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Dandelion: Its Culinary and Medicinal Uses

Some may be surprised to learn that dandelions have a number beneficial herbal properties, both culinary and medicinal. Taraxacum officinale is the most common species of dandelion, but there are other dandelion species in the Taraxacum genus.

The English name “dandelion” is a corruption of the French “dent de leon“, meaning lion’s tooth. The name refers to the toothed margins of the leaves. The scientific Latin species name “officinale” is derived from “officinal“, meaning laboratory or pharmacy.

All parts of plant are edible raw. As a food, dandelion leaves are the tastiest in early spring, before the flowers appear. The leaves can be used for salads and in cooking. The older leaves are too bitter for most people to enjoy raw, especially after the plant has flowered, but are satisfactory after a brief boiling with a change of water or two. The yellow dandelion flower petals can also be made into dandelion wine. The roots can be dried, roasted and made into dandelion coffee. Dandelion leaves are a good source of dietary fiber, calcium, iron, manganese, potassium, riboflavin, thiamin, vitamin A, vitamin B₆, and vitamin C.

For medicinal usege, dandelions can be used as a diuretic. Dandelions have traditionally been used in the treatment of liver disorders, and scientific studies have supported the efficacy of this use (Domitrovic et al., 2010). Dandelion also possesses antioxidant, demulcent, prebiotic, laxative, anti-inflammatory, choleretic, and antirheumatic properties (Hu and Kitts, 2005; Choi et al., 2010; Yarnell and Abascal, 2009). Bioactive constituents of dandelions include flavonoids, triterpenoids, and inulin. Of other phytochemical interest, triterpene alcohols, such as taraxasterol, are found in high concentrations in Taraxacum officinale flowers, as well as many other flower in the Asteraceae family. These compounds possess strong anti-inflammatory and antitumor properies (Akihisa et al., 1996).

Below are some methods of preparation for medicinal use, with adult dosages given (Ehrlich, 2008).

Dried leaf infusion: 1–2 teaspoonfuls, 3 times daily. Pour hot water onto dried leaf and steep for 5–10 minutes. Drink as directed.
Dried root decoction: 1/2–2 teaspoonfuls, 3 times daily. Place root into boiling water for 5–10 minutes. Strain and drink as directed.
Leaf tincture (1:5) in 30% alcohol: 100–150 drops, 3 times daily.
Standardized powdered extract (4:1) leaf: 500 mg, 1–3 times daily.
Standardized powdered extract (4:1) root: 500 mg, 1–3 times daily.
Root tincture (1:2) fresh root in 45% alcohol: 100–150 drops, 3 times daily.

References

References for culinary information:

“Common Dandelion” in “Wildman” Steve Brill with Evelyn Dean, Identifying and Harvesting Edible and Medicinal Plants in Wild (and Not-So-Wild) Places (New York: Hearst Books, 1994), pp. 190 ff.

Jack B. Keller, Jr., “Dandelion Wines”, Winemaking Home Page, updated on May 22, 2004.

Roger Doiron, “Wild About Dandelions: Learn how to use freshly harvested wild dandelion greens at their young and tender best”, Mother Earth News, April/May 2008. For the full text on one page, see here.

References for nutrient information:

“Search the USDA National Nutrient Database for Standard Reference”, Nutrient Data Laboratory (Agricultural Research Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture). Do a search on the word dandelion in order to retrieve nutrient data.

“Calories in Dandelion Greens”, Calorie Count (About, Inc., a part of the New York Times Company).

“Dandelion greens, raw”, Nutrition Data.

References for medicinal information:

Steven D. Ehrlich, N.M.D., “Dandelion”, University of Maryland Medical Center (UMMC), review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network on December 5, 2008.

“Generic Name: Dandelion (Taraxacum officinale) – Oral”, MedicineNet (WebMD Health, LLC), last editorial review on March 2, 2005.

“Dandelion Leaf”, Natural Health Information.

Toshihiro Akihisa, Ken Yasukawa, Hirotoshi Oinuma, Yoshimasa Kasahara, Sakae Yamanouchi, Michio Takido, Kunio Kumaki and Toshitake Tamura, “Triterpene alcohols from the flowers of compositae and their anti-inflammatory effects”, Phytochemistry, Vol. 43, Issue 6 (December 1996), pp. 1255-1260.

C. Hu and D. D. Kitts, “Dandelion (Taraxacum officinale) flower extract suppresses both reactive oxygen species and nitric oxide and prevents lipid oxidation in vitro“, Phytomedicine: International Journal of Phytotherapy and Phytopharmacology, Vol. 12, Issue 8 (August 2, 2005), pp. 588-597.

