The Incredible Edible Dandelion

MONTGOMERY-Before you spray some type of herbicide on that bright yellow flower that keeps popping up in your nice green lawn, you may want to consider a few things. The plant in question, known as the common dandelion, is easily recognized by its bright yellow aster-like flower and its basal rosette of leaves with sharp irregular lobes. It occurs along roadsides, waste places and lawns throughout most of the United States. Actually, the history of the dandelion is interesting and its value is often overlooked by most people who encounter it. The common name “dandelion” comes from the French phrase “dent de lion,” which means “lion’s tooth,” and refers to the plant’s jagged-shaped leaves.

The dandelion has been used as a vegetable since ancient times. Much like other vegetables, such as potatoes, cultivation has occurred in some places. Years ago, it was common to see the dandelion hanging in the markets in large cities like New York. There is even a belief by some that the bitter herbs mentioned in the Old Testament book of Exodus when referring to the preparation of the Passover meal were dandelion greens.

The leaves of the dandelion are highly prized as a spring green. They are gathered when young and tender, thoroughly cleaned, then boiled. The young leaves can be gathered and used as an addition to salads. Young flower heads gathered when they are still tucked down in the rosette of leaves can be boiled for several minutes and served with butter or pickled. The yellow flowers are excellent dipped in batter and fried. The roots can be collected, washed, and then slow roasted in the oven until brown and brittle. The brown roots can then be ground into a fine powder and used as a great coffee substitute.

The nutritional benefits of the dandelion are quite remarkable. Raw dandelion greens have an abundant 14,000 international units of Vitamin A per 100 grams, plus .19 milligrams of thiamine, .26 mg. of riboflavin, and 35 mg. of vital ascorbic acid, all of which helps explain why the lowly dandelion was so highly regarded as a tonic and general remedy by the frontiersmen and early settlers long before the existence of vitamin pills. The same portion of edible greens is further enriched with 198 milligrams of calcium, 76 mg. of sodium, and 397 mg. of potassium. Truly, the dandelion has many valuable benefits that have been all but forgotten or overlooked in this modern world.

MEDIA RELEASE-ALABAMA DEPARTMENT OF CONSERVATION AND NATURAL RESOURCES/Tracy Nelson, Area Wildlife Biologist, Alabama Division of Wildlife and Freshwater Fisheries