Don’t kill garden weeds – eat them
Before you reach for the weed-killer to get rid of unwanted spontaneous plants in your garden, have a closer look at those green leaves popping up everywhere. Of all wild plants, dandelion is one of the most beneficial for humans being rich in beta-carotene, fibre, iron, potassium, calcium, magnesium, phosphorus and B vitamins.
Bitter herbs have been traditionally eaten in many European countries, particularly in the run up to Easter. Autor Dan Buettner, in his book The Blue Zones Solution: Eating and Living Like the World’s Healthiest People, found that eating wild greens including dandelion can help prolong life.
Native Americans used dandelion tea for a range of stomach problems and swelling, similarly to modern uses in Chinese medicine.
Dandelion is generally safe to eat but if you have any medical condition it is advised to speak to your doctor.
Dandelion is quite easy to identify, but here are some tips in this handy infographic. Also, find out more about the health benefits of dandelion and its uses in the kitchen (see, for example, this recipe for dandelion hummus/pesto).
Source: Fix.com