The Health Benefits of Dandelions

[Guest guest]

The Health Benefits of Dandelions JoAnn Guest Apr 25, 2005 12:39 PDT

 

http://www.leaflady.org/health_benefits_of_dandelions.htm

By Peter Gail

 

Suppose your doctor tells you, on your next visit, that he has just

discovered a miracle drug which, when eaten as a part of your daily diet

or taken as a beverage, could, depending on the peculiarities of your

body chemistry:

 

prevent or cure liver diseases, such as hepatitis or jaundice;

 

act as a tonic and gentle diuretic to purify your blood, cleanse your

system, dissolve kidney stones, and otherwise improve gastro-intestinal

health;

 

assist in weight reduction;

 

cleanse your skin and eliminate acne;

 

improve your bowel function, working equally well to relieve both

constipation and diarrhea;

 

prevent or lower high blood pressure;

 

prevent or cure anemia;

 

lower your serum cholesterol by as much as half;

 

eliminate or drastically reduce acid indigestion and gas buildup by

cutting the heaviness of fatty foods;

 

prevent or cure various forms of cancer;

 

prevent or control diabetes mellitus;

 

and, at the same time, have no negative side effects and selectively act

on only what ails you. If he gave you a prescription for this miracle

medicine, would you use it religiously at first to solve whatever the

problem is and then consistently for preventative body maintenance?

 

All the above curative functions, and more, have been attributed to one

plant known to everyone, Taraxacum officinale, which means the " Official

Remedy for Disorders. " We call it the common dandelion. It is so well

respected, in fact, that it appears in the U.S. National Formulatory,

and in the Pharmacopeias of Hungary, Poland, Switzerland, and the Soviet

Union. It is one of the top 6 herbs in the Chinese herbal medicine

chest.

 

According to the USDA Bulletin #8, " Composition of Foods " (Haytowitz and

Matthews 1984), dandelions rank in the top 4 green vegetables in overall

nutritional value. Minnich, in " Gardening for Better Nutrition " ranks

them, out of all vegetables, including grains, seeds and greens, as tied

for 9th best. According to these data, dandelions are nature's richest

green vegetable source of beta-carotene, from which Vitamin A is

created, and the third richest source of Vitamin A of all foods, after

cod-liver oil and beef liver! They also are particularly rich in fiber,

potassium, iron, calcium, magnesium, phosphorus and the B vitamins,

thiamine and riboflavin, and are a good source of protein.

 

These figures represent only those published by the USDA. Studies in

Russia and Eastern Europe by Gerasimova, Racz, Vogel, and Marei (Hobbs

1985) indicate that dandelion is also rich in micronutrients such as

copper, cobalt, zinc, boron, and molybdenum, as well as Vitamin D.

 

Much of what dandelions purportedly do in promoting good health could

result from nutritional richness alone. Vogel considers the sodium in

dandelions important in reducing inflammations of the liver. Gerasimova,

the Russian chemist who analyzed the dandelion for, among other things,

trace minerals, stated that " dandelion [is] an example of a harmonious

combination of trace elements, vitamins and other biologically active

substances in ratios optimal for a human organism " (Hobbs 1985).

 

Recent research, reported in the Natural Healing and Nutritional Annual,

1989 (Bricklin and Ferguson 1989) on the value of vitamins and minerals

indicates that:

 

* Vitamin A is important in fighting cancers of epithelial tissue,

including mouth and lung;

 

* Potassium rich foods, in adequate quantities, and particularly in

balance with magnesium, helps keep blood pressure down and reduces risks

of strokes;

 

* Fiber fights diabetes, lowers cholesterol, reduces cancer and heart

disease

 

risks, and assists in weight loss. High fiber vegetables take up lots of

room, are low in calories, and slow down digestion so the food stays in

the stomach longer and you feel full longer;

 

* Calcium in high concentrations can build strong bones and can lower

blood pressure;

 

* B vitamins help reduce stress.

