Most people treat dandelions as weeds, but every part of the plant is edible. Wade T. Smith, APRN, FNP-BC, covers its nutrients, including vitamins A and C, iron, phosphorus and potassium, and its traditional uses for the kidneys and liver.
Video Transcript
Today we’re going to take a journey outside, and we’re going to talk about a common plant that you can find in your yard that has medicinal as well as herbal properties. It is the dandelion, and most people recognize them as weeds in their yard.
Every part of this plant is edible. The dandelion plant is very high in vitamins A and C. It is also high in iron, phosphorus and potassium. There’s a study from 2009 showing the benefits of its diuretic properties. Of course, it needs to be studied further for its total efficacy.
If this is so good for you, why is it not used today? Well, pharmaceutical companies cannot patent the dandelion plant. Therefore, they can’t make a dollar. So what we have is, it’s not about healthcare, it’s about a dollar.
This is a medicine. It helps as a diuretic, it helps the kidneys, it helps the liver, it’s an antimicrobial, and it’s a source of nutrition, all outside your door in the yard.
