Dandelion-Powerful Herb disguised as a Common Weed!

Dandelion Tea Benefits:
Dandelion is a family of flowering plants that grow in many parts of the world, also known as Taraxacum officinale. You may be most familiar with it as a stubborn weed that never seems to leave your lawn or garden. However, in traditional herbal medicine practices dandelion is revered for a wide array of medicinal properties. For centuries, they’ve been used to treat a myriad of physical ailments, including cancer, acne, liver disease and digestive disorders.

You can brew whole dandelion plant, leaves, roots, or stems to make tea. From root to flower, dandelions are highly nutritious plants, loaded with vitamins, minerals and fiber. Dandelion greens can be eaten cooked or raw and serve as an excellent source of vitamins A, C and K. They also contain vitamin E, folate and small amounts of other B vitamins. What’s more, dandelion greens provide a substantial amount of several minerals, including iron, calcium, magnesium and potassium. The root of the is rich in the carbohydrate inulin, which is a type of soluble fiber found in plants that supports the growth and maintenance of a healthy bacterial flora in your intestinal tract.

Anti-Inflammatory Properties
Doctors believe that inflammation plays a role in many types of disease. The compounds in this plant could promote better health overall by reducing inflammation.
Cholesterol-Lowering Effects
According to a 2012 study in Nutrition Reviews, dandelion has reduced hyperlipidemia in rats. Hyperlipidemia is an abnormally high level of lipids, which include cholesterol, in the blood. Researchers noted decreases in the levels of both triglycerides and total cholesterol in rats who ate dandelion flower extracts. The theory is that dandelion extract has an inhibitory effect on pancreatic lipase, an enzyme that is key to digesting fat. Restricting this enzyme's activity could alter the way in which the body absorbs fat.
Reducing Liver Damage
According to the National Institutes of Health (NIH), people have used dandelion in traditional medicine for years, believing that it can treat health problems relating to the liver, gallbladder, and bile duct. According to the Nutrition Reviews study, dandelion root lessens the extent of liver damage in rats. Old School naturopathic practitioners relied on dandelion as a part of all protocols to treat liver disorders and cancer. (Jethro Kloss - Back to Eden)
Diuretic Effects
Dandelion also has a history of use as a natural diuretic, this means the tea encourages both urination and reduced water retention in the body.
Fighting Influenza
In vitro testing has been done to study the effect of dandelion extracts on human influenza virus A. The extracts led to a reduction in virus levels, and there were no harmful effects on healthy cells. Along with potentially with regular use lower your susceptibility to the flu dandelion tea and greens may ease symptoms or help recovery.
Purchasing
Dandelion tea can be found in most health-food stores. It is also available to purchase on line in tea bags or bulk herbs.The root is where the strongest concentration of alkaloids can be found, which are the medicinal component of the plant. Dandelion teas vary in their nutritional content because people use different quantities of plant material to brew them, and some manufacturers add other ingredients to the drink.

Affordable, non GMO capsules. Natures Way is a reliable brand for herbs

Herb Pharm is my go to for liquid extracts. Available in both alcohol and glycerin based versions.

The tea balances the bitterness of the dandelion. It's spicy & warming.

Excellent combination for liver detox & gallbladder support.

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