The following goes under the Medicine tab, underneath Cancer:
OTHER HEALTH BENEFITS
Have you ever eaten a dandelion? The roots, leaves, and petals are tastier than you might think, and can be used to make a variety of dishes with various health benefits. They are full of minerals and vitamins (embed a link to nutrition page here), and the root in particular has a variety of medicinal uses that have been documented in ancient medical records & herblore, and which are currently being investigated and validated by modern science. Dandelions combat vitamin deficiency, provide you with antioxidants, support your immune system, are a diuretic, and promote liver functioning and digestion.
They’re especially great for your gut! We've all got our very own microbiomes on or inside parts of our bodies, such as our skin or gastrointestinal tracts. Dandelions are good for human being's microbiomes because their roots contain inulin, a carbohydrate and soluble fiber. Inulin helps your microbiome because it can be a prebiotic, which means it can promote the development and activity of microorganisms that are beneficial to your health; it supports the growth of good gut bacteria and helps your digestive system .
There are all sorts of reasons to try dandelion as a tincture, tonic, extract, snack, or tea. Please have a conversation with your doctor in the event that you decide to start taking this plant as a treatment or supplement.
University of Maryland Medical Center (2015, June 06) Dandelion. http://umm.edu/health/medical/altmed/herb/dandelion
United States Department of Agriculture. (2016, May). Dandelion Greens. https://ndb.nal.usda.gov/ndb/foods/show/2960?fgcd=
Sanchez, A. (n.d) Ten Things You Might Not Know About Dandelions. Maine Organic Farmers and Gardeners Association. http://www.mofga.org/Default.aspx?tabid=756
Wambold, K., Ablir, D. (2013) Dandelion. http://www.herbs-info.com/dandelion.html#ref
Lixandru, M. (2014, December 12) Properties and Benefits of Dandelions. http://www.natureword.com/tag/priests-crown/
Hourdajian, D. (2006) Introduced Species Summary Project: Dandelion (Taraxacum officinale). http://www.columbia.edu/itc/cerc/danoff-burg/invasion_bio/inv_spp_summ/Taraxum_officinale.htm
Arshad Kassim, M., Baijnath, H., Odhav, B. (2014, August 04) Effect of traditional leafy vegetables on the growth of lactobacilli and bifidobacteria. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/25088723
Susan G Komen (n.d) Dandelion. http://ww5.komen.org/BreastCancer/Dandelion.html
Wilderness Awareness School (n.d) Edible Weeds: Herbal Medicine Chest in Your Back Yard. https://www.wildernessawareness.org/articles/edible-weeds-herbal-medicine-chest-your-back-yard
Native American Ethonobotany Database (n.d) http://naeb.brit.org/uses/search/?string=dandelion
Group, E. (2015) The Top 9 Herbs for Liver Cleansing. http://www.globalhealingcenter.com/natural-health/top-9-herbs-for-liver-cleansing/
Organic Information Services Pvt Ltd. (2011) Health Benefits of Dandelions. https://www.organicfacts.net/health-benefits/herbs-and-spices/health-benefits-of-dandelion.html
1471: Gut Fauna. (2015, October 6).
http://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php/1471:_Gut_Fauna
Inulin. (2016, June 4).
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Inulin
Prebiotic. (2016, May 27)
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prebiotic_%28nutrition%29