If you’re wondering, what’s better than a plant that gives wishes?
Well, the only thing better in the real world is a plant that provides health benefits.
One of those plants is called the dandelion, and not only is it an excellent food, but it is an extraordinary medicine too.
Most often than not, dandelions are seen as pesky weeds that tend to take over your lawns and gardens.
How to Make Dandelion Tea: A Powerful Health Drink
However, the opposite is true. Dandelions regenerate soil and pave the foundations for plant growth.
Not only are they good for the earth, they’re good for your diet too!
Lucky for us it’s also excellent food and great medicine that anyone can find, grow, and then put to use.
In the following article, we will take a look at the health benefits, uses of dandelions, and how you can use this weed to improve your quality of life.
What are the health benefits of dandelion?
Dandelions have been used in traditional Chinese healing for appendicitis, breast concerns, and stomach problems for decades.
In order to treat skin ailments, inflammation, digestive problems, kidney disease, liver injury, and heartburn, Native Americans boil and drink dandelion extract.
Europeans used it to alleviate symptoms of diabetes, diarrhea, and high fever.
Dandelion is a rich source of beta-carotene which converts into vitamin A in the body. This plant is also rich in fiber, potassium, vitamin C, calcium, iron, magnesium, phosphorus, and zinc as well.
It’s also a good way to get more vitamin B to your body as well as trace minerals, vitamin D, and organic sodium.
Additionally, the plant also contains even more protein than spinach.
Some health benefits of the plant, its roots and leaves:
- Promotes healthy digestion: Dandelion acts as a mild laxative that promotes digestion, balances the natural and beneficial bacteria, and also stimulates appetite. Ultimately it aids digestion by releasing more stomach acid and bile, and ultimately, this helps to break down more fats in the body.
- Prevents water retention in kidneys: Dandelion is a natural diuretic and helps clear the kidneys of salt, waste, and excess water by increasing the production of urine and the frequency of your urination. Ultimately the dandelion deters microbial growth in the urinary system and prevents urinary tract infections as well. It also replaces the potassium lost in this process.
- Detoxifies the liver: Dandelion helps to detoxify the liver and consequently improves hepatic function. It establishes hydration and electrolyte balance as well.
- Boosts antioxidant activity: All parts of the dandelion plant are rich in antioxidants, and this prevents free radicals from damaging DNA and cells. It also slows down the aging process and is rich in vitamins C, A, and beta-carotene.
- Regulates blood sugar levels: Dandelion root, flowers, and leaves are all responsible for regulating blood sugar and insulin levels. It does this because it controls lipid levels and stimulates the pancreatic cells to encourage more insulin as and when needed.
- Reduces high blood pressure: Since dandelion is a natural diuretic, it also increases urination, which ultimately lowers blood pressure. It also contains potassium and fiber, which helps to regulate blood pressure.
Cancer Research
Although the ability to fight cancer is not a claim that should be made lightly, dandelion has shown lots of promise in various cancer studies.
It is suggested that dandelion may slow cancerous growth and prevented it from spreading.
The leaves are rich in phytonutrients and antioxidants that fight cancer, and the root extract can choose apoptosis or cell death in certain types of cancer.
Is it safe to make tea from a dandelion?
Dandelion is known as Lion’s tooth and blowcall. It’s also a botanical herb used in traditional medicine by the Native Americans, Chinese as well as Arabs.
In centuries gone by, it is been used to treat certain conditions such as toothaches, fevers, baldness, and lethargy.
It’s also been used to treat other medical issues, such as liver and gallbladder problems and bile ducts.
It is still consumed today as both a food and part of complementary alternative medicine.
When used as a food, they can be used raw in salads the same as you would do with spinach.
The roots are also roasted and used to make caffeine-free coffee. The flower of the dandelion is often used to make wine.
It is most commonly known as a botanical herb and supplement and is available in various forms of teas, pills, and extracts.
Health benefits
As a vegetable, it’s rich in many minerals and vitamins.
Dandelion greens also contain vitamins A, B, C, D, and E as well as minerals like magnesium, iron, calcium, sodium, silicon, copper, zinc, phosphorous, and magnesium. It also contains properties called chlorogenic acid, which aids in diabetes.
