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Most gardeners know dandelion as an annoying weed that can be found literally everywhere. But this unpretentious and accessible plant carries great value for humans. Information about the benefits and harms of tea made from dandelion root, flowers or greens will help you understand how to use it for various diseases.
Benefits of dandelion tea
Dandelion has a wide range of medicinal effects. It is almost impossible to list all of its therapeutic abilities. Here are just the main properties:
- choleretic;
- diuretic;
- laxative;
- hypoglycemic;
- stimulating the activity of the pancreas;
- diaphoretic;
- antipyretic;
- anti-inflammatory;
- soothing;
- antihistamine;
- antiviral;
- expectorant;
- antituberculosis;
- cleansing;
- anthelmintic;
- tonic.
The pharmacological characteristics of the plant are dictated by its chemical composition. The roots contain a high concentration of bitterness, so dandelion tea is used to normalize digestion processes, increase appetite, and secretory and motor functions of the gastrointestinal tract. The substances contained in tea irritate the receptors of the mucous membrane of the mouth and tongue, stimulate the functioning of the food center, and enhance the secretion of the digestive glands.
Dandelion tea cleanses the body well of toxins, removes poisons and toxins. The drink is also very useful for the hematopoietic system. Its use leads to a decrease in the concentration of bad cholesterol, and in case of anemia, it restores a healthy balance of blood cells.
Dandelion roots are part of diuretic, choleretic and laxative herbal preparations. They are used both independently and in complex treatment for cholecystitis, gastritis, complicated by regular constipation, and dysfunction of the gallbladder. As numerous reviews of dandelion root tea testify, the healing potential of this plant is truly limitless.
Is dandelion tea good for weight loss?
For overweight people, the benefits of dandelion leaf tea are manifested primarily in its diuretic properties. It helps remove excess fluid from the body, which, accumulating in cells, interferes with the normal course of metabolic processes.
The drink also has a positive effect on the condition and functioning of the liver and cleanses away accumulated toxins.As a result, the organ functions more efficiently, fully breaks down fats, and prevents excess cholesterol from being deposited.
Having a positive effect on the digestive processes, dandelion tea improves the digestion and absorption of food.
Is it possible to drink dandelion during pregnancy?
It is not prohibited to drink dandelion during pregnancy, but its amount should not exceed therapeutic doses recommended by the doctor. The drink will help solve many problems that usually bother women during this difficult period for them. Dandelion tea can:
- eliminate constipation;
- strengthen the immune system;
- protect against viral and colds;
- prevent the threat of miscarriage;
- replenish the body with valuable nutrients.
Boil a tablespoon of the dried leaves and root mixture over low heat for a few minutes. Infuse and take three times a day on an empty stomach. This infusion will help reduce the risk of miscarriage. But a different recipe is suitable for nursing mothers.
To make more milk, you need to steam 1 tsp. dandelion root powder in a cup of boiling water, leave for an hour under the lid, it is better if you do this in a thermos. Take a spoon before each meal.
What is dandelion tea made from?
Dandelion is completely healing. Not only the roots, but also the flowers and leaves of the plant will help cure the most severe diseases. Dry raw materials are used to prepare the drink. Fresh herbs are more suitable for creating vitamin-rich salads, cocktails, and juices.
Dandelion tea may also contain additional ingredients. They are included in the recipe for different purposes:
- Improve the taste of the drink. Dandelion has a lot of bitterness and specific notes.To slightly adjust the flavor range, additional components and herbs are introduced.
- Give the drink a rich vitamin or medicinal content, make it more active in influencing the body and its problem areas.
In addition, for the drink to be sweet and tasty, it must contain all kinds of sweeteners. According to reviews, you can add not only the usual sugar to dandelion tea, but also honey, sweeteners (sucralose, stevioside), cane sugar, molasses and others.
What does dandelion combine with when brewing tea?
To add the necessary sourness to dandelion tea, it is good to add lemon, cranberries, kiwi, and some other sour fruits or berries. If you add honey to such a drink, you will get a real cure for colds, to boost immunity, strengthen strength and prevent hypovitaminosis.
Procurement of raw materials
Dandelion must be harvested correctly in order to preserve its beneficial properties as much as possible. Different rules for drying collection apply to different parts of the plant.
Root
Most of the medicinal substances are concentrated in dandelion roots. They are harvested either in early spring, when the plant is just beginning to gain strength, but has not yet bloomed, there are no leaves, or in the fall, during the period of wilting.
It is better to remove the root from the ground using a shovel. Then shake and wash in running cold water. Dry and dry for several days in the open air in the shade until the milky juice stops appearing on the cuts.
Dry for a week in a well-ventilated, low-humidity room.You can do all this in a dryer, and so that the raw materials do not lose their beneficial properties, set the temperature to 40-50 degrees.
