The sunny yellow that Dandelions bring to your yard may provide a splash of color to brighten up your day, and possibly a headache if you have been trying to get rid of these pesky “weeds” for the last week. However, did you know that this leafy plant is not only edible, but highly nutritious and beneficial to your health?
That’s right! In fact, Dandelion has been utilized in Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) as an alternative treatment for stomach aches, inflammation, and even Cancer!
The Benefits
1) Dandelion boosts your immune system!
The significant amount of Vitamins A, E, and K combined with high levels of Beta Carotene make this green and yellow plant a “lion” in the kingdom of immunity boosters!
2) Dandelion can help balance your eating schedule!
Dandelion promotes your appetite (probably contributing to its placement in a meal plan as a side-dish, tea, or salad green) which together with the cocktail of immune boosters begins to create the precise environment for preventative care in regards to Cancer!
Many researchers and scientists in Canada are clamoring to take Dandelion to clinical trials in various Cancer treatments to see if this gem of the plant kingdom can be taken further in its cancer-fighting prowess!
Where can one get dandelion? Possibly your local grocery!
Dandelion certainly sounds quite exciting, but few people imagine picking the Dandelions from their front yard to eat for a meal, especially considering that they might have sprayed toxic pesticides on them to get rid of them before learning of their health properties.
Surely enough, organic Dandelion can be found in a variety of stores whether in dried tea form or even as leafy greens in your local produce section!
How to make it at home!
1) As a Tea, using the heads or root
The preparation of Dandelions for a meal is actually a lot easier than one would think! You can dry the heads to later be boiled into a tea, creating a relaxing, golden drink similar to chamomile tea, which is quite popular and a great way to detox! The root of the Dandelion, usually made into a extract, can also be incorporated into a tea form to be drunk as well!
2) In salads or cooked down in a pan blanched or sauteed, using the leaves
The leaves can be incorporated into your salad as a leafy green, although they can be “bitter” in public opinion, the treatment of Dandelion leaves, or “greens”, is not all that different than the consideration you might take for Kale!
(Take a look below at this “ingredient 101” with Clean and Delicious for further health info and some tips for preparing the leaves for a meal!)
Why not give Dandelions the chance to brighten your day, and your health, today! You wont be disappointed!
Please SHARE this, and perhaps a cup of Dandelion tea, with your friends and family!
