{"id":467,"date":"2026-04-17T16:43:58","date_gmt":"2026-04-17T16:43:58","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/knifevoyager.com\/?p=467"},"modified":"2026-04-17T16:44:14","modified_gmt":"2026-04-17T16:44:14","slug":"dandelion-poor-mans-ginseng","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/knifevoyager.com\/?p=467","title":{"rendered":"DANDELION \u2013 POOR MAN\u2019S GINSENG \u2014"},"content":{"rendered":"
\n

By Christopher Nyerges<\/b><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/b><\/p>\n

[Nyerges is the author of \u201cGuide to Wild Foods and Useful Plants,\u201d \u201cForaging Wild Edible Plants of North America,\u201d \u201cUrban Survival Guide,\u201d and other books.\u00a0 Information about his books and classes is available from www.SchoolofSelf-Reliance.com<\/a>]<\/i><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/b><\/p>\n

Now is the time when many ordinary city folks are beginning to panic. All throughout Southern California, and much of North America, an \u201cenemy\u201d is appearing on lawns.\u00a0 What enemy?\u00a0 Dandelions!\u00a0 \u00a0Dandelion has long been featured prominently in ads for garden herbicides, which are guaranteed to keep the weeds away, which should be translated as \u201cguaranteed to keep your soil toxic.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/p>\n

It turns out dandelion is more nutritious than many of our common vegetables.\u00a0 This has been documented for decades by the USDA in such references as \u201cComposition of Foods.\u201d<\/p>\n

According to the USDA, 100 grams of raw dandelion leaves yielded 14,000 international units of vitamin A (hey, that\u2019s a lot!), 35 milligrams of vitamin C, 187 milligrams of calcium, 76 milligrams of sodium, and 397 milligrams of potassium.<\/p>\n

According to a study published in 1990 in the Berkeley Wellness Letter<\/i>, <\/i>dandelion greens are a rich source of beta carotene. (Beta carotene is one of a large group of substances called carotenoids.) It used to be thought that the benefits of beta carotene were due to its conversion to vitamin A, but research suggests that beta carotene itself is the more potent protector against cancer.<\/p>\n

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Numerous animal studies have suggested that beta carotene can defend against tumors and enhance the immune system. At least 70 studies on humans concluded that humans who don\u2019t eat enough fruits and vegetables rich in carotenoids have an increased risk of cancer, and lung cancer in particular.<\/p>\n

One large study, presented at the London conference by Dr. George Comstock of Johns Hopkins University, found that individuals with low levels of beta carotene in the blood had a far greater risk of developing lung cancer as well as melanoma, a lethal form of skin cancer.<\/p>\n

Interestingly, in the published report, there was an accompanying chart listing dandelion greens as the richest source of beta carotene: one cup of the cooked dandelion greens yields 8.4 milligrams. One large carrot contains 6.6 milligrams of beta carotene.<\/p>\n

For the record, the other top beta carotene sources were one medium sweet potato [5.9 milligrams], \u00be cup cooked watercress [5.6 milligrams], \u00be cup cooked kale [5.3 milligrams], \u00bd cup cooked spinach [4.9 milligrams], and \u00bd medium mango [2.9 milligrams]. \u00a0Since some beta carotene is destroyed by cooking (the longer you cook, the more is destroyed), the beta carotene content of dandelion and other foods would be even higher when consumed raw.<\/p>\n

Herbalists such as Gene Matlock and Michael Moore believe that dandelion is the perfect herb for coping with anemia. The leaves eaten fresh purge the uric acid from the blood and are said to be excellent for liver ailments. Dandelion is a mild diuretic and a mild laxative. The fresh leaves are used by herbalists for skin diseases, diabetes, pancreas and spleen problems, and fever. The root is a tonic, mild laxative, and diuretic. Dandelion roots were included in the United States Pharmacopoeia<\/i> from 1831 to 1926.<\/p>\n

TESTIMONIAL<\/p>\n

In July 1998, Vonda White wrote me the following from the California Institute for Women:<\/p>\n

\u201cOne morning in May of this year, I awoke with what I realized was a bladder infection. I have long been accustomed to seeking herbal remedies when ill, so I looked into what was readily available to me. One of the most commonly found herbs growing here is dandelion\u2014a specific remedy for such problems as mine. On my way into the dining room for breakfast, I saw some nice dandelion plants growing at the edge of the sidewalk, and I picked and ate a few tender leaves. The leaves were mildly bitter but tasted very good to me. Growing next to the dandelion was some young prickly lettuce, which I also ate. On my way out of the dining room, I picked and ate more of both. I did not notice any immediate or miraculous improvement in my condition through the day, but I continued to drink extra water. On my way to dinner that evening, I picked and ate more dandelion and prickly lettuce. The miracle was that the next morning there was no more problem.\u201d<\/i><\/p>\n

