Bring in the fight against Atherosclerosis with the mighty Dandelion

Atherosclerosis is a condition in which arteries become narrowed and hardened due to the buildup of plaque—composed of fat, cholesterol, calcium, and other substances. This process can lead to reduced blood flow and increase the risk of serious cardiovascular issues, such as heart attacks and strokes. It is possible to prevent or reduce the building of plaque by maintaining a healthy lifestyle and adopting a healthy diet--with of course fresh fruits and vegetables—but also by including in your diet a variety of medicinal plants, such as garlic, ginger, cayenne pepper, turmeric and dandelion.

A study published in the journal “Nutrients” researched the medicinal plant Dandelion and found that “polysaccharides, a natural ingredient extracted from the dandelion, possess immune regulation, anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and anti-aggregation properties. These properties suggest that dandelion might alleviate atherosclerosis." In their study, the authors found that "dandelion polysaccharides significantly reduced the levels of triglyceride, total cholesterol, and low-density lipoprotein-cholesterol in serum, while elevated the high-density lipoprotein-cholesterol level.”

Source: Study published in September 2023 – Volume 15 – Issue 19 of the journal “Nutrients”

The easiest way to eat dandelions is in a salad. Try my recipe below. You will find that the concept of “food is medicine’ is easy to put into practice without sacrificing taste and flavor.

DANDELION SALAD BOWL

Ingredients:

Salad: 1 bunch of fresh dandelions, 1 cup of cooked tricolor quinoa, 1 tomato, 1/3 of a large cucumber, ½ yellow bell pepper, ½ mango, ½ avocado, a handful of fresh herbs according to your taste (basil, cilantro, parsley, dill, etc.)

Dressing: 1/8 c olive oil, 5 TS of Apple Vinegar Cider, 1/8 c Tahini, 1 TS Miso, 1 knob of grated ginger, 1 or 2 crushed garlic cloves, 1 orange juice, 1 ts Turmeric, ¼ ts Cayenne.

Instructions:

Finely chop the dandelions and massage them with 1 TS olive oil and a pinch of Celtic salt. This process tenderizes the leaves and makes the dandelions more digestible.

Finely dice the tomato, cucumber, bell pepper, mango and avocado. Combine them and the chopped fresh herbs with the cooked quinoa.

Make the dressing by combining all the ingredients in a small jar.

Assemble the bowl with the dandelions at the bottom, topped with the quinoa and veggies, and a drizzle of dressing to taste. Enjoy!