Dandelion Root
The Chinese, for over 5000 years, have believed that Dandelion Root has a cooling effect on the body’s circulation. Traditionally, this single herb has been attributed with properties that act as a tonic to the stomach to help the digestive system and to relieve minor sore muscle pain.
Dandelion Root is a natural source of iron, flavonoids and glycosides.
Nutritional Benefits
The book Herbally Yours says, “Dandelion acts as a tonic to the system. It destroys acid in the blood. As it contains organic sodium, it is very good for the deficiency of nutritive salts and is recognized as a great blood builder and purifier. It is also food for the liver – very high in calcium and other nutrients. It can be used as a tea for babies and children.” (p. 24)
Other herbal texts mention Dandelion’s ability to aid skin problems, as well as detoxify poisons and toxic waste in the body. Herbalist Louise Tenney writes, “Dandelion is a natural source of protein, and is very high in vitamins A, B, C and E. It is rich in potassium calcium and sodium with some phosphorus and iron.”
One new mother called to tell us of her experience with Dandelion as a source of iron, which makes sense, considering Dandelion’s nourishing benefits for the blood. She was suffering from iron deficiencies, but didn’t want to take isolated iron because she was pregnant. She instead ate Dandelion during the pregnancy, and had no further iron deficiencies.
The Liver and Dandelion
In the herbal texts, the strengthening benefit most often mentioned is Dandelion as food nourishment for the liver.
In his book Own Your Own Body, Stan Malstrom writes, “A physical plant to reproduce materials manufactured by the liver, to separate the toxins, to purify the various poisons and perform other liver functions would require a building five stories high and one block square. It would feature all our technology in miniature to perform the same functions of our five-pound liver.”
Louise Tenney writes in Today’s Herbs, “The liver is our personal food storage. Starches are stored in the liver, and changed to glycogen and released as the body needs energy-building material. Fats are stored in the liver as well as proteins, where they are changed into amino acids. White blood cells are manufactured in the liver to destroy germs and poisons, which come from the intestines. The liver is responsible for the substance that causes blood to clot. The liver also detoxifies. It renders harmless the toxic end-products of the digestion process. When the liver is working properly, it has the task of eliminating toxic metals.
“When the liver is in trouble, it puts strain and congestion on all the glands, muscles, joints and the body structure. Dandelion strengthens the liver with its easily assimilated minerals concentrated in the roots of the plant.”
Sunrider’s Dandelion Root is a companion support herb to the foundation SunPack whole food program (Nourish-Balance-Cleanse). When eaten in conjunction with the balanced whole food formulas of NuPlus, Calli, Assimilaid, Alpha 20 C, Conco, Lifestream, and Prime Again (the Quinary formula), Dandelion can provide superior nutrition.
Dandelion is truly an “international” plant, one of the few herbs used by peoples and cultures as diverse as the ancient Chinese and settlers of the American west. The ancients viewed Dandelion’s wide distribution in nature as a sign from the heavens, and considered it a valuable whole body tonic. By virtue of its abundance growing wild, it began revealing its nutritional value through constant use. For decades, people would gather dandelion just before it bloomed, and add the young leaves to their salads, or cook them like spinach. The root was often cooked like other vegetables. Countless texts describe Dandelion as one of nature’s finest tonics.
*This information is provided for nutritional purposes only. It is not the intent of the author to diagnose, prescribe or imply treatment. If you have a medical condition, please by all means, consult a physician.
* These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease.