Katrin Schütz, Reinhold Carle and Andreas Schieber, “Taraxacum—A review on its phytochemical and pharmacological profile”, Journal of Ethnopharmacology, Vol. 107, Issue 3 (October 11, 2006), pp 313-323.

Eric Yarnell and Kathy Abascal, “Dandelion (Taraxacum officinale and T mongolicum)”, Integrative Medicine: A Clinician’s Journal, Vol. 8, No. 2 (April/May 2009), pp. 35-38.

Ung-Kyu Choi, Ok-Hwan Lee, Joo Hyuk Yim, Chang-Won Cho, Young Kyung Rhee, Seong-Il Lim and Young-Chan Kim, “Hypolipidemic and Antioxidant Effects of Dandelion (Taraxacum officinale) Root and Leaf on Cholesterol-Fed Rabbits”, International Journal of Molecular Sciences, Vol. 11, Issue 1 (January 2010), pp. 67-78.

Robert Domitrovic, Hrvoje Jakovac, Željko Romic, Dario Rahelic and Žarko Tadic, “Antifibrotic activity of Taraxacum officinale root in carbon tetrachloride-induced liver damage in mice”, Journal of Ethnopharmacology, Vol. 130, Issue 3 (August 9, 2010), pp 569-577.

What Is a Herbal Infusion?

A herbal infusion is a stronger version of herbal tea. Generally the leaves, flowers and/or berries parts of the plant are used. Hot or boiling water are usually poured over the herbs but you can make infusions with cold water. I like to boil the water, take it off the heat for one minute and pour it over the herbs. Herbs like peppermint which contain volatile oils are not to be boiled—if you do so you will lessen the effect of the volatile oil.

Herbal infusions are one of the most potent ways to absorb the medicinal constituents. The body readily absorbs warm liquid and can extract the concentrated herbal properties easily.

You can use about 1/2–1 tbsp. of herb to 1 cup of water to start out with. The usual dosage is an ounce of herb to a liter/quart of water. I use a canning jar and seal it for 2–6 hours; once it’s infused you can store your infusion in the refrigerator for up to five days. You can use honey to sweeten your infusion. Take 1/8–1/4 cup up to four times a day.

Once you’ve made an infusion you can customize it to your taste the next time you make it. For instance, when I infuse skullcap in the amount of 1 tsp. to 2 cups of hot water, it’s so bitter that it’s as strong as I can take it. With a herb like red clover which tastes nice, I use a tbsp. per cup. Learn about the herbs you are using and let your intuition guide you.

Some commonly infused herbs are:

Elderflower for fever

Dandelion for weight loss/liver

Hyssop for a congested cough (expectorant)

Lemon Balm for gas (carminative)

Red clover for fertility

To learn more about herbal infusions check out Susan Weed’s site.

Medicinal Uses of Calendula Officinalis

Calendula officinalis is the Latin name for Marigold, which is also know as Pot Marigold. C. officinalis is a beautiful flower which is a yellow to bright orange, and even after it’s been dried it’s still radiant. This herb has been used since Egypt ruled and has had a long, popular spot among herbal remedies. It is known for its antiseptic, anti-inflammatory, and antibacterial properties.

I’ve used Calendula as a tea; the sent and taste is mellow and not offending at all. If you wanted to add the cold tea to juice, your child would probably not be able to tell. I sweeten it with unpasterized honey to give it a pleasant taste. I personally find it to have a calming affect. It’s very good for the eyes, topically and internally. It’s has nutrients such as carotene, calcium, coenzyme Q10, vitamin C and E.

It is also a healing herb for rashes—you’ll find it as a main ingredient in many diaper creams. Just recently I made a Calendula and Roman Chamomile salve for my friend’s horse, as she wanted something for his hooves. Essential Oil of Roman Chamomile has the same qualities as Calendula and it’s also an anodyne and a nervine just to name a few more of its properties. After such a long winter the horse’s hooves need some conditioning. The slave is keeping his hooves in good shape.

Calendula officianlis is safe for most (including babies and children), but you should proceed with caution if you have allergies to Ragweed or Chamomile.

Gentle Herbs for Fevers

We often think of fevers as being a very negative condition for the human body; really though a fever is your body’s way of healing itself. You have a fever if your temperature over 38.° Celcius/99.° Fahrenheit. A fever is a sign that your body is fighting off a viral or bacterial infection if you take medication at the first sign of a low fever you are helping the growth of this bacteria or virus.

Symptoms of fevers are: feeling flushed or looking pale, skin is hot to touch, shivers, feeling sweaty and thirsty. If your fever does not rise above 39.4° C/103°F it’s usually safe to allow your body to sweat out the infection. For Fevers that go over this you will want to seek medical attention If there is a sore neck that accompanies your fever or it last for more then three days seek health care. . If you have any other underlying health conditions you need to consult your health care practitioner for advice (always error on the side of caution).

