* Dandelion ~ Taraxacum officinale *
Family ~N.O. Compositae
Asteraceae
Native To ~ Asia & Europe
The best time for gathering dandelion leaves is early spring before the plants bloom and late fall after the first frost when the leaves are less bitter. The leaves of the dandelion plant contain several vitamins and minerals to promote well-being. Dandelion leaves contain 7000 units of vitamin A per ounce. If you compare that to lettuce which only has 1200 units and carrots which contain 1275 units of vitamin A , dandelion is definitely more nutritious. Dandelion also has more beta-carotene than carrots. The leaves also contain iron, calcium, potassium, phosphorus, magnesium and zinc, as well as vitamins B-1, B-2, B-5, B-6, B-12, C, D, E, and P.
Since dandelion contains vitamin E, dandelion tea/infusion is great for skin ailments. Vitamin E helps encourage the growth of body issue and protects cells from damage, so it promotes healing and reduces scarring. You can use the dandelion tea/infusion externally to wash acne on your face or for washing cuts/scrapes to help with scarring.
If you prefer just a simple cup of tea , gather 7 dandelion leaves. Tear the leaves into small pieces , add to a jar. Boil 1 cup of water , pour over the leaves and let it seep for 5-10 minutes , strain into your favorite cup. You may want to add a little honey to sweeten before drinking your vitamins.
~ Dandelion Blessings ~
Since dandelion contains vitamin E, dandelion tea/infusion is great for skin ailments. Vitamin E helps encourage the growth of body issue and protects cells from damage, so it promotes healing and reduces scarring. You can use the dandelion tea/infusion externally to wash acne on your face or for washing cuts/scrapes to help with scarring.
If you prefer just a simple cup of tea , gather 7 dandelion leaves. Tear the leaves into small pieces , add to a jar. Boil 1 cup of water , pour over the leaves and let it seep for 5-10 minutes , strain into your favorite cup. You may want to add a little honey to sweeten before drinking your vitamins.
~ Dandelion Blessings ~
JoyceAnn
7 comments:
Sometimes Dandelions can bloom all year round. They are already blooming here. Yikes! Not like
spring though.
Can hardly wait to gather a lot
of the unopened buds. They are
so yummy!
Thanks for the information and
recipe!
PS. I eat the leaves even
after they bloom. I like
bitter tastes. Never use
to. But I think it might
be due to needing something
to digest my food since I
am getting older. lol!
Hi Flassie ~ That's a pic from last Spring , although I saw a bloom on a dandelion the other day too. It didn't look so beautiful , rather cold and drab (LOL).
~ Be Blessed ~
Yeah, here they looked cold and drab also.
Seems like all the good patches
are close to the road where they
had planted grass. But out in
the field I see less of them. I
did try to drop some of the seeds
a lot of places away from the road
and hope they will take hold and grow.
I brought home some cleavers and
put them in a pot outside. I do
hope they grow.
God Bless You and Yours!!!
Hi Flassie ~ I had never thought of potting up wild herbs. But Kristine has a dandelion plant growing in a pot , might pot up a few for next winter. It would be nice to have a few leaves on hand for salads.Hope the cleavers sprout for you.
~ Be Blessed ~
joyceann, the potted one was a volunteer. i've never been able to dig and replant dandelions...perhaps if you sowed some of the seeds though when they go to seed it would work? it was the healthiest looking dandelion i ever saw, that's for sure! nothing to compete with. ;)
love using dandelions! you can also dry the leaves and then use them to sprinkle onto foods...gives you all the vitamins and minerals w/o the bitterness, although a bit of bitterness in our diets is good for us!
I just got some Dandelion seeds from Mnt. Rose and am going to put some in a pot. As soon as I can find one in this snow! lol I got caught without having them all put up for winter, and now they are under a few feet of snow! lol I was reading where they do better if sowed early enough to still experience the freezes and thaws of winter, so fall, which didn't happen, or now:) I would just have done the spot I have for them in the herb garden design, but I didn't get that prepared yet:( so thinking in pots this year, and then plant seeds right in the herb garden this fall:) xx
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