materia medica: dandelion (taraxacum officinale)

Spring has sprung and so have the Dandelions! You may be familiar with many of the medicinal uses of the Dandelion Root, but did you know that the leaves are quite powerful, too? From UTIs to bloating to blood sugar levels to kidney stones -- the leaves have got you covered!

Dandelion in the grass

One of the first signs of springtime is the blooming of the dandelions -- the bright, sunny yellow flowers dotting yards and fields. Considered a weed by some, a treasure by many.

Most often the medicinal qualities of a dandelion focuses on the root. When you go into the market to purchase Dandelion Tea, you’ll usually find “roasted dandelion root” on the label. Lucky for us, the entire dandelion plant is useful -- each part in its own way! 

This is the power of plant medicine – so many uses, not limited to a single part or action. When speaking of the dandelion, the roots typically focus on helping the liver, making dandelion root a fabulous everyday tonic herb to keep the liver flushing out the accumulated toxins in your liver.

Today, we are going to focus on the less famous part of the plant – the leaves!!

Dandelion leaves are full of nutrients – vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants. If you are looking for an excellent source of potassium, calcium, and Vitamin K – look no further!

While the dandelion root typically supports the liver, the leaves focus on the kidneys. They are a powerful diuretic; they stimulate the liver and gallbladder while eliminating toxins through the production and passing of urine.

Unlike your typical, manufactured diuretic that would cause your body to lose potassium when expelling urine and salts,  dandelion gets the job done while replenishing your potassium supply! 

This is what I love the most about plant medicine. When we use what nature has provided us, it gets the job done right! Plants were put here for a purpose – to nourish us. That nourishment may come in the form of nutrition or medicine. Either way, they do the job fully, improving your holistic wellbeing, not a single aspect of it.

The leaves are also an excellent source of iron, therefore making them an excellent preventative for iron deficiency anemia. Iron plays an important role in healthy red blood cell formation.

Because of their diuretic action, and therefore the flushing of the kidneys, dandelion leaves help remove excess sugars from the body and help control lipid levels.  They also help to remove the toxins from the kidneys and urinary tract. They act like a disinfectant – preventing bacteria from hanging out in the urinary system. This makes them an excellent choice for those that suffer from UTIs!

Dandelion leaves are also very helpful for those struggling with gout, kidney stones, appetite loss, edema or any other sort or fluid retentions. Next time you go one a long car trip or a plane ride, enjoy some dandelion leaves to counteract those swollen ankles! Feel bloated? Eat those leaves!

Dandelion leaves

While you can harvest dandelions leaves anytime during the spring and summer, the springtime leaves will be less bitter. I also prefer the younger leaves for this same reason. I like to harvest my leaves early in the day – before the hot sun has depleted their energy levels, so you’ll often find me outside foraging just after the morning dew has evaporated from the ground. 

Once you have your leaves, you can enjoy them fresh in your salad, blended into your smoothie, or added to soups. Below is one of my favorite recipes for enjoying fresh dandelion leaves and all the amazing nutrition they have to offer. I also like to freeze leaves throughout the spring and summer so that I can add them to soups and broths all winter long. The leaves can also be dried to be used as a seasoning or a tea.

A few cautions about harvesting the dandelion. While the dandelion is considered safe for most, some people may be allergic. If you are allergic to plants from the same family such as ragweed, chrysanthemum, marigold, or daisy, you may also be allergic to dandelions.

When you are harvesting dandelions, be sure you are in an area free from any chemicals such as weed killers, pesticides, or road salts. I often am asked about when it’s safe to use weeds from an area that may have been sprayed in the past, such as if you buy a new home. I have found so much conflicting information on this! The most common answers I have found would be to avoid harvesting for a minimum of 18 months if the area was sprayed by a non-commercial weed killer or pesticide. I have also seen to avoid this area for between 3-5 years. Sometimes I read that the 3-5 years would be if sprayed by commercial products, not the typical product used by homeowners. 

Of course, before eating the dandelion leaves, be sure and wash them well! You never know what may be lurking in the leaves. Here are two little creatures I found this week while washing some leaves. 

Bugs

As promised, here is one of my favorite recipes for Dandelion Leaves. I originally found it on The Spruce Eats, which is one of my favorite places to find recipes for things I bring home from foraging in the woods. Over the years I’ve changed it a bit, but it’s very similar to how The Spruce Eats published it.  

Dandelion Greens & Garlic

Dandelion Greens and Garlic

Ingredients

• 1 pound dandelion greens

• 2 teaspoons mineral salt

• 1/4 cup avocado oil 

• 2 cloves garlic, minced

• 1/2 cup onion, finely chopped 

• 1 small dried hot chili pepper, seeds removed and crushed (I completely omit this ingredient – we don’t like spicy!!)

• Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

• Parmesan cheese, to taste

Directions

1. Rinse the leaves well under running water.

2. Fill a bowl with water and add 1 teaspoon of salt. Submerge the leaves in the salted water for 10 minutes. Rinse well.

3. Cut leaves into 2-inch pieces.

4. Bring a small amount of water to a boil in a saucepan, around 1 1/2 cups, add 1 teaspoon of salt, and cook the greens uncovered for about 10 minutes. (I omit this step and simply sauté the greens after I’ve sautéed the garlic and onion)

5. While the greens cook, heat the avocado oil in a sauté pan over medium heat. Sauté the garlic, onions, and chili pepper until the onion is translucent.

6. Drain greens thoroughly and add them into the onion-garlic mixture.

7. Season with salt and pepper, to taste.

8. Plate the greens and add shaved or grated Parmesan cheese on top.

9. Enjoy!

And there you have it!! Dandelion leaves are filled with goodness just waiting to improve your overall wellbeing! Let me know if you try the recipe or if you have any questions!

Happy Foraging!

xoxo,

Kim