Seasonal Food File (March): Dandelion

Hi. Sandra Tonn here. Thought I’d post a seasonal food each month and share some nutrition information and ideas of how to use it. So, here’s the first one…

Detoxifying Dandelion
Not surprisingly, the earliest of nature’s offerings are the most bitter and contain especially purgative qualities for the liver and gallbladder. Spring’s bitter greens include endive, sheep sorrel, radicchio, yellow dock, and the most famous–dandelion. Dandelion is both nutritious and a healing medicine. In fact, the whole plant can be eaten as either food or used as medicine.

As long as they have not been sprayed with herbicides, the young spring dandelion leaves are the best choice for food as they are only mildly bitter, but powerful enough to gently cleanse the body. Pick them yourself (be sure they have not been sprayed and are not close to a heavy traffic area) or purchase them from organic farmers, the farmer’s market, or produce markets.

According to Sharol Tilgner ND, author of Herbal Medicine from the Heart of the Earth Wise Acres (October, 1999), dandelion leaves are known to increase the flow of urine, stimulate the bowels, thin the blood, decrease inflammation, support and stimulate the liver, stimulate the gall bladder and dry up boggy tissues. Use them in salads or with steamed vegetables.

The roots, best taken in the form of a tea, are especially cleansing for the liver. A study published in The Journal of Pharmacy and Pharmacology showed that dandelion tea improved the liver’s ability to clear toxins by 244 percent.

Both the leaves and root may be helpful in emotional cleansing as well. Since the liver is associated with anger, this herb is thought to help release feelings of anger and agitation. On a spiritual level, the dandelion supports the solar plexus (the energy centre or chakra located above the navel), and any imbalance or disease that arise here.

Physiologically, dandelion leaves, and all spring bitters, will stimulate digestion. Eaten at the beginning of a meal they will stimulate valuable hydrochloric acid production, which improves digestion and absorption of minerals and proteins.