While most people may think of dandelions as little more than weeds that make an unwanted appearance in the yard, health professionals have taken a more favorable opinion of dandelion. It is used by the alternative medicine crowd for a number of different ailments, while the mainstream medical community primarily will use dandelion as a way to deal with unwanted water retention and digestive problems.
Nutritional Benefits
Dandelion contains numerous vitamins and minerals, which makes it popular as an additive to some foods, such as salads, casseroles, vegetables and sandwiches. Dandelion contains vitamins A, C, D and B complex. Minerals that can be found in dandelion include iron, zinc and potassium. Dandelion root is sometimes used as an alternative to coffee.
Diuretic Benefits
Dandelion may be used for minor diuretic purposes and has benefits for the entire digestive system, including the liver, kidneys and gallbladder. It has been used as a mild laxative and is believed to help aid in water retention by helping to flush water from the kidneys. Dandelion also is used as a mild appetite stimulant.
The use of dandelion by the mainstream medical community is more prevalent in Europe than in the United States. Both the European Scientific Cooperative on Phytotherapy and the German Commission E authorize dandelion to improve the liver, on digestive problems and to increase appetite.
Cholesterol Benefits
There is some evidence that dandelion may prove to be beneficial for people with high cholesterol. In some studies on animals, it has been shown to reduce LDL, or bad cholesterol, and triglycerides, while improving HDL, the good cholesterol.
Diabetic Benefits
There are claims that dandelion will help normalize blood sugar levels, although the scientific community is not in complete agreement, as the majority of testing has been on animals. There is little known about the effect of dandelion on human diabetes, although it has been used in Europe as a treatment.
Member Comments