Dandelion 101
For those who tend to wake up between 1am and 3 am, your liver may be the culprit. Drinking alcohol during or after dinner or eating rich foods can put the liver into overdrive, stimulating your body at a time when you need to be resting. The liver performs up to 500 different functions for the body while you sleep, including helping the body rid itself of toxins, metabolizing hormones, and breaking down fats, to name just a few. That’s when hepatics, or liver-supporting herbs, can help. Dandelion and milk thistle are both hepatic in nature, while incorporating a digestive bitter herb like artichoke into your daily routine can also support liver function.
Dandelion’s use in food and beverages has been recorded since antiquity. Like the famous chicory coffee of New Orleans, the roots of dandelion are roasted to make an excellent coffee addition or substitute, claimed by some to be almost indistinguishable from coffee. This tasty root rendition is what inspired us to create our Roasted Dandelion Root tea. The roots have also made their way into many traditional root beer recipes, “beer” being the operative word, as they were fermented and slightly alcoholic. Dandelion root was often combined with nettle leaf and yellow dock root for a tasty brew.
Young dandelion leaves are a pleasantly bitter spring green packed with minerals, which can be harvested and added to salads and pesto, blanched with spinach, or added to soups from spring to early summer. The leaves can also be dried and steeped in hot water with other tender spring herbs like mint, lemon balm, and nettle. Dried dandelion leaf can be enjoyed in our EveryDay Detox Dandelion, and Dandelion Leaf & Root teas.
Everyone knows you can’t judge a book by its cover, and you can’t judge a plant by its appearance, either. You may think of dandelion as a pesky weed, but this humble little flowering herb may be the culinary surprise you’ve been missing. Let’s take a moment to peek inside the tea bag and get to the root of what makes our Organic Roasted Dandelion Root tea so special.
Named from the French dent-de-lion, or “lion’s tooth,” for its jagged-edged leaves, the dandelion has found its way into cups and cuisines throughout the Northern Hemisphere for centuries. Dandelions came to the New World with early European settlers, who often pulled grasses out of their yards and replaced them with more “useful” herbs like dandelion that were transformed into culinary creations like flower fritters, syrups and wines. The roots were even roasted and brewed into a delicious coffee alternative.
We created our Organic Roasted Dandelion Root tea in homage to this traditional way of preparing the roots. Its rich dark color, warmly roasted and slightly bitter flavor reminds us of a gentle black coffee, which makes it particularly ideal first thing in the morning. Herbal purists may prefer it black, but we also encourage making it your own. Experiment with your favorite creamer or sweeter and whiz it with a blending wand for a perfect herbal latte. Of course, unlike coffee, our Roasted Dandelion Root tea is naturally caffeine-free, which makes it a perfect anytime drink or companion for a cozy evening of reading at home.
Who knew this common little backyard flower would be your new favorite herbal beverage. Now that you’ve had a peek inside, who’s ready for a cup?
