What Is Dandelion Root?

Dandelion root is the medicinal root from the well-known dandelion plant. Often considered a weed by gardeners, dandelion has been used in Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) and Arabic medicine since at least 659 B.C.E. It has uses as both a food and as a medicinal herb. Dandelion grows practically everywhere and can withstand many different climates. Dandelion root works well on its own and when combined with other herbs.

How to Use Dandelion Root (Common Uses)

Dandelion root can be taken internally as a tea, decoction, powder, capsules, or extract. Applied externally as a poultice. Visit our herbal blog for more ideas about how to use dandelion root.

Medicinal Uses and Benefits of Dandelion Root

In TCM dandelion root is considered energetically sweet, cooling, and drying. Do not be fooled though, as the flavor of dandelion root is bitter. Alongside roasted chicory root (a plant closely related to dandelion), roasted dandelion root makes a popular substitute for the bitter flavor of coffee.

With its bitter qualities, dandelion root can benefit weak digestion, and is a potent yet gentle way to clear excess heat from the liver. Dandelion root can help increase bile production, and may have some anti-inflammatory benefits as well. The fibers and sugars that naturally occur in dandelion root serve as an excellent food source for beneficial gut bacteria, making dandelion a helpful herb for treating dysbiosis.

When taken in high doses or by those who are very sensitive, dandelion root may produce an extremely mild laxative effect.

Dandelion root helps to cleanse the blood as well as nourish it, and is extremely high in minerals and vitamins, especially vitamins A, B, and C. It plays a key role in our Cooling Detox Tea.

The cleansing action of dandelion root can be beneficial for conditions such as excess cholesterol, inflammation of the gallbladder, and rheumatism.

Western Herbalism has historically used dandelion root for detoxifying the liver and gallbladder, as well as for stimulating digestion and appetite.

Active Constituents in Dandelion Root

Sesquiterpene lactones, sitosterin, stigmasterin, phytosterin, phenolic acids, polysaccharides, inulin, carotenoids, choline, vitamins, minerals, taraxacin, taraxacerin.

Notable Facts About Dandelion Root

The ever-recognizable yellow flowers that dandelion produces are light sensitive, opening in the light of morning and closing at night.