Also called hope, taraxaco, dog lettuce, bittersweet, crazy chicory, pint, man love and many others, the dandelion is known for its beauty, often portrayed in movies and photographs. Its ornamental flowers draw attention and it is even hard to believe that this plant is considered harmful by many people, all because its dissemination occurs easily. But what few people know here in Brazil is that in Europe the dandelion is widely used in salads, juices and teas. And there is a plausible reason for this: several properties of the plant that offer benefits to health!
Index
The properties of the dandelion
Among the various properties of the dandelion, the main ones are:
- The variety of vitamins offered by it (among them: vitamin A, B6 and C).
- It is rich in minerals (which are: calcium, potassium, magnesium, copper and iron).
- Some proteins are also offered.
- It has inulin.
- It has pectin.
- It is proven to have more vitamin A than carrots.
- Offers riboflavin.
- It has thiamine.
- One cup of your tea has the same amount of calcium as ½ cup of milk.
These properties offer various benefits for the human body, the main ones being: it improves bone health, giving strength, growth and protecting the bones; helps control liver disorders, maintaining good bile flow and stimulating digestion; helps in the treatment of diabetes, mainly by stimulating insulin production; it is diuretic; it is useful for preventing and treating skin diseases by microbial or fungal infections; serves as a treatment for the dreaded acne; promotes weight loss with its diuretic effect, helping to eliminate body fat; reducing free radicals, promoting cancer prevention; help in treating anemic people; acts to reduce blood pressure.
the powers of your tea
When it comes to consuming the dandelion, the best way is probably its tea – although it is consumed in salads, juices, etc. It has a light bitter taste, offers all the benefits mentioned above and the best: with only 25 calories in each cup! If taken 3 times a day, the slimming effect is more effective. So, what are you waiting for to include dandelion tea in your diet ? The recipe you can check below:
- 2 tablespoons of herb
- 1 liter of water
Bring the two scoops and the liter of water to a boil, when the water comes to a boil, cover the pan and smother for about 10 minutes. After that, remember to strain and your tea will be ready to drink.
