Garden lovers are just finding out what you can do with dandelions

A garden and plant educator has urged people to protect the dandelions grown in your garden as they can help improve your health.

Krystal Duran is a plant educator who has grown a following on social media, having just under two million followers across her Instagram and TikTok account, where she makes videos teaching people about how to best take care of their plants.

In a video posted on 22 April, Krystal urged all garden owners to not dig up or use weedkillers on any dandelions that may start growing, as the plants can be used to help boost your health.

“Did you know Dandelions are considered a superfood?!” she wrote in the caption of the Instagram video.

In the video, Krystal first shows how most people spray their dandelions with weedkilling sprays in the hope that they’ll disappear from the lawn. She then cuts the video to show how she prefers to eat them, demonstrating it as she took a bite out of a flower that was still growing from the grass.

“I never said they tasted good though,” she said as she continued to chew on the flower as she walked back to her house.

She went on to explain in the caption: “You can eat all parts of the dandelion including the leaves, flowers, and roots but BE SURE and AVOID dandelions from areas sprayed with pesticides or weed killers.”

“They contain vitamin A, C, K, calcium, iron, magnesium, [otassium, Great for digestive health, antioxidant properties, and so much more,” he said. “They can be quite bitter though so incorporating them into salads or teas is a better way to eat them.”

According to the Cleveland Clinic, dandelion greens, in particular, are a great source of vitamins and minerals such as vitamins A, C and K, folate, calcium, and potassium.

They’re also filled with antioxidants and contain compounds that may help prevent health problems as it can help reduce inflammation, manage blood pressure, control blood sugar, and lower cholesterol.

“They’re probably the most nutritionally dense green you can eat — outstripping even kale or spinach,” registered dietitian Nancy Geib told Cleveland Clinic.

If you want to try to incorporate dandelions into your diet, you’ll be happy to know that the whole plant is edible. Just make sure to pick them from an area where you know hasn’t been treated with pesticides or other chemicals.

The green stems of the plant can be chopped up into a salad, or cooked by boiling or sauteeing in order to reduce the bitterness of it. The yellow flowers can be used fresh in a salad, or dried to make a dandelion tea. You can also infuse them into oils or vinegars, Geib recommends.

Finally, the dandelion roots are commonly used in drinks similar to coffee. You can find dandelion-based coffee substitutes at health food stores.