The dandelion is a lot greater than a bothersome weed in your garden. Dandelion is considered initially native to the Central Asian area, however has turn into naturalized in lots of components of the world, together with North America as a result of it actually “grows like a weed” in nearly any soil and local weather.
All through historical past, it has been generally known as meals, medication and drink. As soon as identified in France as Dent de Lion (lion’s tooth), the dandelion (Taraxacum officinale) is usually now generally known as a weed. But, at one time, the dandelion was so prized as a meals and medicinal plant that it was deliberately dropped at America by European settlers.
Methods to Use Dandelion
For the forager, there isn’t any a part of the dandelion that should go to waste. Within the early spring, earlier than the flower buds have begun pushing up from the crown, dandelion greens make a particular addition to meals, both uncooked in a salad or smoothie, or cooked in coconut oil, butter or bacon fats, like spinach. (The presence of the fats with cooked dandelions will make the vitamins in them much more bioavailable!)
As soon as the flowers start to bloom and the leaves turn into bitter, you’ll be able to decide them for consuming, medication, or wine-making (recipe under). Dandelion flowers could be added recent to salads, sautéed, fried or steamed with different greens, or made into a pleasant jam or syrup.
The lengthy taproot of the dandelion is mostly dug when the plant enters its second yr of life. Typically, roots are harvested in summer season for medicinal functions or in autumn for roasting and grinding right into a chicory-flavored espresso substitute.
Dandelion seeds could be harvested all year long and are have traditionally been taken as a complement to heal the physique of assorted illnesses, in addition to to develop subsequent yr’s crop.
Dandelion in Natural Drugs
The dandelion is a part of Asian, Center Japanese, European and Native American conventional therapeutic practices in addition to up to date natural medication. Traditionally, dandelion had a various vary of therapeutic makes use of however in the present day’s herbalists primarily use it as an urge for food stimulant and digestive assist.
The fashionable French title for dandelion is pissenlit, which just about means “moist the mattress.” That’s as a result of the leaves generally is a gentle diuretic, serving to your physique take away extra water.
Dandelion leaves could be concentrated in teas and tinctures, and used to treat conditions affecting the liver, kidneys and gallbladder. Dandelion additionally has anti-diabetic properties, and research suggests that it might be useful in enhancing cardiovascular system operate and selling coronary heart well being.
Dandelion seeds may also be used to help reduce inflammation in the body, and they’re being studied as a breast cancer supplement.
Extra Dandelion Recipes
However What Concerning the Bees?
Many individuals fear that harvesting dandelions for meals or medication will deprive bees of an necessary early spring meals supply. Nevertheless, the reality is, in temperate areas of the Northern hemisphere, dandelions are not a most well-liked meals supply for bees, as they lack very important amino acids that bees want.
In truth, bees vastly favor willow, maple, cherry, hazel, Oregon grape, wild violets, henbit, purple useless nettle, floor ivy, and chickweed—all of which bloom earlier than or concurrently dandelions.
And like all annual flowers, selecting a number of dandelion blossoms solely causes them to bloom much more prolifically inside a day or two, so paradoxically, the easiest way to make extra dandelions for the bees is to choose them!
Dandelion flowers, leaves, and roots have been an necessary meals and medication supply for people for hundreds of years. So long as we’re harvesting responsibly, we should always not really feel responsible for using a plant that has been part of human historical past for thus lengthy.
Dandelion Wine
Dandelion wine tastes such as you put summer season right into a glass. Early spring is the time to make it. Do not spray your weeds—give this dandelion wine recipe a strive as an alternative!
-
Dissolve the yeast within the 1/4 cup of heat (not scorching!) water. Put aside.
-
Wash the dandelion blossoms properly, then separate the flower petals from the bottom of the blooms (sepals) so there isn’t any inexperienced left in any respect.
-
Put the petals in a big pot with 4 quarts of water, and the orange, lemon and lime juices.
-
Add the cloves, ginger, orange and lemon peel, and sugar.
-
Deliver to a boil and proceed to softly boil for an hour, stirring sometimes.
-
Switch to a non-reactive container made from glass, enamel or ceramic.
-
Cool to room temperature.
-
Stir within the activated yeast.
-
Let stand, coated at nighttime, for 3 days, stirring usually.
-
Pressure totally right into a 1-gallon airlock fermenting jar made from glass or ceramic.
-
Set the fermenting jar in a darkened place for 3 or 4 weeks, or till wine clears.
-
Decant into bottles and cork, or just take away the airlock and seal the gallon jar.
-
Permit the wine to age in a cool, darkish place for not less than 3 months; the longer, the higher.
Serving: 8ozEnergy: 302kcalCarbohydrates: 78gProtein: 1gFats: 1gSaturated Fats: 1gSodium: 13mgPotassium: 43mgFiber: 1gSugar: 76gVitamin A: 45IUVitamin C: 14.6mgCalcium: 16mgIron: 0.1mg
Up to date April 24, 2023.
