5 Reasons To Eat A Dandelion This Spring + Recipe

Dandelions are one of my favorite wild flowers since I was a child.

They are so colorful and vibrant, embrace a simple beauty, it’s so fun to blow and watch the wind carry their seeds away… and they’re also one of the healthiest things you can consume. Yes, you read that right. Not many people know that dandelions are edible – their leaves, flowers and even their roots (they make incredible coffee tea from it), as long as they’ve been grown in a natural, chemical-free environment!

Dandelion greens have a bitter taste, which – according to the ancient practice of Ayurveda – makes them the perfect vegetable to incorporate into your spring diet. Make a salad with them, bread and deep fry them, sauté them in olive oil, juice them up, or throw them into your smoothie. Here are 5 reasons to bring dandelion greens into your diet!

1. Dandelion greens are excellent at cleansing the liver and kidneys. They’re actually a diuretic, which means they help expel excess water from your body – just make sure not to indulge when you’re dehydrated.
2. Both the vitamin A and the vitamin C in dandelion greens will help protect your body from free radicals, helping to reduce your risk of certain diseases and shield you from premature aging. Vitamin A also helps fight certain cancers, and vitamin C is one of the best treats you could ever give to your immune system.
3. They’re high in calcium. It’s important to know that there are tons of fruits, vegetables, and nuts – like dandelion greens – that are very high in calcium, not only milk and other dairy products! This means dandelion greens work to strengthen your bones and teeth, and help optimize the function of your heart, nerves, and muscles. Just make sure you’re also getting an adequate supply of vitamin D in your diet – this is necessary to absorb the calcium.
4. They help reduce swelling and inflammation in the body.
5. They help fight acne.

Ingredients:

• 30 dandelion heads
• 1 cup buckwheat flour
• 1 tsp curry powder
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 cup plant-based oil (or more, as needed)
• in case you need to loosen the batter sparkling water

Instructions:

1.Wash dandelions under running water then dry them on paper towel. Gently remove the green tendrils behind the flower heads.

2. In a small bowl whisk together flour, curry powder and salt. Stir in plant milk and whisk until the batter becomes smooth. If needed, stir in sparkling water, the batter needs to be similar to runny pancake batter.

3. In a frying pan, heat up the oil.

4. Dip each dandelion head in the batter and cover them entirely. Gently transfer them into the frying pan. Work in batches, don’t overcrowd the pan. After 1–2 minutes you can turn the dandelions around and fry their other sides as well.

5. Remove from oil and let them dry on a paper towel.