The common dandelion has many uses, and just about every part of the plant is edible. The flowers and leaves can be used in salads, and the roots can be dried and ground up to make a medicinal tea.
Dandelions have been used as a liver tonic and diuretic for centuries. The roots contain inulin and levulin, which are starchlike substances that may help control blood sugar and taraxacin, which may help stimulate digestion.
The roots can be eaten raw, steamed, dried and roasted, or ground into tea. The flowers can be used in dandelion wine, or in salads, dipped in batter and made into dandelion fritters, or made into jelly.
The leaves can be eaten as greens, raw, steamed, sauteed, braised, or boiled. For salads, the leaves need to be young and tender. The older leaves are best for cooking.
NOTE: If you have been using herbicides to control the weeds in your yard, DO NOT EAT THE DANDELIONS for at least 6 months to a year, until the toxins have had a chance to leach out of your dandelions and soil.
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