How To Make Dandelion Tea

It made me so excited to see so much of our community engaging with the health benefits of dandelions we shared with you last week. One request that kept popping up was, “James, how do we get more of these benefits?” My favorite way is in dandelion tea. It’s so incredibly simple to forage, brew, and keep on hand for a rainy day. Plus, you get to make the most of all parts of this powerful healing plant. The root is the most common, but depending on the healing benefits you’re looking for, you can use any part you desire. So put the kettle on to boil, this won’t take long.

You Will Need:

• Freshly picked dandelions
• Saucepan
• Water
• Measuring cup and spoons
• Honey or agave if a natural sweetener is required (although this is often sweet enough)

To Make Dandelion Flower Tea:

1. Boil 1 cup of water in the saucepan.
2. Place petals of 10 dandelion flowers in a tea strainer or directly into your cup.
3. Cover with boiling water and let steep for 20 minutes.

To Make Dandelion Leaf Tea:

1. Boil 1 cup of water in the saucepan.
2. Wash and dry six dandelion leaves, then chop them finely and put them into your cup.
3. Cover with boiling water and let steep for 10 minutes.

To Make Dandelion Root Tea:

1. Dig your dandelion fresh, ensuring you use gardening tools to get the taproot - the powerhouse.
2. Boil 1 quart of water in the saucepan.
3. Wash, dry, and dice the taproot and add 2 tsp of root to the boiling water. Cover the pot and reduce the heat.
4. Allow the steeping process to take place on the burner for approximately one minute.
5. Remove your pan from the heat and continue to steep for 40 minutes.
6. Strain the roots and serve.

---