As a herbal tea, it’s praised for many benefits, and one of its most well-known health benefits is being a diuretic and consequently aiding digestive problems.
Although dandelion health benefits are praised by many cultures and alternative medicine believers around the world. There may be some associated risks with it as well.
Risks
Before rushing off to consume Dandelion, you should be aware of the side effects involved.
Perhaps the most common side effects reported after consuming Dandelion are allergic ones.
People who have allergic reactions to chrysanthemums, ragweed, Marigolds and daisies are also consequently allergic to Dandelion.
You should also be aware that Dandelion contains gastric hyper-acidity, which could cause some mild discomfort and stomach pain.
Dandelion should not be taken in conjunction with any lithium since it is a diuretic, and it increases the body’s loss of sodium and water.
You should also steer clear of it if you’re taking any hypoglycemic drugs because Dandelion already has blood sugar lowering properties.
Dandelion does, however, have lots of health benefits, and you should apply the same principle with this herb as you would with any other medicine, drug, or treatment, and that is to take it in moderation.
Ultimately Dandelion is a healthy vegetable and makes quite a soothing tea; however, you should not put all of your faith into this one single herb.
How to make dandelion tea from Leaves?
- Step 1:First you need to bring water to a boil in the saucepan. Boil enough water so that it fills your teapot.
- 2: (While the water is boiling). Put 10 to 20 dandelion flowers into the teapot.
- 3: Remove the green section before doing this.
- 4: Pour the boiling water into the teapot and allow it to steep for approximately 20 minutes with the lid on.
- 5: Choose a sweetener of your choice to add to the tea and enjoy it.
Making Dandelion tea from the roots
- Step 1: Once you’ve dug up the plant, cut out its taproot, and rinse thoroughly with cold water before allowing it to dry.
- 2: Add a quart of water in your saucepan and cut the roots up into chunks. If using dandelion in powder form, add two teaspoons off this to a quart of water. However, when using the roots, you can add 1 to 2 pieces of it to boiling water.
- 3: Cover the pot for approximately one minute while the root is boiling.
- 4: Allow the steeping process to go on for another 40 minutes.
- 5: Strain the root from the water and pour the tea into a cup. Add your preferred sweetener and take a sip.
Visit Crafty Little Gnome for an alternative method, where she shows you how to make dandelion tea from roasted roots.
Making Dandelion tea from the leaves
- Step 1: Add water in a saucepan and ensure that it is enough to fill your teapot. For every cup of water, you need six leaves of dandelions in order for it to be full of flavor, so if your teapot takes 2 cups of water, you need 12 dandelion leaves.
- 2: Place the dandelion leads into the teapot and add boiling water to it, then leave it steep for 10 minutes.
- 3: Strain them and add your desired sweetener to flavor and enjoy your dandelion tea.
Related Questions
Is Dandelion tea good for you?
Yes, Dandelion has many health benefits.
Which part of the Dandelion plant is safe for consumption?
You can consume the roots, leaves and flowers of the plant.
Are there any side effects to drinking Dandelion tea?
Yes, for people who are allergic to other plants, it may lead to allergic reactions.
Do I need to dry the dandelion flowers first or boil right after picking and washing?
You can boil right after picking and washing. Of course you can always dry some in order to use later!
Thank you for this information
Can I dehydrate the roots after harvest and put the chopped pieces into tea bags for use later on down the road?
Is there any need to roast them or cook or is dehydrating enough?
Thanks very much
Hi Mark! Yes, you can. However, you will need to experiment with how much root you’ll need to use. I haven’t tried it that way, myself.
Have you ever run across ways to preserve other than drying? What about canning tea concentrate?
This looks so good! What a great way to embrace this plant instead of treating it like a weed!
Thanks for sharing! Do they need to be fresh?
You definitely want them on the fresher side, and earlier in the season. That said, a bundle that a kid brought home from school the day before is fine, too.
Pingback: Dandelion Root Tea harvest prepare and cook dandelion tea
Can you clean, dry, and use the whole plant in tea?