 

Throughout history, dandelions have had a reputation as being effective

in promoting weight loss and laboratory research indicates that there is

some support for this reputation. Controlled tests on laboratory mice

and rats by the same Romanians indicated that a loss of up to 30% of

body weight in 30 days was possible when the animals were fed dandelion

extract with their food. Those on grass extract lost much less. The

control group on plain water actually gained weight.

 

Beyond nutritional richness, however, are the active chemical

constituents contained in dandelions which may have specific therapeutic

effects on the body. These include, as reported by Hobbs (1985):

 

* Inulin, which converts to fructose in the presence of cold or

hydrochloric acid in the stomach. Fructose forms glycogen in the liver

without requiring insulin, resulting in a slower blood sugar rise, which

makes it good for diabetics and hypoglycemics;

 

* Tof-CFr, a glucose polymer similar to lentinan, which Japanese

researchers have found to act against cancer cells in laboratory mice;

Lentinan is a yeast glucan (glucose polymer) that increases resistance

against protozoal and viral infections.;

 

* Pectin, which is anti-diarrheal and also forms ionic complexes with

metal ions, which probably contributes to dandelion's reputation as a

blood and gastrointestinal detoxifying herb. Pectin is prescribed

regularly in Russia to remove heavy metals and radioactive elements from

body tissues. Pectin can also lower cholesterol and, combined with

Vitamin C, can lower it even more. Dandelion is a good source of both

Pectin and Vitamin C;

 

* Coumestrol, an estrogen mimic which possibly is responsible, at least

in part, for stimulating milk flow and altering hormones;

 

* Apigenin and Luteolin, two flavonoid glycosides which have been

demonstrated to have diuretic, anti-spasmodic, anti-oxidant and liver

protecting actions and properties, and also to strengthen the heart and

blood vessels. They also have anti-bacterial and anti-hypoglycemic

properties, and, as estrogen mimics, may also stimulate milk production

and alter hormones;

 

* Gallic Acid, which is anti-diarrheal and anti-bacterial;

 

* Linoleic and Linolenic Acid, which are essential fatty acids required

by the body to produce prostaglandin which regulate blood pressure and

such body processes as immune responses which suppress inflammation.

These fatty acids can lower chronic inflammation, such as proliferative

arthritis, regulate blood pressure and the menstrual cycle, and prevent

platelet aggregation;

 

* Choline, which has been shown to help improve memory;

 

*Several Sesquiterpene compounds which are what make dandelions bitter.

These may partly account for dandelions tonic effects on digestion,

liver, spleen and gall bladder, and are highly anti-fungal;

 

* Several Triterpenes, which may contribute to bile or liver

stimulation;

 

* Taraxasterol, which may contribute to liver and gall bladder health or

to hormone altering.

 

These chemicals, individually, are not unique to dandelions, but the

combination of them all in one plant, along with high levels of

vitamins, minerals, carbohydrates, proteins and fiber account for the

many claims made regarding the plant.

 

These claims include the following results of clinical and laboratory

research, again as reported in Hobbs (1985):

 

* A doubling of bile output with leaf extracts, and a quadrupling of

bile output with root extract. Bile assists with the emulsification,

digestion and absorption of fats, in alkalinizing the intestines and in

the prevention of putrefaction. This could explain the effectiveness of

dandelion in reducing the effects of fatty foods (heartburn and acid

indigestion);

 

* A reduction in serum cholesterol and urine bilirubin levels by as much

as half in humans with severe liver imbalances has been demonstrated by

Italian researchers;

 

* Diuretic effects with a strength approaching that of the potent

diuretics Furosemide and Lasix, used for congestive heart failure and

cirrhosis of the liver, with none of the serious side effects, were

found by Romanian scientists. They found that water extract of dandelion

leaves, administered orally, because of its high potassium content,

replaced serum potassium electrolytes lost in the urine, eliminating

such side effects common with the synthetics as severe potassium

depletion, hepatic coma in liver patients, circulatory collapse, and

transmission through mothers' milk;

 

