How to make Dandelion Tea and why

Most people see dandelions and want to eradicate them from their gardens and lawns as they tend to take over and make themselves at home wherever their seeds land on a breezy day. However, dandelions have many medicinal and health benefits that just might make you look at them a little differently. They’ve been used in Eastern medicine to treat stomach woes and they help aid in digestion and mineral absorption. Dandelions act as a natural diuretic, detoxify the liver as well as being rich in vitamin A, C and D as well as zinc and magnesium.

Making dandelion tea is easy and all you need to do is go out into your yard to find them. In this post we will be talking about dandelion flower tea, which has a sweet and delicate flavor and is delicious served iced or hot.

You can also make tea from the roots and leaves. (Roasted dandelion root is delicious and is often called dandelion coffee)

When choosing where to harvest your dandelions from, it’s best to ensure the area has not been treated with chemicals.

First step:

Pick roughly a quart of dandelions. Remove all the stems and leaves and place the yellow flowers in a bowl and wash them with apple cider vinegar, followed by a cool rinse in a colander. (This helps get rid of the bugs and anything you don’t want in your drink)

Second:

Steep in hot water. About five to ten minutes for a delicate flavor and up to thirty minutes for a stronger flavor.

Third:

Strain the flowers out and enjoy or let the tea cool in the refrigerator for a few hours for for an iced beverage. Dandelion tea can be saved for up to 36 hours safely in the refrigerator.

Last:

Sweeten and flavor if you need to. A little lime or lemon adds a tasty zing, or a bit of stevia or honey to sweeten.