Due to dandelion\u2019s richness in vitamins and minerals, the plant is sometimes called poor man\u2019s ginseng<\/b>. It is readily available around the world, is far cheaper than ginseng, and will likely improve your health as much as ginseng\u2014especially if you\u2019re out on fields and lawns collecting it yourself.<\/p>\n

IDENTIFYING DANDELION<\/p>\n

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Dandelion (Taraxacum officinale) is commonly found in lawns and fields, first appearing as a ground-hugging basal rosette of leaves\u00a0 reaching about nine inches in diameter. \u00a0The plant is most often noticed by the bright yellow flowers which appear on the end of a leafless stalk.\u00a0 As the flowers mature, they develop into a ball of fuzzy seeds, the seed clusters which children love to blow and make a wish.<\/p>\n

The word dandelion<\/i> is derived from the French dent de lion<\/i>, which translates to lion\u2019s tooth. This refers to the configuration of the jagged-edged leaves, which are pinnately divided into sharp lobes. The low-lying leaves often become prostrate and are thus able to hide among the blades and stems of grass. The leaves exude a milky juice when cut. \u00a0\u00a0The brown taproot resembles a small, slender carrot, but tan in color.\u00a0 It may get knotty as it gets older, and is \u00a0generally from three to five inches in length.\u00a0 Today, dandelions are found throughout the world; botanists generally agree that this plant is native to Greece. It has established itself all over the United States, and can be found on virtually any lawn, field, or similar area that has fairly consistent moisture.<\/p>\n

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HOW TO EAT DANDELIONS<\/p>\n

The young-to-early mature leaves are edible raw in salads or sandwiches. The older leaves become increasingly bitter and need to be cooked and prepared in much the same way one handles greens. Cooked dandelion leaves are similar to spinach.<\/p>\n

The crown (the one-inch section between the lower leaves and the upper root section) can be eaten as a separate hot vegetable or added to mixed vegetable dishes. It should be steamed or boiled if too bitter.<\/p>\n

The roots are commonly roasted to make a good-tasting noncaffeine coffee. To do this, you first dig up the largest roots available and thoroughly wash until free of dirt. Dry them (in the sun or oven at low heat), then grind them in a grain or coffee grinder, mortar and pestle, or electric grinder. Roast in 225\u00b0F oven until brown, then percolate the same as with coffee grounds. Drink plain or try adding raw cream and\/or honey. Unseasoned, it tastes something between coffee and Postum (a popular commercial cereal beverage made of barley, wheat, and molasses).<\/p>\n

The cleaned roots can also be cooked (steamed or boiled if older and bitter) and eaten (something like parsnips).<\/p>\n

The fresh, dew-covered flowers, carefully gathered in the early morning, are fermented to make the unique-tasting dandelion wine.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

SIDEBAR<\/p>\n

\u201cDANDELION CELEBRATION\u201d<\/p>\n

When I think of dandelions, I always think of Peter Gail, author of Dandelion Celebration,<\/i>\u00a0 151 pages of everything you\u2019d ever want to know about dandelions.\u00a0 Peter was interested in wild plants since his childhood when necessity forced his family to utilize goosefoot and other wild greens for meals. eventually, he earned a Phd in plant ecology at Rutgers university. In the 1970s, Peter Gail worked with Euell Gibbons in developing the national Wilderness Survival training camps for the Boy Scouts national council in New Jersey. Gail and Gibbons developed a wild food foraging course for Rutgers, and Gail was often Euell Gibbons\u2019s backup lecturer. Gail lists the many medicinal uses of dandelion, \u00a0such as a cure for liver diseases, a tonic, a way to dissolve kidney stones, a skin cleanser, a high blood pressure preventive measure, an aid in bowel functioning, a prevention or cure for anemia, and an assistant in controlling diabetes. Still, most folks think of dandelions as food, not medicine, so Gail provides us with about 600 recipes he has collected over the entire United States. Some of the recipes are Amish, some are his own, and many are from his travels throughout the United States.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

By Christopher Nyerges \u00a0 [Nyerges is the author of \u201cGuide to Wild Foods and Useful Plants,\u201d \u201cForaging Wild Edible Plants of North America,\u201d \u201cUrban Survival Guide,\u201d and other books.\u00a0 Information about his books and classes is available from www.SchoolofSelf-Reliance.com] \u00a0 Now is the time when many ordinary city folks are beginning to panic. All throughout […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":468,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[4],"tags":[],"class_list":{"0":"post-467","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-survival"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/knifevoyager.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/467","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/knifevoyager.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/knifevoyager.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/knifevoyager.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/knifevoyager.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=467"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/knifevoyager.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/467\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":469,"href":"https:\/\/knifevoyager.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/467\/revisions\/469"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/knifevoyager.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/468"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/knifevoyager.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=467"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/knifevoyager.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=467"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/knifevoyager.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=467"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}