Dandelions — The Medicinal Weed of Choice

I was recently diagnosed with diabetes and like many who get the news, I have been searching for answers. My symptoms were excessive urination and unexplained weight loss; if you have similar symptoms, I suggest that see your physician.

In my research, I came across dandelions or exactly dandelion root tea. Before my research, I only knew dandelions as a weed that ruins your yard. That’s not totally true, my aunt by marriage used to make dandelion wine — have no idea how that tastes. However, I soon found out dandelions are much more than weed and offer relief from a number of human ailments.

Regulates Blood Sugar Levels

More than 30 million Americans have diabetes type 2 or prediabetes, a blood sugar problem; unfortunately, I am one of them and I’m working hard to reverse this disease that threatens your health and life over time. Many Americans have increased blood sugar levels throughout the day due to easy access to sugary beverages and confectionery at convenience stores.

The pancreas, which is responsible for managing insulin release, eventually becomes dysfunctional. As a result, after eating a meal, the patient may become drowsy and weary.

These people gradually lose their body’s natural ability to manufacture insulin and must rely on exogenous insulin to keep their blood sugar levels normal.

Chicoric and chlorogenic acid are beneficial chemicals found in dandelion root and greens. In patients with prediabetes and diabetes type 2, these chemicals aid to manage blood glucose levels, resulting in decreased fasting blood sugar readings. In rare circumstances, a patient with prediabetes can be cured by drinking dandelion tea and making dietary adjustments.

Detoxes the Liver

The liver is one of the body’s key filters, filtering out poisons and toxic particles while also creating enzymes and cholesterol that aid digestion and inflammation management. People who acquire liver discomfort as a result of illness or poor lifestyle choices may develop a fatty liver.

Fatigue and jaundice are common signs of fatty liver, and if left untreated, the condition can proceed to cirrhosis, a condition in which liver damage leaves scar tissue behind, impairing liver function.

When a person’s lifestyle and food are adjusted to remove liver stresses, the liver usually regenerates on its own. Detoxing your body can help your liver regenerate by draining toxins out of your system and giving it a fresh start.

You can benefit from the antioxidants and anti-inflammatory effects of dandelion greens by steeping them in tea. Drinking the tea three to four times each day can assist your liver detox more quickly.

Boosts the Immune System

The roots of dandelion have been shown to have antibacterial and antiviral activities in studies. Dandelion root powder contains polyphenol antioxidants that support the immune system by lowering inflammation in the stomach, allowing the biomes to absorb more nutrients from the food we eat.

According to studies, drinking dandelion root powder in tea reduces the ability of viruses to replicate while also limiting the transmission and growth of hazardous microorganisms. Drinking a couple cups of dandelion tea every day at the start of flu season is an effective way to strengthen your immune system in preparation for the upcoming flu season.

Improves Digestion

Drinking dandelion tea with meals is a great way to improve digestion. Trillions of bacteria live in the intestines of the digestive system. These microbiomes are in charge of a wide range of metabolic functions, are sensitive to the foods we eat, and play an important role in digestion.

People who have digestive problems may develop allergies to certain foods. For example, people with celiac disease who consume gluten may experience bloating and gas symptoms that cause pain and discomfort.

After a meal, drink dandelion tea to relieve the symptoms of digestive inflammation caused by celiac disease, Crohn’s disease, or a leaky gut. Traditional medicine practitioners recognize the benefits of dandelion tea and employ both the roots and the greens in their preparations.

Drinking dandelions tea lowers stomach acidity, creating a more welcoming environment for your microbiomes, helping them to absorb more vitamins and minerals from your diet while breaking down proteins, lipids, and carbohydrates more efficiently.

Fights Cancer

Dandelion root tea helps to prevent cancer cells from developing and reduces the disease’s progression throughout the body. The tea helps to reduce the presence of polyps in the gut, which can contribute to colorectal cancer formation. The tea’s antioxidant properties also aid to scavenge free radicals from the bloodstream, preventing healthy cells from oxidizing.

Anti-Inflammatory Properties

Polyphenols in dandelion root tea have anti-inflammatory actions. Drinking a few cups of dandelion tea every day can help patients suffering from the consequences of systemic inflammation get relief from their symptoms.

When we eat certain inflammatory foods, such as refined carbohydrates like sugar, inflammation begins in the stomach for most people. These foods stimulate intestinal edema, allowing bacteria and inflammatory particles to pass through the digestive tract and into the circulation.

As a result, inflammatory disease symptoms in other parts of the body may worsen. Dandelion tea reduces intestinal inflammation, which keeps bacteria and toxic particles out of the bloodstream.

Drink a cup of hot dandelion tea with your meals to assist with digestion and prevent the onset of systemic inflammation. However, be careful you don’t drink too strong a brew, as it may have a laxative effect on the bowels.

Summary

These benefits are the tip of the iceberg including benefits the skin, assists with weight loss, balances blood pressure, lowers cholesterol production, improves bone health, enhances cognitive function, boosts circulation, antimicrobial properities, prevents unitary tract infections, relieves constipation, and has diuretic properties. Beware some may be allergic to it. If you are not, which is the case for myself, drink at least 3 cups per day to improve results.

Finally, I am not a medical doctor and this is not medical advice. Please do your own research and consult your physician if you have questions or concerns.

By the way, I started with buying fresh dandelion and made tea using the fresh dandelion but I started buying my dandelion from Amazon to make it brewing it more easily.