Dandelion Medicine
Fresh Spring dandelion leaves ready for a salad.
Dandelion is one of my favorite herbs for so many reasons. Not only is this herb full of medicinal qualities, it also possesses an incredible tenacity. I can only dream of having the vim and vigor of this wild and weedy green ally. For me, dandelion says, “Eat me and grow!” Don’t mind if I do.
Dandelion as Food:
Dandelion, also know as Taraxacum officinale, has long been a friend of humanity. Before we thought of this bright, sunshiny flower as the bane of our spotless lawns, we purposefully cultivated this plant as both food and medicine. (1) In many parts of the world this is still common practice. In fact, dandelion may be one of the most widely spread plants in the world being found on all continents except Antarctica. (8) There is good reason for this successful plant/person relationship!
Dandelion is a rich source of Vitamins A, C, D, and K1, iron, potassium, magnesium, choline, and inulin. (1) (4) (9) One quart of leaves contain, only 44 Calories, of which 19-32% is protein! (9) All parts of the plant are useful and you can find many different recipes with much less digging than it takes to fill a basket with dandelion roots.
Personally, I most enjoy eating the Spring leaves harvested from my lawn in salads or lightly steamed in place of other greens purchased at the grocery store. Free food foraged from the land I live on is especially sweet. When I have participated in vegetable box deliveries from local companies, I’ve encountered bundles of giant dandelion leaves, and I’ve seen them for sale at my local grocery store for 2-3 times the price of kale. This makes my herbalist heart smile, but I’d much rather see the roots for sale, as digging these up isn’t my favorite chore.
The early Fall roots are quite tasty and more sweet than bitter. Roasted, they make a delicious coffee substitute especially when paired with chicory and burdock roots. They can be eaten and cooked like carrots, too. You can chop them up and add them to a salad or munch on them right after washing.
Dandelion blossoms prepared to make dandelion wine
Harvesting Dandelion
Before we jump into a discussion of the medicinal qualities of dandelion and a recipe to get you started, let’s talk about identifying this common weed and some precautions to take when harvesting.
First, there are a few dandelion lookalikes out there in our lawns. The two that I find most commonly confused are cat’s ear and chicory. When chicory is in bloom, the periwinkle blue flowers are a dead giveaway, but if you are harvesting early Spring leaves before they have gone to flower there is an easy trick: look at the underside of the leaves; dandelions have a hairless central rib where chicory has tiny hairs all along the rib. (9). With cat’s ear, the leaves are much more rounded rather than tooth-shaped, and are easy to distinguish before they flower. After they have gone to flower, cat’s ear will have dandelion-like flowers on branching stalks and shallow roots as opposed to dandelion’s single flower on an unbranched hollow stalk and long taproot. (2)
When harvesting, be sure to only collect from land where pesticides aren’t in use, and don’t gather close to the road to avoid contamination by heavy metals and other roadside pollutants. The roots are best harvested in early Fall when they are full of inulin and other plant starches, making them much tastier than the shriveled and spent Spring roots. The leaves are best harvested in early Spring before they have developed flower buds. They are edible all season long, but after flowering they become tougher and more bitter - kind of like us parents, eh?
Dandelion as Medicine
Dandelion has a great affinity for the digestive tract, especially the liver. Historically, this herb has been used as a liver tonic and “blood purifier,” an appetite stimulant, a digestive bitter, and as a diuretic. One way to think about dandelion is that it gets things moving. Sore, swollen livers and sluggish digestion benefit from dandelion’s ability to get bile and digestive enzymes flowing. Our livers continuously make bile from cholesterol, which is used to break down dietary fats. This is also helpful for people who tend to form gall stones, as these stones form when the bile is thick and sluggish - dandelion will move things along and keep those stones from forming. (7)
In the kidneys and tissues, dandelion helps to move fluids. This diuretic action is useful in lowering blood pressure without the potassium-lowering side effect of some pharmaceutical drugs. Moving fluids is also helpful in cases of edema (swelling) and water retention in PMS. (6) The French call dandelion pissenlit, ”pee the bed,” which will help you remember not to include dandelion in a bedtime tea! (1)
While the root of the plant is stronger for treating the liver and digestive tract, and the leaf has a greater action on the kidneys, any part of the plant will work well for complaints of either organ. We will go into much more detail on the liver and how dandelion works in the coming weeks, so ask your questions and stay tuned for the answers!