* In 1979 a Japanese patent was filed for a freeze-dried warm water

extract of dandelion root for anti-tumor use. It was found that

administration of the extract markedly inhibited growth of particular

carcinoma cells within one week after treatment;

 

* Dental researchers at Indiana University in 1982 used dandelion

extracts in antiplaque preparations;

 

* In studies from 1941 to 1952, the French scientist Henri Leclerc

demonstrated the effectiveness of dandelion on chronic liver problems

related to bile stones. He found that roots gathered in late summer to

fall, when they are rich in bitter, white milky latex, should be used

for all liver treatments;

 

* In 1956, Chauvin demonstrated the antibacterial effects of dandelion

pollen, which may validate the centuries old use of dandelion flowers in

Korean folk medicine to prevent furuncles (boils, skin infections),

tuberculosis, and edema and promote blood circulation.

 

Also, Witt (1983) recommends dandelion tea to alleviate the water

buildup in PMS (pre-menstrual syndrome).

 

There are many testimonials from those who have benefited from the use

of dandelions in the treatment of what ailed them.

 

Robert Stickle, an internationally famous architect, was diagnosed as

having a malignant melanoma 21 years ago, and was given, after radical

surgery had not halted its spread, less than 2 years to live. He said,

in a letter to Jeff Zullo, president of the Society for the Promotion of

Dandelions, (June 23, 1986):

 

" I went on a search for the answer to my mortal problem, and

[discovered] that perhaps it was a nutritional dilemma.... To me, cancer

is primarily a liver failure manifestation. {Italians are very concerned

about problems of the 'fegato']. [i discovered that] the cancer rate in

native Italians is very low among the farming population (paesanos).

When they get affluent and move to the city, its the same as the rest of

civilized man. Paesanos eat dandelions, make brew from the roots, and

are healthy, often living to over 100 years. "

 

He states that he began eating dandelion salad every day, and his

improvement confounded the doctors. When he wrote the letter in 1986, 18

years had passed and there had been no recurrence of the melanoma.

 

A benefit which comes from writing articles for national media is that

you hear from people who have interesting stories to tell. I recently

received a call from Peter Gruchawka, a 70 year old gentleman from

Manorville, NY, who reported that he had been diagnosed with diabetes

melitis 3 months before and was put on 5 grams of Micronase. At the

time, he had a 5+ sugar spillover in his urine. He took Micronase for

about a month before he learned, from his wife who is a nurse, that

Micronase can do damage to the liver. He had read in " Herbal Medicine "

by Diane Buchanan and " Back to Eden " by Jethro Kloss about the

effectiveness of dandelions in controlling diabetes. Without saying

anything to his doctors, he stopped taking Micronase and began drinking

dandelion coffee each day. During the first week, his urinary sugar,

measured night and morning, was erratic and unstable, but after a week,

his sugar stabilized and when he called, he had been getting negative

urine sugar readings for over a month. The doctors are amazed and can't

explain it. An interesting side benefit to replacing Micronase with

dandelion coffee is that, while Micronase damages the liver as a side

effect, dandelions are particularly known for strengthening the liver.

 

According to Mr. Gruchawka, he changed nothing but the medication. He

had cut out pastries and other sugars when he was diagnosed and started

on Micronase, and has continued to do without those things while taking

dandelion coffee.

 

In reporting these claims, however, I must add three qualifiers:

 

1. First, unfortunately, neither herbs nor synthetic remedies work for

everyone in the same way. Different bodies respond differently to

medicines, and what works incredibly well for one person may not work at

all, or work less well, for someone else.

 

2. Second, good health results from a combination of healthy diet and

enough exercise to keep the body toned. Bob Stickle, for all his

insistence that dandelions cured him, changed, according to a mutual

friend, his entire lifestyle. He didn't just add dandelion salad to what

he was already doing.

 

3. People with health problems need to seek the advice and care of a

competent physician, with whom this information can be shared. It is

important to reemphasize that it is presented as information only. I am

not a medical doctor, and neither advocate nor prescribe dandelions or

dandelion products for use by anyone or for any ailment. Only your

doctor can do that.

