Uses of Dandelions
We have all walked into our garden or looked at our lawns in the spring and summer and cursed the number of yellow dandelion heads poking up out of the ground. But what was once the ghastliest of all weeds, the dandelion is becoming increasingly popular for its uses outside of the garden.
There are many wonderful ways to use this natural flower, including eating it, drinking it, and even using it to enhance your own psychic powers! Read on to find out how to start viewing what was once a nasty weed into something that is very valuable!
The most common way to use dandelions is to eat them.
Not only are dandelions very tasty but they are also packed with nutritional power! Wash the greens and eat them in a salad or create a very colorful and tasty salad with the flower. If you like food that is a little on the bitter side, you will probably prefer the greens but if you are in the mood for something naturally sweet, the dandelion flowers will do the trick! Eating dandelions has also been proven to help prevent breast cancer, another wonderful reason to pick them from your yard and bring them inside to eat!
Another great way to consume dandelions is to make a tea out of them.
Its thought that making a tea out of dandelion root will help one see better and with more clarity. Its also thought that this is a great way for one to tune in to your own vision and help develop your psychic ability. Other than giving you paranormal powers, the dandelion root has many other benefits when taken as a tea. These include: lowering high blood pressure, prevent or control diabetes, helping with weight loss, cleanses the skin and helps to clear up acne. The tea is very easy to make. Simply wash the dirt away from the roots and boil the roots in water for a minimum of five minutes once the water has come to a rolling boil. Take the dandelion root out of the water and there you have your tea! Boil the root as long as you would like but the longer you boil it, the stronger it will be.
Due to their bright, vibrant color, dandelions are also often used to make dyes.
These dyes can be used in crafts, fabrics such as when youre knitting, and the paste used for henna tattoos. When you are using dandelions to make a dye, you can use the flower to give you a beautiful yellow color or you can use the stem, which will leave you with a vibrant purple color. Whichever part of the dandelion you choose to use, you make the dye the same way. Simple collect the amount of dandelions that you will need. The more you collect, the brighter the color will be so you will probably want to collect quite a bit.
After washing them, separate the flowers from the stems and put whichever you are using back into the pot. Add water and bring the entire pot to a boil. Allow the dandelions to simmer for an hour and then remove from heat and take out the dandelions. Let the water cool. If you are dyeing something such as fabric, place it right into the pot. If you are adding the color to something that would be ruined adding it to the pot (such as tattoo paste,) simply add a few drops to the item until you have reached the color that you want.
There are many great ways to use dandelions instead of just running over them with your lawnmower every week. Get creative and find out just what this fascinating flower can do for you!