Turns out, dandelions are nutritious, not a nuisance as we’ve come to view them in our yards.

 

Who knew?  I certainly didn’t – that dandelions, those bright little yellow flowers that most people consider pesky are actually one of the most nutrient rich edible plants.  It has been eaten for thousands of year and used to treat a variety of illnesses such as anemia, scurvy, blood disorders, depression and skin problems.

The flower petals, along with other ingredients, usually including citrus, are used to make dandelion wine. The ground, roasted roots can be used as a caffeine-free dandelion coffee. Dandelion is one of the ingredients of root beer. Also, dandelions were once delicacies eaten by the Victorian gentry, mostly in salads and sandwiches.

 

It’s time to look at those dandelions in your yard with a new understanding and appreciation for their health benefits.

Here is a list of the why dandelions are so good for you:

#1 – High in Calcium

#2 – Rich in Iron

#3 – Low in Calories

#4 – Loaded With Antioxidants

#5 – The Ultimate Detox & Cleansing Green

#6 – Full of Minerals

#7 – 14% Protein

#8 – A Multivitamin Green

 

According to the National Institute of Health, dandelions are used for treatment of:

• Inflammation of the tonsils (Tonsillitis). An early study found that people who had their tonsils removed recovered faster if they ate soup containing dandelion compared to those who ate soup without dandelion.
• Preventing urinary tract infections (UTIs). A specific combination of dandelion root and leaf extracts of another herb called uva ursi taken by mouth seems to help reduce the number of UTIs in women.
• Loss of appetite.
• Asthma
• Upset stomach.
• Intestinal gas (flatulence).
• Constipation.
• Arthritis-like pain.
• Reduces the risk of cancer, multiple sclerosis, cataracts, age-related macular degeneration and stroke. 

 

Here’s one more benefit.

Dandelions are the most important spring time food for bees.  So what you say?

Bees are responsible for pollinating about one-sixth of the flowering plant species worldwide and approximately 400 different agricultural types of plant.

Honeybees and the other pollinators and the invaluable pollinating services they provide us with helped produce approximately $19 billion worth of agricultural crops in the U.S. alone in 2010; that’s estimated to be one-third of everything we eat! The other animal pollinators such as bats, moths, butterflies, hummingbirds, ants, and beetles contributed to an estimated $10 billion in 2010!
Read more about why we need to protect the bees here.

Now, the only problem is to find dandelions that haven’t been sprayed with pesticides.

When you do find non-toxic dandelions, here are some recipes to enjoy:

Dandelion coffee  

Dandelion wine 

Batter Fried Dandelion Blossoms

Kentucky Dandelion Greens
Will you be joining me for a glass of dandelion wine?

 

Trisha
p:  573-881-6715
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P.S. Now, it may seem strange that on a blog that focuses on mindset and marketing, there is an article about the value of dandelions.

It sprung from a discussion we had on the morning Mindset Victory call about pulling weeds (limiting beliefs) from our subconscious.

Here is the download link:  listen in to the call and you’ll understand more clearly.