Foraging for Weed *Ahem* - Dandelion Weed -
Channel: Happy Holistics
Date: 11/05/2017

Studies:
The liver: http://www.academicjournals.org/journal/JMPR/article-abstract/9F32DD724927

Antioxidant: http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/(SICI)1099-1573(200002)14:1%3C43::AID-PTR522%3E3.0.CO;2-Q/full

Antioxidant: https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Ivan_Ivanov39/publication/269275025_Polyphenols_Content_and_Antioxidant_Activities_of_Taraxacum_officinaleFH_Wigg_Dandelion_Leaves/links/548583da0cf2437065c9d7b7/Polyphenols-Content-and-Antioxidant-Activities-of-Taraxacum-officinaleFH-Wigg-Dandelion-Leaves.pdf

Reducing male fertility: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0378874111001127

Toronto Bylaw (Check the area on Injury and Damage): http://www.toronto.ca/legdocs/municode/1184_608.pdf

Book: Free Food and Medicine by Markus Rothkranz: http://markusrothkranz.com/online-store/free-food-and-medicine/edible-plant-guide.html#sthash.vCnVbvuy.dpbs

Hey everyone!  This is Judy from Happy Holistics and today, we’re going to be talking about the health benefits of dandelion.  That’s right.  Those seemingly annoying weeds that grow on your lawn and in sidewalk cracks and pretty much everywhere you go are actually one of the most nutritious things that you can eat right now.  

I’m not kidding either - Here is Loblaws selling organic dandelion greens for $3.99 and Amazon selling dried dandelion root products.  The local health food store is selling dandelion greens for $4.99 a bunch and another place sells bulk dried leaves and cut roots year-round with price tags of $29.99 and $22.99, respectively - though I’m not sure for what weight.  

Guess what?  They are the same dandelions that you’d find outside - for free - in the ground.  Although, if you live in an area that gets sprayed with weed killers - like a neighbour, for example, or if you live in a highly polluted area - like next to a busy highway, you might want to consider getting the grocery store kind.  

The entire plant can be eaten, from the flowers to the stems to the leaves to the roots. 
Even when the flower dries up, you can eat the seeds.  
The flowers are sweet.
If you break the stem, this white milky liquid tastes bitter.
The leaves are also bitter and become more bitter as it grows - so I’d recommend eating the leaves when they’re still small.  You can mix them into salads or eat them cooked, to make them less bitter.
I haven’t pulled out a root yet cuz I don’t have my weeder with me, but you can use them to brew a tea.  I wash and dry them.  I just take it out when I’m ready to steep but some people roast the roots first. 

I’m not a fan of bitter veggies, so I juice ‘em.  Add just a small handful only, and combine with sweeter fruits and veg like what I’m doing here with the carrots, beets and fruit to mask the taste.  

When I first foraged dandelion, I thought I’d juice them by themselves and that was probably one of the bitterest, most disgusting drinks I’ve ever had.  So, learn from my experiments and don’t drink juiced dandelion by itself.

Many people say it’s because of the bitterness that makes it a great liver detoxifier.  It’s high in antioxidants.  It aids digestion.  It helps to boost the immune system and so much more!  I’ve left a couple of studies in the description box below, if you wanted to take a look.  One warning I found through this research was that it may decrease fertility in males.  I’ve linked a rat study below but whether the conclusions can be inferred to humans, we don’t know - So let’s just all agree to not to overdo it.  

Also, dandelion has a poisonous look-alike called Groundsel.  Groundsel is characterized by yellowish flowers that never bloom and some white, fluffy seed heads.  You are relatively safe in foraging for dandelions, but always double and triple check with an expert or like what I have, an identification book and if you’re not sure, don’t eat it.  Also, if you’re really concerned about your abilities to identify plants, you can always buy from grocery stores.  

A final note: It’s prohibited to forage in Toronto Parks and public spaces, so make sure to check policies on foraging in your city before you pick wild greens.  They do this to protect crops from being over-harvested as well as to prevent cases of accidental poisonings.  I've left a link to the Toronto bylaw regarding this below. 

But, that doesn’t mean that you can’t forage for dandelions.  I’m about 100% sure that you’d have a friend or family member who wouldn’t mind having you over to weed their gardens.  Just saying.

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