Herbs For Thought: Dandelion

Many plants on Earth offer a diverse and abundant variety of macro-nutrients, micro-nutrients, minerals, flavonoids, phytonutrients, energetics, etc. to our body. Studying this topic keeps me increasingly intrigued by super foods or wild foods and the vast amount of nutritional value they offer us. Foraging in the forest supplements my diet with nutrients I would not normally buy from a store. My favorite underrated super food right now is dandelion. Dandelion can be found worldwide and has been said to treat virtually everything that ails humanity (Tilford, 1997).

Murray describes the healing nutritive power of dandelion as having the ability to correct a multitude of disorders and a nutrient content that is exceptionally high (Murray, 2005). Dandelion contains more nutritional value than many vegetables containing vitamins, minerals, protein, choline, insulin, and pectin. Dandelion has more vitamin A than carrots, is an excellent source of vitamin C, riboflavin, B6, thiamine, calcium, copper, manganese, and iron. It is a shame this magical plant is seen largely as a nuisance and commonly sprayed with herbicides.

What impacts would we have if we turned our lawns into organic herb and vegetable gardens?

How can public perception of plants like dandelion change from noxious weed to healing super food?