Dandelion Tea for Detoxification
Dandelion tea can be made fresh right from your lawn or garden (as long as no pesticides have been applied) When killing off the microbes the toxins are released and can create symptoms called a Herxheimer reaction. Sometimes these symptoms can be as difficult or as painful as those created my the microbes themselves. This decoction can help your body get rid of the toxins from die-off.
Here is the recipe that I use:
"Make it Fresh! How to Make Dandelion Tea"
Originally posted October 10, 2011 on LuminEarth by Becki Baumgartner
The benefits of dandelion greens are amazing! Dandelion leaf tea is an excellent tonic and detox for the entire body. It helps to cleanse and detoxify the bladder, kidneys, liver and blood. It is an excellent, healthy diuretic because it is a natural source of potassium and replenishes any potassium lost through its diuretic action.
When using as a detox tea, I make a gallon of dandelion leaf tea, refrigerate, and sip on it throughout the day, sweetening it a bit with liquid stevia.
Precautions:
Dandelion tea may irritate the stomach lining in some individuals. It increases the amount of bile produced. People that have gallstones or gallbladder ailments should not drink dandelion tea. Occasionally, individuals who are allergic to plants in the daisy family may experience skin irritation when handling leaves or extract.
Individuals who are diabetic should carefully monitor their blood sugar levels when drinking dandelion tea. The tea also counteracts the effects of antacids and drugs that reduce acid production in the stomach.
-Kathleen Roberts, LoveToKnow Herbs
For more information on this wonderful herb please visit: Dandelion (Taraxacum officinale) ~ LuminEarth’s Guide to Wild Edible & Medicinal Plants
Anyhow, Thought you might like to know how I use up all of the dandelion greens in my yard. I really like this method, because you use everything! Here’s what I do:
- Get a large kettle, one that holds at least one gallon of water
- Gather enough dandelion greens to fill the kettle at least half full (click here to earn about how to identify and gather dandelion greens)
- Clean and rinse the dandelion leaves, returning them to the kettle
- Fill kettle with one gallo of water
- Bring to a rapid boil Boil for 10 minutes
At this point, you have dandelion tea! (Technically, this is a “decoction” because you have boiled the leaves in the water. A “tea” is made by bringing the water to a boil, turning off the heat source, and steeping the leaves.)
- Remove the dandelion leaves from the “tea”
- Save the tea, this can be consumed hot or cold. (I like to place mine in a gallon jug and drink it as iced tea.)
- Sweeten to taste with honey, stevia, or your sweetener of choice."