion and Your Health

For those of you who are familiar with my mom, Margarita Saian's classes, dandelion will ring a bell right away. This was my mother's favorite tea - she praised it, and said it was a cure-all - even for hepatitis and cirrhosis. Dandelion (Taraxacum officinale) is a yellow flower that we all remember making crowns out of in the summer. Dandelions have very small flowers collected together into a composite flower head. Each single flower in a head is called a floret. Once the flower head turns white, you can blow on it, and the little florets fly away!

There are two parts to the dandelion: the root and the leaves, and both parts have their own use. Both help regulate parts of the digestive system, but the root is best for liver problems while the leaf is best for issues related to the kidneys. Dandelion plants are edible in their entirety - the leaves contain abundant vitamins and minerals, especially vitamins A, C, and K, and are good sources of calcium, potassium, iron, and manganese. To make the leaves more palatable, they are often blanched or sauteed to remove bitterness. The leaves can also be consumed raw in salads, or juiced! One of my favorite juice recipes contains dandelion greens. You can find it HERE.

The reason the leaves and the root are excellent for the kidneys, is because their chief function is as a diuretic. They flush the kidneys of toxins, and alleviate swelling. In high enough doses, the leaves produce a similar effect to that of common prescription diuretics like Lasix. Dandelion leaves may also reduce the occurrence of urinary tract infections in women.

When used to alleviate bloating, dandelion root tea has been shown have a significant effect on water content in the body because of its diuretic properties. It also has shown to lower blood sugar levels and reduce high cholesterol. 

The Institute of Agricultural Medicine in Poland tested therapeutic herbs for kynurenic acid (an amino acid for digestive system support and bile production), and the highest concentration of this compound was found in dandelion.  Dandelion helps to stimulate bile production and bile transport toxins out of the body, so evidence shows it supports the body’s natural immune response. 

Dandelion tea enhances detoxification, by stimulating urination and by replacing the potassium lost in that process.  It helps to receive bloating, constipation and diarrhea, and regulates water retention in the body. If you don't like the taste of the tea, try adding a slice of lemon, some honey or stevia to it. The roasted dandelion roots have a nutty flavor, and make a delicious, healthy tea! Enjoy!