In the height of summer, those cute yellow flowers in your lawn might seem a nuisance, but for the rest of the year think of dandelions as your friend in healthy living.
It’s easy to learn how to use dandelion greens, and these super delicious and wonderfully nutritious greens are easy to use in your kitchen and offer a host of health benefits.
Health Benefits of Dandelion Greens
Dandelions are part of the sunflower family, and the flowers, leaves and roots are all edible! Usually the leaves and flowers are eaten fresh, and the roots are used in herbal teas and tinctures, which can be especially helpful for liver detox.
According to Dr. Mercola, “folk medicine claims that the dandelion plant is a powerful healer, used to purify the blood, settle digestion and prevent piles and gallstones, among other maladies. [The] greens of the humble dandelion provide 535% of the recommended daily value of vitamin K, which may be the most important source of any other plant-based food to strengthen bones, but may also play a role in fighting Alzheimer’s disease by limiting neuron damage in the brain.”
The roots are used medicinally as teas, tinctures or supplements, but the greens can be eaten along. Dr. Mercola explains that great health benefits of dandelion greens: “These greens also contain vitamins C and B6, thiamin, riboflavin, calcium, iron (crucial for generating red blood cells), potassium (to help regulate heart rate and blood pressure), and manganese. Other nutrients present in dandelion greens include folate, magnesium, phosphorus, and copper.”
Not a bad food at all, huh? In fact, dandelion greens are rated pretty highly on the nutrient density scale too!
Shopping and Foraging for Dandelion Greens
Dandelion greens are usually sold in bunches, and have long, thin leaves like in the photo above. Unlike kale or collards, the stems are not too crunchy and can be eaten along with the leaf.
Lucky for us, we have a local farm that grows organic dandelion greens, so they are easy for me to find. Whole Foods Market has recently added dandelion greens to its selection of dark and leafies, so this is a good bet if you can’t find them at your local farmers market. You can also check your local health food store, and if they don’t stock them, ask if they will!
Would you rather gather your own dandelion greens for free? Don’t miss our guide to foraging for dandelion greens! Just make sure that you know the area where you’re foraging. Don’t go around sampling the weeds in the city though– these might have had pesticides on them. If you are going to seek out wild dandelions, do so with the help of a wild foods expert.
How to Cook with Dandelion Greens
My favorite way to eat dandelion greens is just to slice them very thinly and add to big meal-sized salads. They add a beautiful bright green color to any meal and add a nice flavor too.
I also use my dandelions to make green juice. These greens are strong, so for one serving I usually juice about 3-5 leaves only. In combination with some lemon and some celery, it’s a green juice to live for!
If your recipe calls for kale, spinach or chard you can easily substitute with dandelion greens. Sometimes they have a bitter flavor, but this can be reduced by blanching, steaming or just using them in combination with other, more mild greens.
Dandelion Greens Recipes
Here are some recipes from around the web to help you use your dandelion greens in the best ways possible! I hope you find a new love for these beautiful greens!
+ Dandelion Greens with Double Garlic from Mark Bittman
+ Beans and Kale + Dandelions from 101 Cookbooks
+ Dandelion Greens with Mustard Seeds from Nourished Kitchen
+ Dandelion Pesto from David Lebovitz
+ Dandelion Greens and Quinoa Salad from Well + Good NYC
+ … and 10 more dandelion recipes from the Kitchn
+ … and more dandelion recipes from Whole Foods
A version of this article originally ran at Vibrant Wellness Journal; republished with permission. Dandlelion greens image via Shutterstock
