Dandelion

[panfluteman]

16. Called Tanpopo in Japanese, Papadie in Romanian and Diente de Leon in Spanish,

Here is my herbal knowledge regarding Dandelion:

The greens can be eaten as a salad green, or steamed, in which they loose a lot of their original bitterness. Dandelion herb is called Pu Gong Ying in Chinese herbal medicine, and is good for detoxifying the liver, the stomach, the intestines and the female breast. Dandelion herb is used in Chinese herbal medicine, and not the root. which is the main part used in Western herbal medicine.

Dandelion root is the main part used in Western herbal medicine. It detoxifies and removes obstructions from the liver, improves body fluid metabolism, especially in conjunction with Burdock root, which is a favorite herbal duo of mine. Dandelion root is also rich in the fructo-oligo-saccharide Inulin, which improves blood sugar metabolism in type two diabetes, and is also a prebiotic food for beneficial intestinal probiotic bacteria. The Dandelion root has very mild diuretic properties, but the herb is a stronger diuretic.

Dandelion greens are a favorite fresh herbal superfood in Greece, and are frequently eaten by the peasants there. See my website, Greek medicine dot net for more info on that.

As for coffee substitutes, Dandelion root can be roasted and brewed for that purpose, but if you want an herb that comes closest to the full flavor and aroma of coffee, try roasting and brewing its close botanical relative, Chicory root (Inula helinum) instead. Roasted Chicory root is such a fine coffee substitute that it is usually available only in roasted form in American herbs stores. In the deep South, many people mix in a little roasted Chicory root with their coffee, which gives this blend the additional benefit of cleansing and detoxifying the liver and kidneys, which are two internal organs that regular coffee can be hard on.