The Many Uses of Dandelion

The Many Uses of Dandelion

t’s hard to look down any street, in any neighborhood, and not see yellow-headed flowers growing liberally on nearly every lawn. The dandelion is considered a weed in North American culture – pristine lawns being the goal of most urbanites – but in other parts of the world, the dandelion is revered for its nutritional and medicinal benefits, and it can even be turned into wine.

The flower is used so much that people actually cultivate rows of them in garden beds for ease of harvesting. They propagate extremely easily, and once the taproot is established in the soil, leaves will continue to re-grow after each harvest. Dandelions also make good companion plants, as they attract beneficial insects to the garden and add nitrogen to the soil.

Asians and Europeans often incorporate dandelion leaves into salads, sautéed with garlic or onion, or lightly blanched to remove the bitterness and served as a side. They are probably most comparable to mustard greens in texture and in culinary uses. Dandelion greens were also a traditional food of Native Americans. The taproots can be harvested and dried, then ground up to be used as a coffee substitute, or tea. When brewed into wine, the flowers are often combined with citrus fruits and other ingredients, and then fermented into a delicious beverage.

Nutritionally, dandelions are very high in iron, calcium, and vitamins A, C, E, K, and several of the B vitamins. They are also a rich antioxidant.

As medicine, dandelions have been used for many years. Its roots are a registered drug in Canada, and are usually brewed in water to be used as a diuretic, but the root is also effective as a digestive aid when taken before meals. It is used as a liver tonic, and to treat kidney disease, and may even help prevent some forms of cancer. Dandelion can also be applied topically. The milky liquid that secretes from the broken flower stem can be rubbed on insect bites and burns to help soothe them, and will also act as a natural mosquito repellent.

While dandelions grow practically everywhere around us, it is important to be aware of any herbicides that have been sprayed to try and control them over the past several years. The safest way to procure dandelion greens or roots is to either plant and cultivate them in garden beds, or allow your garden bed to have a single spring crop before preparing the soil for your vegetable garden.