In summer and autumn, a wide variety of herbs bloom with a lovely aroma and taste – it is less well known that dandelions, often only regarded as weeds, have a positive effect on our bodies that should not be underestimated, despite or precisely because of their bitter taste, and provide good services in the natural pharmacy.

From leaf to flower: also delicious when drunk

Many people think of the children’s TV show when they hear the word dandelion – for Peter Lustig, the dandelion was synonymous with the tireless revolutionary in everything – the little plant grows everywhere where it is not allowed to grow. However, the leaves that flash so cheekily through the asphalt are best not eaten. However, dandelions taste delicious fresh from the market or from your own garden: in salads, blanched or drunk as tea. Dandelion looks really good in the natural pharmacy.

Whole meadows are covered with the yellow flowers of the dandelion in spring. In the lowlands and high mountains or in meadows, fields and sparse forests, the dandelion can be found on all types of soil. Its main flowering period is at the end of April/beginning of May, but it also flowers until September. The initially yellow dandelion flowers fade and become dandelions, each seed has its pappus (parachute), which can easily fly away in the wind. The stem of the dandelion grows up to 30 cm high and contains a white sap that can also be found in the roots.

From the natural pharmacy: dandelion tea

While almost everyone has heard of dandelion in salads, the tea made from it is largely unknown. We are all familiar with black tea for breakfast or in the afternoon, but particularly health-conscious people opt for green tea instead.

A balanced fluid balance is particularly important for the body in summer. Heat and lots of outdoor exercise make us sweat more and our circulation is more susceptible in summer. While the body normally needs around 2.7 liters of fluid per day, of which around two thirds should be drunk, the requirement increases in summer. To meet this increased need, herbal teas are more recommended than those with caffeine, which makes green and black tea a stimulant. Attention must also be paid to the diuretic effect of caffeinated drinks at higher temperatures, as the lost fluid must be replaced. The recommended basic drink for the summer is (mineral) water, which is tasteless and calorie-free, quenches thirst and provides our body with what it needs to function optimally – namely an absorbent transport and solvent for hormones, minerals and vitamins. If our body is sufficiently hydrated, we feel good, even at higher temperatures.

Drinking for your health

When we drink dandelion tea, we not only give our body a fluid bonus. We also benefit from the many healthy properties of the plant. The whole dandelion plant (Taraxacum officinalis) is medicinally effective. Not only the above-ground herb is used to make tea, but also the dandelion root. In medical terminology, the active ingredient in dandelion is known as Taraxaci herba cum radice.

Dandelion contains many bitter substances, essential oils, flavonoids, tannins, carotenes, fructose, minerals such as calcium    Chemisches Element Ca mit der Ordnungszahl 20, Mineralstoff, der zu den Mengenelementen zählt. Unter den Mineralstoffen ha... and trace elements as well as mucilage. The fresh herb also has a high content of potassium, calcium, sodium, sulphur, silicic acid and vitamins. All valuable ingredients that we drink dissolved in water with the dandelion tea.

Especially due to the bitter substances taraxin and quinoline, as well as triterpenes, flavonoids and tannins. the dandelion receives its valuable healing effect. The high bitter substance content of a medicinal plant has a digestive and bile flow-promoting (cholagogic) effect. Bitter substances have a detoxifying effect on the liver and gall bladder, as they stimulate the kidneys to excrete more toxins via the urine. Alongside milk thistle and artichoke, dandelion is therefore considered the most important liver plant. However, due to the diuretic effect of dandelion tea, care should be taken to ensure that sufficient mineral water is drunk in addition to the tea in order to replace fluids and excreted minerals.

Bitter substances and flavonoids are also said to have a sedative, anti-inflammatory and hyperemic effect. Most flavonoids are also responsible for the striking yellowish color of the plants and fruits that contain them. Dandelion tea is also an effective natural remedy for bloating, constipation and flatulence.

Tea from roots and leaves in the natural pharmacy

If you want to collect the ingredients for a dandelion tea yourself, you should take care to do so in secluded meadows or in your own garden so that the plant parts used are not contaminated by car exhaust fumes. The young leaves and roots are used. After rinsing, leave the leaves to dry in a dark, dry place, then chop them up and place them together with the root pieces in a closed glass container or tea caddy. The roots are pricked with a root pricker either in spring or fall, then dry-cleaned, chopped and dried at no more than 40 degrees Celsius in the oven or in an airy and dark place and then added to the leaves.

For a cup of tea, pour boiling water over a teaspoon of the mixture. Then cover and leave to infuse for 10 minutes. A spoonful of honey can be added to the tea to soften its bitter taste. Either drunk daily or enjoyed as a cure three times a day for a week, not only is the daily bonus of liquid guaranteed, but the beneficial effect of the dandelion soon becomes noticeable.

Something completely different

The herbalist Maria Treben recommended the use of dandelion as a three-week cure. You should chew up to 10 dandelion stalks per day. This alleviates complaints of the pancreas, chronic liver inflammation, fatigue, diabetes and disorders of the spleen. The blood-forming and immune-boosting effect of dandelion should be responsible for this. The same procedure was recommended for rheumatic complaints and gout.

The same effect with a slightly less bitter taste on the tongue can be achieved if you take a cure with organic dandelion juice or dandelion syrup from the health food store. The advantage here is that the loss of fluids due to the diuretic effect of the dandelion is at least partially compensated for by the fluids ingested.

A bitter drink, but it works

Dandelions – everyone has let their umbrellas fly, but probably very few have eaten or even drunk them. This inconspicuous herb, which we come across everywhere, has a multitude of healthy ingredients and has a direct effect on our well-being, especially when drunk regularly as a tea or juice or as a cure. A sip that is worth it despite all the bitterness!