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What
You Don't Know About Dandelions
Who
does not know the dandelion’s rosette of jagged leaves coming
up from a deep taproot? Who doesn’t
know its bright yellow flower head that is made up of hundreds
of tiny florets? Even as children, we used to blow the small
parachute seeds to watch them go into the sky. However, how
much do we really know about this lovely flower?
The
National Research Council’s monograph on dandelion states that
the annual value of this flower sol in the Canadian
markets is higher then half a million dollars. However,
whether you grow them in your garden, you wild craft dandelions,
or cultivate them on a large scale, these flowers
are high in potassium, iron, calcium, magnesium and vitamins
A and
C. The older leaves are the ones that help with digestion
and are quite edible when they are steamed or stir-fried
with any other kind of vegetable. Even
as a spring tonic, this leaf is unsurpassed. It fortifies
and cleans the liver. It nourishes the whole body. The way
it nourishes the whole body is with its rich store of calcium,
iron, and potassium. If a tea is made from a dandelion leaf,
it will be one of the finest diuretics known. It nourishes
the kidneys and reduces fluid retention without the harmful
side effects that are associated with potassium depletion.
However,
the root, if prepared properly, is a tasty beverage and a
very good coffee substitute. If you are trying to limit
or reduce your caffeine intake, try a drink made from a dandelion
root.
The
milky, sticky sap that is found in the dandelion’s stem and
root has anti-fungal chemicals. You can boil them fresh
and make an external wash for athlete’s foot or any kind
of fungal problem. The root that is dug out in the fall has
a high insulin content that is helpful to diabetics. Insulin
stabilizes blood sugar. Insulin is also a diuretic and also
possesses immune-stimulating properties. It is not absorbed
into the stomach, but it acts like a stimulant to healthy
bacteria in the large intestine.
Some
European researches have found that dandelion roots extracts
help reduce the clumping of human blood platelets in the
human blood vessels. This is a very common complication in
the hardening of the arteries. It is also very common in
the complications of diabetes. It can also help decrease
high blood pressure. By lowering high blood pressure, it
is helping the action of the human heart.
Overall,
the much-maligned dandelion is full of nutritious and medicinal
virtues. They are good for you, and the soil
too.
Wild
Plant: Taraxacum spp.
Family: Compositae
Habitat: The dandelion is easily found in pastures, gardens,
meadows, roadsides, and waste grounds. Part
Used: The part of the dandelion that is used the most is
the leaves and the roots.
Ethical
wild crafting: You need to gather the leaves in early spring
in unpolluted areas. However, the root may be dug
in fall and spring. When you dig up the root, do not distribute
the seeds. Although the dandelion usually does not infiltrate
other colonies, you may accidentally introduce the dandelion
to a pristine area where a pure, native plant colony already
thrives.
Physiological
Action: Bitter tonic (it increases the tone of gastric mucous
and stimulates digestion), Diuretic (stimulates
urination), Cholagogue (stimulates bile flow from the gall
bladder), Mild Laxative (it stimulates bowel evacuation),
and Choleretic (stimulates the production of bile in the
liver)
Active
Constituents: Bitter resins (taraxacerine), up to thirty
percent insulin, saponin, flavonoids, and phytosterols.
Note: The milk juice (latex) in the dandelion’s stem and root may
cause contact dermatitis in some people. The dandelion
is contraindicated in blue duct obstruction, intestinal blockage,
acute gastrointestinal inflammation, and acute gall bladder
inflammation.
Non-Caffeinated
Coffee Substitute
Spring
dandelions and their roots are the best for making non-caffeinated
beverages. Make sure to dig them before the aerial portion
of the dandelion’s plant develops. Make sure to scrub the
root very clean, then split it lengthways, and stem the roots
for five minutes. You can also boil them for as long as it
takes for the congealing of the root sap. Cool and chop the
roots into small pieces and place them into a 300-degree
Fahrenheit (150 degree Celsius) oven with the oven door slightly
open. When the root pieces are chocolate brown and crackling
dry, take them out of the oven and let them cool. In order
to make your beverage, grind up the pieces in a coffee grinder
and use one teaspoon per cup of boiling water. It is delicious
and also good for you! # # # # #
SolveYourProblem.com : 2007
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