I've been doing lots of research recently on plants that can be eaten and used medicinally. I'm wanting to learn as much as possible as the long term goal for the family is to become as self sufficient as we possibly can.
Dandelions, according to my research, can be used medicinally and as an edible. Growing up these poor little plants got a terrible name, I was always told not to touch them. They are considered a weed here in the UK but interestingly if you look in vintage herbalist books they are actually considered really useful.
This is my first time harvesting the dandelions on my allotment patch, there were not very many so I can't create all the different recipes I've found but for my first batch I've decided to make a dandelion tea infusion.
Dandelion Tea Infusion
2 cups of dandelion flowers
Boiling water
Clean Jar
I washed the dandelion flowers first to ensure there were no bugs, then I boiled them in water in a saucepan on the hob for a little white, probably 8mins.
Next I let them cool in the pan before pouring into a clean jar and letting them sit and infuse overnight.
The next day I strained the dandelion infused water into a fresh jar, discarded the flower heads (into my compost, though I'm going to do a little more research on this and see if they would last in jars or if there are other uses that could be made of the flowers at this stage) and then used the infused water to make a herbal tea, half dandelion infusion to half freshly boiled water. This gave me a tea that was the right temperature to drink and not too strong in flavour for my first try. Adding a few freshly picked dandelion flowers to the tea made it more aesthetically pleasing though I doubt would add any additional health benefits. Most of the recipes I read recommended using honey or sugar to taste but i didn't do this.
According to my research you can make dandelion tea for the flowers, leaves and roots of the plant.
Dandilion tea has been used as a herbal tonic for many years, it has a rich history of being used medicinally. It is said to be purifying and detox the blood. It is often used to ease symptoms of constipation and also give a boost to your system if you are feeling lethargic and sluggish.
Though it is said that dandelion tea can be helpful for digestive issues it is recommend that you seek professional medical advice before drinking it if you have any chronic health conditions or ulcers.
The guidance is to drink no more than 3 cups a day and to start with only one cup a day to see how your body reacts before increasing the amount you drink.
Don't forget that dandelions have laxative and diuretic properties.
According to my research you can make dandelion tea for the flowers, leaves and roots of the plant.
Dandilion tea has been used as a herbal tonic for many years, it has a rich history of being used medicinally. It is said to be purifying and detox the blood. It is often used to ease symptoms of constipation and also give a boost to your system if you are feeling lethargic and sluggish.
Though it is said that dandelion tea can be helpful for digestive issues it is recommend that you seek professional medical advice before drinking it if you have any chronic health conditions or ulcers.
The guidance is to drink no more than 3 cups a day and to start with only one cup a day to see how your body reacts before increasing the amount you drink.
Don't forget that dandelions have laxative and diuretic properties.
*As always please remember this information is my personal experience and research, i am not a medically professional I am simply learning about herbalism through personal study.
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