Flowers
The yellow heads of dandelions must be harvested at the beginning of their flowering. The weather should be dry for at least several days. The collection should be carried out in the afternoon so that by this time traces of dew have disappeared on the flowers.
Place the collected raw materials in one layer on a moisture-absorbing surface, for example, burlap or paper. It is necessary to avoid direct sunlight, under the influence of which the plant will lose most of its beneficial properties. Flower heads should be turned over as often as possible to avoid rotting.
Leaves
Collection is carried out during the flowering period. Dry like any other herb, in the shade, under a canopy or in a room with good air circulation. The leaves should be turned over periodically so that they are weathered evenly on all sides.
How to make dandelion tea
The technology for preparing dandelion tea is not much different from the method of preparing similar hot drinks from herbs or traditional tea leaves. You will need 2 main components: plant materials and boiling water.
How to make tea from dandelion flowers
From yellow dandelion heads you can prepare a concentrate that will serve as the basis for making tea. It just needs to be diluted with a cup of warm boiled water and the drink is ready. Do it as follows.
In a 3 liter jar, layer the flower heads and granulated sugar, of which you will need about 1.5 kg in total. Then compact and add a little water (<100 ml). Soon the juice will begin to stand out, this is the basis for making tea.
How to make tea from dandelion roots
Grind the dried roots of the plant into powder. Steam a teaspoon of the resulting raw material with a cup of boiling water and leave for 10-20 minutes. Drink the entire volume during the day before meals, dividing into 4 doses. Dandelion root tea will benefit digestion, urinary and bile ducts, as well as diabetes, atherosclerosis and many other diseases.
How to make tea from dandelion leaves
A recipe for dandelion green tea is worth considering. Pour the dry leaves of the plant into a cup (2 tsp), add a slice of lemon and pour boiling water over it. Leave for 10-15 minutes, sweeten. The benefits and harms of tea made from dandelion leaves are taken into account in the medical practice of traditional healers and herbalists. The plant helps maintain the condition of the nervous, cardiovascular, biliary, urinary and other systems of the body.
How to make dandelion root tea with honey
Pour boiling water over 2 tsp. chopped roots. Cover the container with a lid and leave until the drink has cooled to a maximum temperature of +40 degrees. Only after this add 1 tsp. natural honey, a little lemon juice. Stir the drink until the additional ingredients are completely dissolved.
How to brew dandelion root tea in a thermos
The most rich and healthy dandelion tea is prepared using a recipe in a thermos. To get the usual concentration of the drink, in this case you can use more than 2 tsp.tea leaves from the roots of the plant, and one for the same amount of water (cup).
Reception features
Dandelion tea will maximize its beneficial properties if you drink it on an empty stomach. It is necessary to give the body enough time to fully absorb the biologically active substances contained in the drink, as well as so that they have the opportunity to carry out the process of healing one or another problem point in the human body.
Therefore, to obtain the most beneficial effect, dandelion tea should be drunk regularly throughout the day, preferably on an empty stomach half an hour or an hour before meals. It is advisable to stop eating meat, especially fatty and smoked meat, for the duration of treatment, and switch to a vegetarian or dairy-vegetable diet. This will help improve the absorption of nutrients in the drink.
Also, while taking dandelion, you do not need to eat fried foods, coffee, or a lot of sweets, so as not to complicate the situation. Dandelion in combination with these products can exhibit completely opposite properties and intensify the disease process, so you need to be very careful.
In order for dandelion root tea to fully exhibit its beneficial properties, it should be prepared without adding sugar. If it is difficult to do without a sweetener, you can add stevia (herb) or honey when brewing, when the drink is already cooled.
Restrictions and contraindications
Dandelion tea can bring not only benefits, but also harm. Its use is contraindicated for gastritis, which occurs against the background of increased acidity, as well as for ulcerative lesions of the digestive tract (stomach, duodenum).
You need to be careful with medicinal tea in case of acute inflammatory diseases of the biliary tract. Increased bile secretion can complicate the health situation and intestinal disorders, as it will contribute to the development of a laxative effect.
Dandelion should not be combined with the following medications:
- antacids (anti-acid);
- anticoagulants (blood thinners);
- diuretics (diuretics);
- hypoglycemic, increases, which can lead to an attack of hypoglycemia;
- lithium – weakens the effect;
- ciprofloxacin - interferes with absorption.
You need to start introducing dandelion into your diet carefully, with small doses. Otherwise, an unpredictable reaction of the body may develop. This is especially true for children.
Conclusion
The benefits and harms of tea made from dandelion root or other parts of the plant have long been known to people and are used in medicine. This is a very effective and at the same time affordable remedy for many diseases. With its help, you can improve your health for free, strengthen your body, get rid of worms, prevent viral and colds, and also prevent the development of complex pathologies, such as cancer.
