Dandelion
Taraxacum officinale — also: Lion's tooth
Nutritious and gently functional; human trials are limited but it is a safe, food-grade bitter.
A humble, nutritious 'weed' used across Europe and Asia as a spring tonic, bitter digestive, and gentle diuretic ('leaf' for water, 'root' for liver/bile).
Leaf as a mild diuretic; root as a digestive bitter and prebiotic (inulin); traditional liver support.
Bitter compounds stimulate digestion; inulin feeds gut flora; preclinical diuretic and antioxidant activity.
- Nutritious bitter/digestive
- Mild diuretic (leaf)
- Prebiotic (root inulin)
Long food/traditional use; preclinical data; few human trials.
- Limited human evidence
- Daisy allergy
- Diuretic/medication interactions
- People on diuretics/lithium/diabetes meds without advice
Allergy (daisy family); the leaf's diuretic effect; may affect blood sugar.
Possible interaction with diuretics, lithium, blood thinners, and diabetes meds.
Food amounts fine; medicinal doses cautious in pregnancy and with gallstones.
Forage from clean, unsprayed ground; young leaves for salad, roasted root for 'coffee.'
A free, nutritious bitter from the lawn — just respect the diuretic and medication interactions.