 

Because there are so many variables, it is hard to attribute Mr.

Stickle's cure to any one of them directly. Likewise, Italian farmers

live a lifestyle which combines a healthy diet, lots of work and clean

air. They heat and cook with wood, which they have to cut and split.

They haul water for household use. When they move to the city, diet,

exercise, and environmental conditions change. Stress and sedentary

habits increase.

 

And there is the importance of faith in the healing process, whether it

be faith in God or faith in the curative properties of the herb being

taken.

 

While dandelions, given all these variables, may never be proved to cure

any specific ill, they are an extremely healthy green which cannot in

any way hurt you. Research on how much you would have to eat to cause

harm indicates that eating grass is more dangerous than eating

dandelions (Hobbs 1985). Therefore, with everything going for

dandelions, it is highly probable that everyone can derive at least some

nutritional benefit from them by eating or drinking them regularly.

 

The medical and pharmacological establishment is generally critical of

claims regarding the use of herbs on disease, and their concerns need to

be put in perspective.

 

Herbal medicines have been used very effectively far longer than

synthetics, and many current pharmaceutical products have been derived

from research on plants used as medicine by many cultures. The problem

with plants, however, is that they are available to anyone. It is

impossible to patent a plant, and thereby gain proprietary rights to it.

As a consequence, pharmaceutical companies attempt to isolate the active

properties from medicinal plants and synthesize them so that they can

patent them. Many of the synthetics have serious side-effects which were

not present in the natural plant product, often because other chemicals

in the plant offset them (i.e. the large quantities of potassium in

dandelions which allows for potassium replenishment when dandelion is

used as a diuretic).

 

USDA botanist Dr. James Duke (1989) suggests that a proper and

appropriate " herbal soup " , filled with " vitamins, minerals, fibers and a

whole host of bioactive compounds, " from which the body can selectively

strain the compounds it needs to restore itself to health, will be more

effective than synthetic medicines containing a " very select and

specialized compound or two plus filler, usually non-nutritive. " This is

especially true if the " herbal soup " , in the form of a potent potherb

like dandelion, is a regular part of the diet so that the appropriate

bioactive substances are present in the right amounts when the body

needs them.

 

The book that this reprint was taken from " The Dandelion Celebration-The

Guide to Unexpected Cuisine " is recommended to anyone who would like to

know more about this remarkable plant. It covers everything you could

want to know about dandelions and more, including recipes, planting,

picking and preparing, along with the wonderful history of this

" Official Remedy for Disorders " , Taraxacum officinale, the common

dandelion.

 

Copyright© 1989 by Goosefoot Acres, Inc. All rights reserved.

This is an excerpt from the excellent book by Peter A. Gail, Ph.D.,

titled " The Dandelion Celebration-The Guide to Unexpected Cuisine. " See

end note.

 

Important notice: The information presented here is not presented with

the intention of diagnosing any disease or condition or prescribing any

treatment. It is offered as information only, for use in the maintenance

and promotion of good health in cooperation with a licensed medical

practitioner. In the event that any individual should use the

information presented on this website without a licensed medical

practitioner's approval, that individual will be diagnosing for him or

herself. No responsibility is assumed by the author, publisher or

distributors of this information should the information be used in place

of a licensed medical practitoner's services. No guarantees of any kind

are made for the performance or effectiveness of the preparations

mentioned on this website.

 

Furthermore, this information is to be used for educational purposes

only and has been based solely on the traditional and historic use of a

given herb, or on clinical trials that are generally not recognized by

any US government agency or medical organization. This information has

not been evaluated by the US Food and Drug Administration, nor has it

gone through the rigorous double-blind studies required before a

particular product can be deemed truly beneficial or potentially

dangerous and prescribed in the treatment of any condition or disease.

_________________

JoAnn Guest

mrsjo-

DietaryTi-

www.geocities.com/mrsjoguest/Genes

 

 

 

 

AIM Barleygreen

" Wisdom of the Past, Food of the Future "

 

http://www.geocities.com/mrsjoguest/Diets.html