This Summer, I am in full swing in the Yard Work Division of my Homemaking Habits.
One of the weeds that use to really get my goat was the pesky, prolific dandelion.
Then I picked up my Herb Book and made some fascinating discoveries…
Dandelion is included in many weight loss supplements.
This “Weed” is rumored to be an appetite suppressant and a diuretic.
It can be taken as an herbal supplement or included with other ingredients
contained in weight loss supplements and detoxifying products.
Dandelion is also manufactured as a tea,
and one of the most popular products in China is Dandelion Wine.
As my mandarin tutor would tell you,
all the parts of the dandelion can be consumed.
It is thought that the most important parts of this “weed”
are the yellow flowers, and the leaves.
These parts contain a great deal of potassium and antioxidants,
giving it medicinal properties.
These parts of the dandelion are also said to be most potent when consumed raw,
or as an extract.
The roots of the dandelion can also be consumed
when they are cooked or roasted.
Being interested in weight reduction,
my further research revealed that there has been no significant evidence
to support the Dandelion to be an effective appetite suppressant (sadly).
There is proof that it is an effective diuretic
(an element which makes one urinate),
which has lead people to believe it is effective as a weight loss supplement.
The weight loss associated with a diuretic such as dandelion is simple water weight,
and is not the burning of fat.
This is a temporary weight loss. Dandelion contains potassium –
which causes the effect of a diuretic. It is commonly included
in detoxifying treatments, which are often also marketed
towards those looking to lose weight quickly.
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| Blaine & I recently collected a bunch of dandelion for some experimentation of our own. We washed the parts of the Dandelion thoroughly, then boiled the flowers, stems, and leaves for 7 minutes(a rolling boil). |
Next, we filtered out the leaves, flowers, and stems using a clean, white t-shirt.
A cheese cloth would have been better, but we did not have one.
(Laundry note: The dandelion stains came out in the wash
with no pre-treatment and using my home-made laundry soap).
The Leaves, Stems and flowers were then tossed into our compost container,
and we saved the “Dandelion Tea” in a large Glass Jar.
Note: We strained the liquid through twice
and then had to wring out the
T-shirt so as to not lose
any of the dandelion
liquid
Of course, we did have to taste the liquid.
It was very bitter.
I do not think I would enjoy drinking a tea made
with this liquid.
It might be better with honey…
We used it as Broth for some vegetable soup that we made later
in the day. The bitterness was virtually invisible in the soup,
but we knew we had added antioxidants and lots of healthy stuff!
Have YOU tried Dandelion Tea?
Blue Willow 