# Chemical Composition and Antioxidant Activity of _Asteraceae_ Family Plants
## 5 Conclusions  
The research carried out as part of this study is one of the few that analyze the proximate composition of common dandelion (_Taraxacum officinal_ F.H. [PERSON]), tansy (_Tanacetum vulgarte_ L.) and European goldenrod (_Solidago virgaureae_ L.) infloresances and leaves. Moreover, for the first time, the antioxidant activity of these raw materials was analyzed simultaneously using three different methods: ABTS, DPPH and FRAP. The highest amounts of carbohydrates were obtained in goldenrod leaves, lipids were found in dandelion infloresances, and the highest amounts of minerals and proteins were found in dandelion leaves. The highest amount of crude fiber was found in tansy infloresances. Dandelion infloresances were characterized by the highest amount of polyphenic compounds, while its leaves contained the least of these compounds among all the tested plant materials.  
The highest antioxidant activity was determined for dandelion inflorescences, while the lowest was for dandelion leaves. The results of the conducted research encourage the use of not only those parts of plants known for years (i.e., goldenrod herb, tansy oils, dandelion root) but also inflorescences or leaves, which can be an excellent ingredient of drugs and other preparations used in medicine or cosmetology. In addition, the possibility of using these plants as a supplement to the human diet (not only vegan or vegetarian) should also be taken into account, which should be based on natural, generally available ingredients, and plant products should be its basis. Food producers could consider the possibility of using these herbs as, for example, an addition to bars for athletes, for faster regeneration after training and for the elderly as an important enrichment of their diet. It is worth including them in the diet as ingredients for salads or many other dishes, e.g., for desserts, cakes/pastries, puddings and other similar food products. They can also enrich the daily diet, especially vegan and vegetarian.  
Despite extensive research on the chemical composition of various species of the _Asteraceae_ family plants, the scientific literature does not contain detailed information on the proximate composition and antioxidant activity in the analyzed morphological parts (influecences and leaves) of these species. The above facts prompted the authors to undertake thorough analyzes in these respects. The herbs investigated in this study can perfectly fit into the constantly growing market of dietary supplements, in particular, \"botanical dietary supplements\" or \"herbal supplements\". It should be taken into account that additional research is also needed on the content of other substances, including anti-nutrients, which were not determined in these studies, and which may change the health-promoting profile of herbs. Further research may also be based on accurate characteristics of individual phenolic compounds, which may allow a better understanding of their impact on the human body.  
Conceptualization, E.P, W.B., R.W. and J.K.-P.; methodology, E.P., W.B. and R.W.; software, R.W.; validation, E.P., W.B. and R.W.; formal analysis, E.P. and W.B.; investigation, E.P., W.B., R.W. and J.K.-P.; resources, R.W.; data curation, E.P.; writing--original draft preparation, E.P., W.B., R.W. and J.K.-P.; writing--review and editing, E.P., W.B., R.W. and J.K.-P.; visualization, J.K.-P.; supervision, W.B.; project administration, W.B. All authors have read and agreed to the published version of the manuscript.  
This research received no external funding.  
Not applicable.  
The authors declare no conflict of interest.