If you own a garden or a yard, you probably groan with dismay at the sight of dandelions raising their pretty heads. But, the next time you get ready to use a whole bunch of chemicals to rid your yard of the weeds, you might want to consider the dandelion tea benefits that nature is offering you. Try brewing and drinking the tea and see the wonders it does for your health. In fact, dandelion tea is a well-known folk remedy for various ailments. You can make it by infusing the leaves in hot water or roasting the roots and boiling in water.
Dandelion Tea Benefits for Good Health
Keeps Your Liver Healthy
Dandelion tea has been well-known for its positive effects on your liver. That’s because the plant contains polysaccharides and flavonoids that work to help the liver rid the body of toxins and other potentially harmful substances that enter the body. The antioxidants contained in dandelion tea also work to remove the free radicals and peroxides in your bloodstream, and thus promotes the health of your entire body. In addition, the beverage can stimulate the flow of bile, and promote the synthesis of cholesterol and lipids that can build up on the walls of your arteries.
Promotes Heart Health
As mentioned above, dandelion tea benefits your heart by removing high cholesterol levels that can make your heart work harder. As a result, you could prevent issues like hypertension, blood clots, and possibly, even strokes. In addition, the dandelion plant has physicochemical properties along with potassium that maintain the balance of electrolytes in the blood that, in turn, regulate blood thickness levels.
Works as a Diuretic to Prevent Bloating
Dandelion tea acts as a diuretic thanks to its phytochemical content of polyphenolic acids and terpenes. This property is highly beneficial for your health in more ways than one. By regulating urination, the beverage keeps your blood thickness at optimum levels. The removal of excess fluid from the body also helps lower bloating and swelling in the joints. So, if you have been experiencing weight gain because of the fluid retention, here’s the best way to lose the excess inches. Further, proper urination keeps your kidneys healthy and lowers the risk of urinary tract infections (UTIs). Getting rid of excess fluids keeps fatigue away so you feel more energetic.
Gives You Beautiful Skin
Dandelion tea acts as an effective detoxification and antimicrobial agent. As a result, it can help cleanse your skin and remove impurities and infections. Any skin conditions like acne, pimples, breakouts, eczema, and rashes caused by bacteria, viruses, or fungi respond very well to dandelion tea.
Improves Your Digestion
By stimulating the flow of bile, dandelion tea benefits your digestive system by soothing it and acting as a mild laxative. Rely on the beverage for relief from issues like acid reflux, flatulence, constipation, and lack of appetite. If you have been trying to lose weight, try dandelion tea that works to prevent the action of the enzyme, pancreatic lipase that breaks down and digests the fat content in your food. Without the action of this enzyme, the fat cells pass out of your body intact.
Could Help Destroy Cancer Cells
Recent studies have shown that dandelion plant extracts could prevent the development of cancerous cells in the body. That’s because the extracts contain high amounts of phenolic compounds and luteolin derivatives. Various kinds of cancer like breast cancer, pancreatic cancer, uterine cancer, and lung cancer respond to the preventive effects of the tea.
Helps Control Type 2 Diabetes
Dandelion tea has several compounds that raise insulin levels and improve your body’s response to the hormone. Thus, the beverage helps control blood sugar. Some of these compounds include fructo-oligosaccharides, taraxinic acid derivatives, inulin, chicoric acid, and various other phytosterols.
Should you choose to harvest the plant from your garden for making tea, make sure that the area has not been sprayed with weed killers. These chemicals may find their way into the beverage you extract and negate its positive effects in addition to being harmful to your health.
References
7 Ways Dandelion Tea Could Be Good for You
The Physiological Effects of Dandelion (Taraxacum Officinale) in Type 2 Diabetes