The king of all garden weeds is more than annoying, it’s also a long-standing figure in herbal medicine. Nutrient-packed dandelion leaves have been gaining culinary attention for quite some time — the tasty leaves are rich in beta-carotene, iron, calcium, and potassium — but dandelion roots are beneficial too.

Dandelion root is often used in supplements for liver health and practitioners of TCM (Traditional Chinese Medicine) also suggest the root for kidney, spleen, and bladder ailments as well as for new mothers as an aid to breastfeeding.

Herbalists recommend taking three to five grams of dried dandelion root in capsule form for liver health. People with ulcers, gallstones, bile, or bowl obstructions should avoid dandelion as it can increase the production of stomach acid. Doses over five grams can also cause diarrhea.

There have been few dandelion studies, but they have also shown that the plant may be an antioxidant and antibacterial agent that can stop tumors from growing and it may possibly lower blood sugar and fight inflammation — all this from a suburban garden weed.

[via LA Times]

(Photo: weedeco.msu.montana.edu)