A quick note for chronically depleted individuals:
For some who have been ill and worn out for some time, dandelion may be a bit too strong. One of my mentors, Dr. Deborah Frances encourages people to first turn to more gentle ways of encouraging detoxification. Cleansing diets, increasing fiber (hello, flaxseeds), use of saunas, massage, castor oil packs, and dry skin brushing are all places to start. (3) If, when taking dandelion you feel worse rather than better, take a step back, call your Naturopathic Doctor, and start more gently. You cannot stress yourself back to health!
Dandelion as a Flower Essence
Here we will take a bit of a turn and talk about dandelion as an energy medicine. Flower Essences are amazing; if you have ever taken Rescue Remedy or Bach’s 5 Flower Blend, you have experienced the subtle, yet profound effects of these remedies. If you are interested in learning more and working with Flower Essences, I highly recommend working with my friend Dr. Orna, as this is a passion of hers.
For now, I would like to share the description of dandelion from the Flower Essence Repertory by Patricia Kaminski and Richard Katz. (5)
The soul needing Dandelion essence feels a natural intensity and love for life. Such individuals are compulsive “doers” who enter with great zeal and zest into many activities. Unfortunately, they can over-plan and over-form their lives beyond the natural capacity of a body to sustain such intensity. Furthermore, such persons may become unable to experience more contained moments of reflective activity. The unexpressed inner life of the soul and the harsh demands on the body collide to create extreme tension, especially in the musculature. The Dandelion flower teaches these individuals how to listen more closely to emotional messages and bodily needs. As tension is released, the soul feels more inner ease and balance, allowing spiritual forces to flow through the body in a dynamic, effortless way.
Dandelion leaves infusing in apple cider vinegar for a digestive tonic.
I hope you have developed a greater appreciation for the brash and tenacious dandelion. Maybe you are curious and ready to dive into eating and making medicine from dandelion. If so, here is an easy and useful way to incorporate dandelion into your day:
Dandelion Vinegar
Tools:
1 quart jar with a non-metal lid
Raw, organic apple cider vinegar
Spade or shovel for digging dandelions
scrub brush for washing dandelion roots
Knife and cutting board
Directions:
On a nice day when the ground isn’t frozen, go out and find a patch of dandelions. I like to start any new herbal concoction on a new moon, as 6 weeks later it will be ready on a full moon. For those who are really into moon magic, you can even plan this around which sign the moon will be in. I leave this up to your judgement.
Dig up dandelions and gather the whole plants - you want enough to pack your quart jar tightly.
Take your harvest and wash it well - a scrub brush is helpful for cleaning the roots especially.
Chop up your dandelions and stuff them into your jar making sure to fill it all the way.
Fill the jar with raw organic apple cider vinegar.
Put a lid on your jar - a non-metal lid is best as the vinegar will corrode the metal.
Allow to sit in a cool, dark spot for 6 weeks - shake it when you remember to.
Strain and use as you would any other vinegar - cooking, drizzling onto your foods, or in a salad dressing. As an aperitif (digestive stimulant), you can add a bit of vinegar to warm water with a generous dollop of honey and drink 5-10 minutes before eating.
What is your experience with dandelion? What questions do you have? I would love to hear from you.
To our health!
References
De La Foret, R. Alchemy of Herbs: Transform Everyday Ingredients into Foods and Remedies That Heal. Hay House, Inc, 2017
Deur, D. Pacific Northwest Foraging: 120 wild and flavorful edibles from Alaska blueberries to wild hazelnuts. Timber Press, 2014
Frances, D. Practical Wisdom in Natural Healing: Sage Advice for the Modern World. Polychrest Publishing Chandler, AZ 2014
Gladstar, R. Rosemary Gladstar’s Medicinal Herbs: A beginner’s guide. Storey Publishing 2012
Kaminski, P. Katz, R. Flower Essence Repertory. Earth-Spirit, Inc Nevada City, CA 2004
McBride, K. The Herbal Kitchen: Bring lasting health to you and your family with 50 easy-to-find-common herbs and over 250 recipes. Conari Press, Newburyport, MA 2019
Stansbury, J. Herbal Formularies for Health Professionals: Volume 1 Digestion and Elimination. Chelsea Green Publishing, White River Junction, VT 2018
Taylor, R. J. Northwest Weeds: The Ugly and Beautiful Villains of Fields, Gardens and Roadsides, Mountain Press Publishing Company, Missoula, MT, 1990
