The Health Wonders of Dandelions By Janet Martin At Isnare.com Ezine Articles

People love flowers because they are beautiful and fragrant. Many of us buy flowers to make our homes more attractive and sweet smelling. In fact, it is not surprising to see extracts of these pretty blossoms in perfumes, lotions and other beauty products. However, not many are aware that most flowers actually have medicinal properties.

One flowering plant that is actually prized for its great medicinal value is dandelion. A member of the sunflower family, dandelion got its name from "dents de lion", which means teeth of the lion in French, because it is composed of tiny spiny-looking florets. This herb is abundant in meadows all across Asia, North America and Europe. Alternative medicine practitioners love this plant because it contains a lot of vitamins and minerals and all of its parts are edible, from the leaves and roots to flowers. A dandelion, like sunflowers, opens up to the sun because it is responsive to light. However, when the weather is gloomy and downcast, this yellow beauty shuts itself up.

You can get a lot of nutrients from this common meadow herb. In fact, dandelion is a good source of boron, calcium, magnesium, iron, niacin, lecithin, phosphorus, potassium, silicon, and proteins. Its leaves contain Vitamins C, A, D and B vitamins, as well as carotenoids, choline, bitter glycosides, terpenoids, potassium salts, magnesium, manganese, zinc and iron. Meanwhile, the active ingredients of the roots include tannins, sterols, asparagines, bitter glycosides, triterpenes, inulin and volatile oil.

Here are some of the important health benefits from Dandelion:

Nutritious Food

Aside from the aesthetic benefits that dandelion can bring in our lawns and houses, this flowering plant can be used in many delicious culinary creations. The roots can be boiled or fried and eaten like a common vegetable. It can also be roasted and used as a substitute for coffee. Meanwhile, you can use dandelion leaves as you would spinach and other leafy greens. They can be cooked or eaten raw as part of salads or sandwiches. Lastly, the flower is best made into wine, although it can also be eaten as a vegetable.

Detoxicant

Herbalists have been using dandelion, particularly its roots, to help people get rid of toxins in the kidneys, gallbladder, liver and other parts of the body. This herb has a mild laxative property so people who eat or drink supplements containing dandelion roots can expect improvement in their bowel movement.

Relieve Digestive Problems

In Europe, this common meadow herb is considered as a potent liver tonic. The effectiveness of dandelion in getting rid of minor digestive woes, such as indigestion, flatulence and other liver problems, is due to its taraxacin and sesquiterpene lactones content. These substances are responsible for stimulating the production of bile; thereby relieving constipation and at the same time ease diarrhea. Furthermore, dried or fresh dandelions are also used as an appetite stimulant.

Cholesterol Problems

Dandelion is also being considered as an herb that can help lower cholesterol and prevent heart diseases. A number of studies are now being conducted to determine the efficacy of dandelion in reducing the levels of triglycerides and LDL while increasing the levels of good cholesterol.

Diuretic

Another important characteristic of dandelion, scientifically known as Taraxacum Officinale, is its diuretic properties. The leaves of this plant not only help raise urine production to flush out excess water in the body, they are also a rich source of potassium, an important mineral that is lost when taking conventional diuretic drugs.

People who are hypertensive or are suffering from heart problems can also benefit from taking supplements like Expelis, which contain taraxacum officinale as an active ingredient. However, it will be best to seek your doctor's approval before taking any supplement or drugs.

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