Admit it. When you were young at heart, you loved dandelions. You loved their cheery yellowness. You loved blowing their seeds and making a wish. I loved them then and still do. Just recently, my grandson brought me my first grandmotherly bouquet of dandelions,his face shining with pride. I never have understood why they are a weed, except that lots went wrong during the Victorian era and green lawns with servants to pull the weeds became a status symbol here in the United States. Dandelions are edible and healthy.

Dandelions contain  inositols–chemicals with wide ranging health effects such as controlling high blood pressure, polycystic ovaries, psoriasis, and high cholesterol.Other chemicals in dandelions can help bile production and blood glucose regulation.Dandelions can prevent liver damage.  For a list, along with some experiments that didn’t yield results, go here. However, be careful where you get your dandelions. Avoid those near roads and factories  as they take up pollution. 

The root can be made into a trendy coffee-like beverage. The French make dandelions into soup. They are packed with potassium, calcium, Vitamin A, and Vitamin C. The only worry might be that you could get heartburn from them.

Dandelion roots break up hard soil. There is no reason to spray them and your family with poison. Enjoy them. Put them in salad. Boil the leaves. Make soup.And when you see them, think happy thoughts. You might even make a wish.

Thanks to Josh Meier for the use of this photo. View his website here. There’s a secret about this photo. Can you spot it?