It’s spring again … the perfect time to rerun this post from last March…
It’s spring, which means some people are stocking up on Round Up and Weed-B-Gon to prepare themselves for battle against my favorite flower – the humble dandelion. If you’re not as big a fan as I am of these yellow-headed “weeds”, which grow in lawns and sunny open spaces throughout the world, I know of a great way to get rid of them. Eat them.
Every part of the dandelion is edible – leaves, roots, and flowers. And they are nutritional power-houses. They’re rich in beta-carotene, fiber, potassium, iron, calcium, magnesium, phosphorus, B vitamins, and protein.
Over the years, dandelions have been used as cures for countless conditions including:
- kidney stones
- acne
- high blood pressure
- obesity
- diarrhea
- high cholesterol
- anemia
- cancer
- diabetes
- stomach pain
- hepatitis
“There is probably no existing condition that would not benefit from regularly consuming dandelions,” Joyce A Wardwell writes in The Herbal Home Remedy Book.
She also says that dandelion is “one herb to allow yourself the full range of freedom to explore,” because it has “no known cautionary drug interactions, cumulative toxic effects, or contraindications for use.”
So why not harvest the dandelions in your yard this spring? And I’m sure your neighbors wouldn’t mind if you uprooted some of theirs too. (But you probably want to avoid harvesting near streets or from lawns where herbicides or fertilizers are used.)
The leaves
Dandelion leaves have more beta-carotene than carrots and more iron and calcium than spinach. The best time to harvest them is early spring, before the flowers appear, because that’s when they’re the least bitter.
How can you eat dandelion leaves?
- Toss them in salads
- Steam them
- Saute them with garlic, onions, and olive oil
- Infuse them with boiling water to make a tea
- Dry them to use for tea
The flowers
Dandelion flowers are a rich source of the nutrient lecithin. The best time to harvest them is mid-spring, when they’re usually the most abundant. If you cut off the green base, the flowers aren’t bitter.
How can you eat dandelion flowers?
- Toss them in salad
- Steam them with other vegetables
- Make wine
- Make fritters
- Make Dandelion Flower Cookies
The roots
Dandelion roots are full of vitamins and minerals. They are also in rich in a substance called inulin, which may help diabetics to regulate blood sugar. Dandelion roots are often used to treat liver disorders. They’re also a safe natural diuretic, because they’re rich in potassium. The best time to harvest dandelion roots is early spring and late fall.
How can you eat dandelion roots?
- Boil them for 20 minutes to make a tea
- Chop, dry, and roast them to make a tasty coffee substitute.
- Add them to soup stock or miso
- Steam them with other vegetables
As most gardeners know, dandelions are virile (some say pernicious) plants. Why not treat them as allies, rather than enemies, this spring?
Interested in reading more about herbs or home remedies? Check out these posts:
- Do-It-Yourself Health Care
- Simplify Your Medicine Cabinet
- Simplify Your Personal Care
- Simple Herbal Tonics
- Herbs Made Easy
Do you eat dandelions? Do you have a favorite dandelion recipe?
Lauren says
I absolutely love the way that the dandelions, violets, chickweed, shephards purse, and every other flowering “weed” add stars and fireworks to a green expanse. To be able to make practical use of them as well is an amazing bonus!
Laura M. says
Definitely going to give this a try! This might be a silly question, but what about the stems? Do not eat or eat? And how?
Abby Quillen says
Interesting question. I’ve never thought about eating the stems, and I’ve never heard or read about anyone else doing it. I have read you can use the sap inside the stems externally to remove warts.
Dick Stacy says
I grew up in a small town in western New York state with an aunt and uncle. one of my spring chores was to harvest young dandelion plants from our back yard, which my aunt would prepare like spinach. Delicious !
Anonymous says
we ate dandelion salad growing up too!
Missy Louise Howard-Bailey says
You can also collect dandelion seeds when they are in abundance (those lovely fun blow flowers kids make a wish and blow), then grind them up into a flour to make breads. you need a lot, but we often find fields brimming with them.
Mary says
What a fabulous post. It is especially handy this year because I noticed that dandelions seem to be extra prolific this year. As well, I think dandelion might make a great tincture and/or curation for an herbal martini. Thank you so much for the great info and research.
marycheshier says
Reblogged this on How 2 Be Green and commented:
Great article!