Dandelion Salve

How many of you thought that dandelions were just little yellow weeds that invaded your yard in the spring and summer? *raise your hand*

Honestly, I never knew that you could use them for multiple things. I thought they were just little weed flowers! 

Before I share a recipe with you guys that you can make at home (it's easy, I promise) I'm gonna give you some basic background on dandelions, along with some basic information if you choose to consume dandelions. 

What can I treat with dandelion? It can be used to treat-

• loss of appetite
• Upset stomach 
• intestinal gas
• gallstones
• joint pain
• muscle aches
• eczema
• bruises
• increase urine production
• use as a laxative
• increase bowel movements
• skin toner
• blood tonic
• treat infections
• and digestive tonic

That's a pretty hefty list for a little yellow weed right? It's easy to find but please make sure you are aware of the following precautions before ingesting any "wild" dandelion.

Precautions & Allergy Info-

1. Ragweed allergy: Dandelion can cause allergic reactions when taken by mouth or applied to the skin of sensitive people. People who are allergic to ragweed and related plants (daisies, chrysanthemums, marigolds) are likely to be allergic to dandelion. If you have allergies, be sure to check with your healthcare provider before taking dandelion.                    
2. Please use caution when ingesting "wild" dandelion. *The term "wild" here is used for any dandelion, or parts of dandelion that you didn't purchase from a store or local vendor.* Make sure the "wild" dandelion you are harvesting isn't sprayed with chemical sprays or close to highways or other roads. You wouldn't want to ingest any chemicals from vehicles due to run off or pesticide sprays. 

How to harvest dandelions- 

Now that you have some basic safety instructions, this is the best way to harvest "wild" dandelions. 

Dandelion Leaves & Greens


Now when it comes to harvesting, you want to try to pick the youngest leaves, which will be located on the inside of the growth. The older leaves will be bitter and you don't want that. The best ones to eat as far as leaves are concerned are the ones that haven't sprouted flowers yet.

Dandelion Flowers

The flowers are also edible as well. To harvest the buds, simply pluck them off the green stem. Try to separate the flower from the green base, which is very bitter. 

Dandelion Roots

Dandelion root can be roasted and used as a coffee substitute. You can also make a tea with the root. The best time to harvest dandelion root is in the spring, since this is where all the vitamins and minerals are stored during the cold months. Simply dig out the long tuber roots, clean them thoroughly in the sink, and chop them into pieces just as you would a carrot.

Dandelions- Health Benefits

• From root to flower, dandelions are highly nutritious plants, loaded with vitamins, minerals and fiber.
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• Dandelion greens can be eaten cooked or raw and serve as an excellent source of vitamins A, C and K. They also contain vitamin E, folate and small amounts of other B vitamins.
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• What’s more, dandelion greens provide a substantial amount of several minerals, including iron, calcium, magnesium and potassium .
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• The root of the dandelion is rich in the carbohydrate inulin, which is a type of soluble fiber found in plants that supports the growth and maintenance of a healthy bacterial flora in your intestinal tract.
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• Dandelion root is often dried and consumed as a tea but can also be eaten in its whole form.
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• Dandelion are a rich source of beta-carotene and polyphenolic compounds, both of which are known to have strong antioxidant capabilities that can prevent aging and certain diseases.
• Small animal and test-tube studies suggest that dandelion have a significant anti-inflammatory capacity, though more research is needed to better understand how dandelion affect inflammation in humans.

There are so many more health benefits to eating dandelions or using them topically than I have time to list. But the short, they are easy to find, easy to eat, and full of all sorts of goodies for your body. 

Dosage and Supplement Forms

Dandelion leaves, stems and flowers are often consumed in their natural state and can be eaten cooked or raw. The root is usually dried, ground and consumed as a tea or coffee substitute.

Dandelion is also available in supplemental forms, such as capsules, extracts and tinctures.

According to some available data, suggested dosages for different forms of dandelion are (4):

Fresh leaves: 4–10 grams, daily.

Dried leaves: 4–10 grams, daily.

Leaf tincture: 0.4–1 teaspoon (2–5 ml), three times a day.

Fresh leaf juice: 1 teaspoon (5 ml), twice daily.

Fluid extract: 1–2 teaspoon (5–10 ml), daily.

Fresh roots: 2–8 grams, daily.

Dried powder: 250–1,000 mg, four times a day. 

Now on to the dandelion salve recipe! 

Dandelion salve recipe-

First things first, you will need to infuse an oil. This is step one. 

YOU WILL NEED:

• fresh dandelion blossoms
• any vegetable oil of organic quality (olive, coconut, almond, primrose, etc)

One thing you don't want is squishy flowers or a squishy oil. To prevent having too much water content collect your flowers on a sunny day and set the heads of the flowers in the sun for 24 hours before you soak them in oil. I cover mine with a cheesecloth or something similar so they can breathe but let some water evaporate. Once you add them to a container with your oil make sure you fill the jar you are using to the top to prevent extra air getting in. Place the jar in a sunny window for 2 weeks. If you like, you can place this jar outside on a porch just make sure it's safe! 

When your infused oil is ready to go you will need to do the following. Strain out your dandelion oil. You're getting the heads of the flowers out of your oil. Then you can proceed to the next step! 

To prepare dandelion salve ( 1 jar of 300 ml. 

INGREDIENTS:

1/2 cup dandelion infused oil

2 table spoons beeswax

few drops of essential oil (I like using lavender or lemon)

INSTRUCTIONS:

heat the dandelion infused oil in a bain marie (a double boiler) with the beeswax.

Stir until the beeswax is fully melted

Add a few drops of your essential oil before removing from heat.

Pour the substance into your glass jar and let it set for a couple of hours.

The dandelion salve is suitable for people with cracked and dry skin. It heals really quickly and gives a pleasant moisturizing effect.

I personally like to pour mine into cute little containers like in the above picture rather than into one big one. This way you can carry some around if you like, or gift it to friends. 

This particular infusion is great for- 

• face moisturizer
• chapped-lip balm
• bug bite balm
• burn salve
• diaper rash balm
• gardening salve
• balm for rough elbows and cracked heels

Thanks for reading! Let me know if you make any! Or if you have any questions! <3 Leave me comments and subscribe! 

Bonus: 

Here's a link for how to store and use dandelion greens! Dandelion Greens 101