Dandelions: Unsung Heroes in the Plant World by Joyce White

The dependable dandelion was not always called a weed. Rather, it was intentionally introduced to this country by immigrants for whom it had been a valuable source of food and medicine in their native countries. And, believe it or not, it is actually being cultivated in some countries, including the U.S. Herbalist Steven Foster even gives propagation instructions in Herbal Renaissance (Gibbs Smith Publisher, 1993) and states that three to four million dollars worth of the leaves are grown in Texas, Florida, New Jersey, Arizona, and California as a specialty crop each year.

Its botanical name, Taraxacum officinalis, is preceded in some references by Leontodon, Latin for lion’s teeth which is one of its common names. Dandelion is a corruption of its French name, dents de lion, a reference to the jagged-toothed leaves of the most common of the many varieties of Taraxacum.
    Plants’ scientific names are based on Latin or Greek and officinalis or officinale tells us that historically it was an accepted part of official medical herbalism. Translated from Latin, officinale means “of the workshop”, an allusion to apothecary workshops. Any officinalis plant was prized by the apothecary, the forerunner of today’s pharmacist.

Both leaves and roots have medicinal uses but it is the dandelion root which was officially included in the United State’s Pharmacopeia from 1831 to 1926. Doug Elliot says in Wild Roots (Healing Arts Press, 1995) that they remained in the National Formulary until 1965. So, until as late as the 1960s, dandelion root was officially recognized as a useful medicinal plant.

Dandelion medicine is still used by herbalists, naturopaths, and individuals who prefer to use natural healing modalities when possible. But it is not officially accepted in conventional medicine and pharmacology in this country. (Plant medicine is accepted and widely used in most other countries.) Both leaves and roots are used for liver, gallbladder, and kidney ailments and as a tonic for impaired digestion.

Dried root preparations are believed to have somewhat weaker benefits than fresh root. Traditionally, the root has been used for rheumatism and modern experiments indicate an anti-inflammatory effect. Its primary use is for conditions of the liver associated with bile secretion. In animal experiments in 1992, tinctures which had been prepared using alcohol to extract the medicinal properties from dandelion roots, were found to increase bile secretion by 40 percent. Experiments also indicate it may lower blood sugar, may help with weight loss because of its diuretic action, and acts as a weak but safe antibiotic against Candida albicans (yeast infections). Maine herbalist Deb Soule (author of The Roots of Healing, Citadel Press, 1995) recommends dandelion root tincture or tea – one can also buy capsules of powdered root – for women with menstrual or menopause problems.

Among the several uses Corinne Martin of Bridgton describes in her book, Herbal Remedies from the Wild (The Countryman Press, 2000), are its diuretic action combined with its ability to replace potassium which she says makes it an ideal remedy for the fluid retention of heart problems or PMS. Its mildly laxative quality works gently to relieve constipation.

Dandelion adapts to most soil types but will produce larger roots in rich, deep, moist soil. The timing of the harvest affects the quality of the root, with roots harvested in summer having a lower content of the biologically active compounds, and late fall harvested roots preferred. Martin harvests roots either in early spring, just as leaf sprouts are showing or in late fall. To dry them, after scrubbing well, she slices them into thin pieces and spreads them to dry on screens or in baskets. Dried root can then be used to make healing tea or tincture.

In modern plant medicine, the leaves are used to alleviate fluid retention through its diuretic action. Animal experiments have confirmed the strong diuretic effect and, because of the high potassium content in the leaves, it replaces mineral content lost through urine.

But this cheery biennial or perennial plant is probably better known in this country for its contributions to the dinner table and wine cellar than the medicine chest. The familiar yellow flower heads are actually hundreds of tiny flowers packed together rather than a single flower, called a composite, and they sit atop a solitary hollow stalk. Its toothed leaves are arranged in a basal rosette arising from the crown of the root. Damage to any part of the plant will release white, milky latex from the broken place which some people use to cure warts.

Every part of the dandelion except the flower stalk is edible in some capacity and if they are collected at their peak and properly prepared, can be excellent additions to any table. The blossoms make a delicious appetizer when deep-fried or sautéed. They can even be added raw to salads and have a sweet, mild flavor as long as the green parts are removed. Blossoms also yield the most famous flower wine, mellow and somewhat tangy.

The tightly clenched, pellet-like flower buds clasped at the plant’s center just before the stem shoots skyward are a special treat, according to Robert Henderson in The Neighborhood Forager (Chelsea Green Publishing Company, 2000). About the size, shape, and color of green peas, they can be added to the skillet when sautéing greens, steamed alone, or sautéed in butter or oil and served as a side dish.

Dandelion leaves add a delicious tang to salads, are delicious steamed and served with butter and a little vinegar. They are perhaps the best-tasting fried greens. The secret, though, is to pick the leaves early in the season from healthy plants grown in good soil before blossoms arrive. I get mine from the plants that spring up at the edge of the garden, having learned from experience that those growing on the lawn are bitter and tough.

Then in late fall, I harvest the roots from the same area, scrub them with a brush in several changes of water and slice them. The slices go into a quart jar, covered with vodka, labeled with a date and set in a dark corner. I shake the tightly covered jar three or four times a week for six weeks. By then, the alcohol has extracted the medicinal compounds from the roots and it’s time to strain the liquid. It is this liquid that is called an extract or tincture and used as medicine.

Dandelion leaf crowns are a treat available only in early spring before the plant flowers, says Henderson. The crown is that part of the leaf rosette between the ground and the point where the broad, thin green part of the leaves begins, about one to two inches of white stem. Slice off the plant at ground level, then remove the leaves and set them aside to be cooked separately or reunited in a salad. Thoroughly wash the crowns which now resemble a stiff, round brush. Tossed with a salad and served with a vinaigrette dressing, he says they add a crunch and slightly nutty flavor reminiscent of artichoke. Dandelion root can be dried and ground into an acceptable coffee substitute but I doubt that few people who like coffee would choose the substitute.

If all those qualities weren’t enough to persuade people that dandelions ought not be poisoned, the leaves contain protein, fiber, calcium, phosphorous, iron, potassium, thiamin, riboflavin, vitamin C, and are especially high in vitamin A.

Sautéed Dandelion Blossoms
(from The Neighborhood Forager by Robert Henderson)

Wash and towel dry about 24 fresh dandelion blossoms.
Mix together and spread on a plate:   
1/2 cup cornmeal*
1/4 cup flour*
3 tablespoons grated parmesan cheese
a shake of ground cayenne and chili powder*
salt to taste
Beat an egg in a small bowl.
Heat 3-4 tablespoons of oil in a skillet over medium heat.

Use a fork to roll 5 or 6 blossoms in the egg and then in the flour mixture until coated. Drop them in the hot oil and fry until crisp and golden, generally only a minute or two. Remove the fried blossoms onto a plate covered with paper towel and put them in a warm oven until the rest have been fried. Repeat the process with all the blossoms, replenishing the oil as necessary. Sprinkle with lime juice and serve hot.
   
* Some recipes use more flour than cornmeal, black pepper instead of red, and milk instead of egg.

From Volume 7, No. 1 & 2


 

 

 

 

 

 

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