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Naperville
Thursday, March 28, 2024

The ‘tooth of the lion’ aka dandelion is back and it’s edible

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They’re back! Dandelions are busting out all over the local landscape. On this Earth Day 2019, celebrated annually on April 22 since 1970, promoting awareness about taking care of our planet, PN posts will feature a number of stories about the great outdoors right in your backyard, starting simply with bright sunny dandelions.

Dandelion comes from the French word that means “tooth of the lion” and this spring the wild flower has returned by the yard throughout Naperville, sure to blossom until summertime.

The good news is every part of these invasive plants is edible from its yellow flower and green leaves to its white roots. That’s why, more and more, fine chefs are adding dandelions to dishes, salads and soups for nutritious accents and color.

For starters, dandelions contain vitamins C and B6, thiamin, riboflavin, calcium (builds strong bones), iron (benefits generating red blood cells), potassium (helps regulate heart rate and blood pressure), and manganese.

The flowering plant is a rich source of beta-carotene which our bodies convert into vitamin A.

Other nutrients present in dandelion greens include folate, magnesium, phosphorus, zinc and copper.

A handy Dandelion tool is the best way to get to the bitter root.

Every part in the very well-washed dandelion (Don’t take risks when picking dandelions. Be sure not to pick or dig up from parks, fields or curbside that could be poisoned with insecticides.) is medicinal for better digestion, immune function and mental health.

What’s more, the bitter flavor of the sunny dandelion complements any salad and adds important nutrition to a balanced diet.

How to prepare dandelions

You can blanch the chopped greens by adding them to salted boiling water for 10 minutes, remove and dunk in cold water. Then toss with olive oil, lemon, and salt for a dandy side dish.

Or sauté the leaves with garlic and onion and top with pine nuts and dried fruits.

Or chop dandelion leaves and steep in water for tea.

For best flavor, prepare immediately after picking. Otherwise, refrigerate in a plastic bag and use within 3–5 days. Wash when ready to use.

Yes! The dandelion is an amazing plant, rich in health benefits, from the root to the flower. You can uproot the plant or use whichever parts are preferable to you. 

A few tips on picking

Snip flowers at the base of the stem in order to promote leafy growth.

As mentioned above, avoid picking dandelions for eating that grow in places near roadways, along parkways or abandoned lots where the plant likely has accumulated pollution where it’s unknown how they’ve been treated.

If you watch the video linked below, you’ll discover how to tear the leaves into bits and add to a salad— as well as most of the info in this post.

For best results rich in nutrients, proper picking, pulling and preparing the pretty “weed” are essential. Value the vibrant sunny dandelion plant for good eating, tea and a world of health benefits.

RELATED PN POST / Moser Tower shines green for Earth Day. PN remembers four women who helped the nature of it all.

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PN Editor
PN Editor
An editor is someone who prepares content for publishing. It entered English, the American Language, via French. Its modern sense for newspapers has been around since about 1800.

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