Conscious Choice: The Plant We Love To Hate

Illustration courtesy The Dover Pictorial Archive Series

Facial Pack

Mince a cupful of new tender dandelion leaves and slowly bring to a boil in 1-1/2 cups of cold distilled water. Cover and simmer for 10 minutes, then cool the liquid. Wrap softened leaves in a doubled piece of cheesecloth, facecloth-size. Lie down with the compress over your face for at least 15 to 20 minutes. Rinse with tepid-to-cool water. Make a fresh pack each time and use three times a week for one month. You will be delighted at how clear and glowing your complexion will become.

April 2006 | Choice Eating

The Plant We Love To Hate

The Rodney Dangerfield of plants, the dandelion, makes great salads & facials

By Gay Ingram

Every spring, in towns across the country, the war cry is heard. Armed with potent herbicides and the latest in specialized equipment, homeowners descend on their lawns prepared to spend hours in hand-to-hand combat eradicating the lowly dandelion.

How did this unassuming plant come to be so maligned and despised? At one time, the dandelion ruled in the household as a convenient and natural source of health and beauty.

Containing high levels of vitamin A, it’s also loaded with vitamins B, C and G, and minerals such as iron, potassium and calcium. The dandelion has 25 times more vitamin A than tomato juice and 50 times more than asparagus. Taken internally, it cleanses the system, specifically the liver, gall bladder, spleen, kidney and urinary tract. Dandelion tea (made from the leaves) is good for fighting colds, fevers, insomnia, gout and rheumatism.

The tender new leaves may be tossed into a fresh salad. Later, older, mature leaves may be parboiled and added to soup or a stew. For a non-caffeine substitute for coffee, the dried roots are often roasted and ground. The name dandelion comes from the French phrase, dent-de-lion, or literally “lion’s teeth,” based on the shape of the plant’s leaves.

Even on madam’s dressing table, dandelion can effectively be used as an aid to a more beautiful you. A facial pack made with the leaves will freshen the skin with its cleansing and purifying properties, as well as strengthen facial tissue and soften facial lines.

So spread the word! When your neighbor attacks this humble plant with his deadly sprays, invite him in for a cup of dandelion tea or coffee. Let’s all take advantage of this gift from nature and use its healthy properties to make our lives more pleasant.

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