Why You Shouldn’t Kill Your Dandelions

I’d have to say my favourite part about spring is hearing all the birds chirping and witnessing the rebirth of our plants, trees and flowers and this includes the “pesky” dandelion. It’s hard to believe that I spent most of my life thinking of these beautiful yellow flowers as pesky little weeds. Plucking them from the grass every spring and tossing them in the compost or watching people spray them with weed killers. If I could only go back in time and save all of those dandelions that were plucked from the lawns and tossed away. Since there are no time machines kickin around, I’m happy to focus on the present moment and teach Jude and anyone who cares, to cherish all the beneficial properties of the dandelion.

Dandelion’s (Taraxacum officinale) name comes from the latin word dens leonis, meaning “Lions Teeth” because of the appearance of its flowers. These bright yellow flowers can be found in yards and parks all over Canada and in most parts of the world. You can harvest dandelion greens throughout the season, but you’ll want to wait until the fall to pull the roots. When you’re picking, be sure that the dandelions have not been sprayed with any nasty herbicides or pesticides, because, well, nobody wants to eat that. Once picked and washed, the whole family can enjoy the benefits of the entire dandelion, using the roots, leaves and flowers.

Root: Dandelion roots are a detoxifying herb containing large amounts of iron, manganese, protein, phosphorus, and carotenes. On top of that, they are also a good source of prebiotic, which help to support a healthy gut. Used to tonify the liver and purify the blood, it’s mildly bitter flavour can aid digestion and help stimulate production of bile. The root is generally taken to support constipation, eczema and other skin problems, as well as chronic inflammation. Furthermore, a 2004 laboratory study found dandelion root marked anti-cancer activity (Chevallier, A.) (2016) Encyclopedia of Herbal Medicine.

To consume, roots can be dried and used for tea, or tincturing.

Dandelion Mocha

My favourite tea is Rosemary Gladstar’s Dandelion Mocha, which I’ve adapted slightly to fit my obsession of blending hot drinks.

3 TBSP roasted or dried dandelion root

3 cups of filtered water

1 TBSP cocoa powder

2 TBSP coconut milk (full fat)

1 TBSP maple syrup or honey

1/2 tsp cinnamon powder

1/2 tsp vanilla extract

To make, decoct the dandelion root in the filtered water for 30 - 40 minutes. Once your decoction is ready and still warm, add 1 cup of the liquid. plus the remainder of the ingredients into blender. Blend on high and serve.

When I’m making this to share with Jude, I omit the cocoa powder because it tends to make her pretty hyper.

Leaves: Dandelion leaves are a great source of iron, calcium, potassium, carotenes, phosphorus, vitamins A, C and K and protein. There is research published in the journal Plant Medica confirming the leaves of the dandelion to be a powerful diuretic, helpful when the body is retaining water or experiencing gallbladder or kidney issues. You can eat the leaves raw in a salad, but I find their bitter taste is more enjoyable when steamed and added to a dish with other flavours or tossed into smoothies. You could also dry your leaves for adding to herbal tinctures and other preparations.

Flowers: Not only are these flowers bright and full of sunshine, they can also be consumed and enjoyed in baking, salads, or syrups. My favourite way to incorporate these beauties into my families diet, is to make this simple dandelion syrup from The Herbal Academy. You can drizzle this syrup on pancakes, oat meal, or even coconut ice cream!

So please, next time you see a budding dandelion think twice before stepping over it, or spending the day ridding your lawn of them. Simply harvest them from your lawn, bring them into your kitchen and explore the many ways you can incorporate this beautiful herb into your diet.

~ Happy Spring

A note on safety - Dandelion is one of the safest herbs for all members of the family, but because of it’s diuretic action it should be only taken in pregnancy under the guidance of a trained midwife or medical professional