Drinking lots of water helps to lower your temperature and to aid in the elimination toxins. Sweating also helps to rid your body of toxins. Do any of you remember your mother covering you up and putting wool socks on you when you had a fever? I sure remember that. If you need to bring the fever down try a luke warm bath. If the fever is too high it can cause damage so you want to make sure your fever is in the safe range that kills infection but does not harm you.

There are many herbs that will help you perspire while in a febrile condition. All the herbs I list will be safe for children but also good for adults as well.

Catnip (Nepeta cataria L.) is a great herb for fever it has relaxing qualities and can be mixed with a bit of fresh ginger if you want something a bit stronger.

Peppermint (Mentha X piperita L.) is a tasty tea for fever it also has nervine qualities which help with irritability you can use this alone or with

Elderflower (Sambucus can.) These two herbs an ounce of each is Dominion Herbal College’s Flu Remedy.

For all of the above remedies I like to use a tablespoon of herb to 2 cups of just boiled water. You can adjust the dosage to what seems to work for you or your child. Adults want to use more for kids you might want to use a little bit less. I would adjust for taste too with children. If it tastes to strong for them you can dilute the tea. I infuse it in a canning jar for a few hours, strain out the herb and add a bit of honey to sweeten. You can take up to a 1/4 cup every 30 mins for children and 1/2-1 cup every 30 mins for an adult.

If your sick and reading this I hope you are feeling better soon.

Gentle Ways to Wash Your Baby, Child & You

Newborns don’t need fancy soaps or store bought shampoos in fact they are unhealthy for a baby’s delicate skin. All you really need to use is some warm water. After washing your child in warm water use a little bit of Virgin Olive Oil and give the child a nice massage. I’ve always give my children massages after bath time and I think it’s a nice bonding time for us. The oil will help to dissolve any accumulations of oil on the skin. It’s also good to rub some gentle on their head. This will help to prevent cradle cap. Don’t ever use any nut based oils on a baby, they cause allergic reactions that could be anaphylactic!

Once your child is older you can use a bit of baking soda in the bath water this will help to cleanse the skin in a natural but not over drying way. You can use baking soda and water to wash the child’s hair as well. Baking soda is also a great deodorizer and will help loosen any grease; toddlers can get pretty messy at times.

Diaper rash can be a painful issue for many children. Use oatmeal in the bathwater. I use my old stockings and cut of the foot sections and fill it with oatmeal and throw that in the bath tub with the kids. When you use the nylon filled up to with oatmeal to gently wash your child you will see how soapy oatmeal can be. Calendula (Marigold) oil can be very healing on diaper rashes; try to find an organic brand or source.

For older infants, children and adults alike I like to use tea bags in the bathtub. If you need to try to calm a child before bedtime Organic Chamomile tea could do the trick. If they are in a baby tub just use one teabag if they are in a full size tub you can use two. For an adult if you don’t have any ragweed allergies you can use as many as you want. This water is great for rinsing off the hair as well.

I’ve used all the above remedies myself and can vouch for them as being safe, reliable and affordable.

Happy Washing~

Scullcap/Skullcap

This is one of my new favorites. It’s has a wonderful smell; a woody green scent. Google some images of skullcap it’s a gorgeous looking plant with beautiful purple flowers. It is bitter; in a tea form if you use about cup 1 1/2 of water to 1 tablespoon of loose herb it’s drinkable (Don’t boil skullcap.) Personally I like the bite to it, probably because it’s so agreeable to my constitution. I have other family members that use it as well so I’m feeling like this is one of those herbs I getting to know on a personal level.

Scutellaria lateriflora L. (Skullcap) is known for its nervine, antispasmodic and tonic qualities. I use it as a tea and I know the source is good because of the smell of the dried herb and the action it has on me. If you can’t find a good dried source for your skullcap then you can also find this herb in a tincture form and you will get excellent results with a tincture. Tincture forms of herbs are stronger then teas or infusions of dried herbs. The main use for this herb is anxiety and sleeplessness. My husband finds the antispasmodic quality very helpful, as he would often get muscle cramps at night that would wake him up.

Most herbs that have a bitter taste have tonic properties to them, but this herb will most likely make you feel sleepy, so if you want a nutritive boost and you need some help with anxiety or sleep troubles this herb could be very helpful to you.

* A note about boiling there are many herbs that can be used for tea but you don’t want them boiled. What I do is boil my water, wait for it to stop boiling then pour it over my tea. Easy peasy

Contraindications

Skullcap should never be boiled. Overdoses of the tincture are possible so follow the instructions on the label or your health care providers instructions.

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