Use Dandelion In Your Salads And Meals
Using Dandelions In Salads and Meals
Dandelions. The world’s most popular, and possibly most hated, garden weed. Each year, people will spend hours of their precious time trying to rid their lawns of dandelions, tearing them out of the ground or drowning them in weed killers. What many people don’t realise is that dandelions are actually a tasty and healthy herb, that should be incorporated into our daily diets.
Filled with helpful vitamins and nutrients, these weeds can actually become incredibly useful when harvested for consumption!
Are they really edible? Yes!
Every single part of a dandelion can be used as food. The roots, the leaves, the stem, the buds and even the flowers are 100% edible and safe for humans, provided that the are washed thoroughly. Make sure to never consume dandelions that were picked from chemically-treated lawns; even if the chemical is not a weed killer or pesticide, it will most definitely cause you harm or even kill you if ingested!
If you know your lawn was treated with chemicals, but still want to try dandelions in your diet, try visiting your local market to grab some safe ones or even ordering a pack of dandelion seeds online to start your own little herb garden!
What are the benefits?
The green leaves are the main source of healthy nutrients in dandelions. They often contain high amounts of calcium, iron, and phosphorus, as well as vitamins A, B and C. All of these work to improve your digestion, and give you cleaner blood by improving the function of both your liver and kidney.
The roots of dandelions also contain vitamin C, as well as large amounts of potassium. Both of these help to guard your body against cancer-causing free radical damage. In short, free radicals are particles created from pollution or the sun’s rays that cause damage to your body by trying to take electrons from it.
Tinctured dandelion roots can be used in tonics for the liver, the heart, or as immunity boosters. The roots can also be used to help balance blood sugar levels within the body, and to treat some cases of anaemia.
The stems and flowers of dandelions contain a milky sap, that be used to cure a range of skin conditions.
It is most often used to get rid of callouses, warts, and corns, and works by simply rubbing the sap onto the affected area.
How should I eat them?
There are many ways to eat dandelions, from sprinkling them onto your pasta to using them to brew tea or coffee. Below is a simple salad you can make, with dandelions as your main ingredient!
Ingredients:
2 cups dandelion greens
1/2 cup dandelion flowers
1/2 cup grapefruit or tangerine sections
2 green onions
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 teaspoon lemon juice
Preparation:
Thinly slice the green onions and dandelion greens, then combine in a large bowlIn a small bowl.
Whisk the oil and lemon juice – Drizzle the dressing over the greens, toss to coat. Top the greens with the grapefruit or tangerine portions and the dandelion flowers. Enjoy!
