Happy May Day! Celebrate with Dandelions!
What are they spraying on our produce in the grocery stores?
We call them weeds now, in the past we called them medicine. The dandelion plant is so full of medicinal properties, we should all be collecting them and using them regularly.
I just did a LIVE video yesterday on YouTube and Facebook about dandelions. I did a taste test between three teas, dandelion flower, dandelion greens and dandelion root and it was so interesting the taste difference. The video is below for all to watch.
Dandelions
Healthy Skin and Eyes
Remember when you were a kid and you would smear the yellow dandelion flower on your skin because you thought it was cool the way your skin turned yellow? It seems us kids knew what we were doing and that dandelion flowers should be smeared on our skin.
Dandelion flowers are low in calories and good for weight loss diets. The bright yellow color of the flower heads is indicative of the presence of bioactive pigmented antioxidants such as the xanthophylls lutein and zeaxanthin. Eating dandelion flowers provides fiber to the diet for regular transit and good digestive health, as well as antioxidants with benefits for eyesight. Studies also show dandelion flower water extracts exert a protective effect on the skin, helping absorb UVB radiation from sunlight and protecting against skin damage, with antiaging benefits.
Fibroblasts are cells that produce connective tissue such as collagen which is responsible for skin elasticity and essentially youthful skin.
Moreover, the dandelion extract stimulated the production of glutathione, a peptide known to offer protection against oxidative processes, including cell aging oxidation-driven processes. Not just this, but the dandelion flower extract was also found to absorb UVB radiation when applied to the skin, further indicating a protective effect against sun skin damage and skin ageing.
Healthy Digestion
One of the benefits that dandelion flowers share with dandelion root is they help restore good gut bacteria populations and normalize the gut microbiome for better digestive health.
Dandelion flowers can be consumed raw and provide dietary fiber that serves as a food source for good gut bacteria, nourishing existing populations and helping improve their numbers.
Studies also show that gut bacteria imbalance brought on by chronic alcohol intake (alcoholism) can be at least partially remedied by consumption of water extracts from dandelion flowers. This presents dandelion flower water extracts as potential remedies for intestinal bacterial dysbiosis and bacterial overgrowth in the small intestines.
Healthy Liver and Blood Sugar Levels
Dandelions are one of the first plants to grow in the spring which associates them with spring, tree energy. Foods at this time feed, nurture and cleanse the liver. Dandelion is diuretic in nature to help cleanse the body.
Chronic alcohol intake causes the accumulation of fats in the liver, or fatty liver disease, formally called hepatic steatosis. In a study, white flower dandelion ( Taraxacum coreanum Nakai) water extract was shown to protect against ‘alcoholic liver steatosis by accelerating ethanol degradation’.
Moreover, water extracts of white dandelion and, by extension, potentially also yellow dandelion flowers, can help protect against ethanol-induced losses in lean body mass and bone mass, and improve glucose tolerance.
Healthy Blood
In a study, dandelion flower phenolic preparations at 50% and 85% concentration were shown to increase thrombin time, exerting an anti-platelet action and delivering anticoagulant effects.
This suggests that consumption of preparations from dandelion flowers, such as dandelion flower tea, dandelion petal extracts or dietary supplements, can potentially represent a source of anticlotting benefits to those with increased risks for blood clots.
Hydroxycinnamic acid and derivatives are the suspected biologically active components in dandelion flowers that increase blood clotting time and deliver anti-clotting benefits.
Anti-Cancer Properties
Some researchers suggest that compounds in dandelions may protect against cancer. A number of test tube studies have shown that exposing different cancer cells to an alcohol-based dandelion extract has a cytotoxic (cell-killing) effect similar to chemotherapy—but without chemotherapy side effects.
Another test tube study published in the journal Oncotarget reported that a water-based extract of dandelion root was able to slow the proliferation (multiplication and spread) of colon cancer cells.
Evidence suggests that dandelion leaf extract directly inhibits the activity of aromatase, an enzyme that converts inactive estrogen into its bioactive form. This supports healthy estrogen levels and promotes hormonal balance. Healthy estrogen levels can help prevent breast cancer.
In Other News:
People seem to be talking about the sprays at the grocery stores that spray, what we all thought was water, on our produce. A friend recently sent me this information about what is being sprayed on our produce in the stores. This is NOT the toxic coating ‘Apeel’ that I have written over 8 blogs about. This is what is being sprayed on the vegetables while on display at the grocery store. We all thought it was just water to help keep them fresh and moist.
“Hypochlorous acid, the active ingredient in the disinfectant product, "ProduceMaxx" has been called the "miracle liquid." It's nontoxic, stronger than bleach, and kills pathogens effectively. The issue, however, and why ProduceMaxx is being splashed all over social media, is the fact that it's sprayed on organic and conventional produce in grocery stores without your knowledge. AVFCA's article on ProduceMaxx goes into all the details:”
Please read this information for yourself and decide how bad you think this is for our consumption. Our food should be as close to nature as possible with nothing un-natural being sprayed on it. I will say that what is being sprayed on the produce at the grocery store is not as toxic as the coating ‘Apeel’.
For more information about the toxic coating ‘Apeel’ go back and look at my previous blogs I wrote about it, such as this one:
Upcoming Classes:
Macro Val's Healing with Foods #2
Poultices, Healing Teas, Natural Remedies and More
Three weeks Zoom class series.
Sign up here: https://www.macroval.com/healing_food_classes2024.htm
Saturday: April 27 (recording available) May 11 and June 1
11 AM to 12:30 PM (ET)
Fee: $35.00 per class - Prepay and attend all three $90.00
Food is medicine. Food can be used in many applications, not just in cooking to heal the body. Through my 27 year journey of studying, cooking with and healing with food, I have accumulated a vast knowledge of the healing properties of food. I want to share that knowledge to you to help further your knowledge of healing your body naturally.
Week two: May 11 - Dead Nettles, Mustard and Basil
Topics covered: high blood pressure, colds and flus, skin issues, brain health, heart health, bug repellent
Week three: June 1 - Cabbage and Tofu Poultices
The poultices will be demonstrated in class and taught when they are needed to be applied
Week one: April 27 - Recording and 9-page information booklet available for purchase: Ume Plum Paste, Miso and Nori Sea Vegetable
Topics covered: cuts and scrapes, digestive health, but bites and stings, skin issues
Asparagus Cake with Sweet Potato Frosting and more Asparagus Recipes Cooking Class
This cake is one of my favorite recipes I have ever created in the 27 years that I have been creating recipes and teaching cooking classes.
Wed. May 22 - 6 to 9 PM (ET)
In person $65.00 - Virtual $55.00
Sweet, moist and delicious Asparagus Cake is the star of this cooking class. Plus the bright orange, creamy Sweet Potato Frosting, all sugar free and gluten free. All the recipes feature the signature spring vegetable asparagus.
Menu: Asparagus Cake with Sweet Potato Frosting, Split Pea Asparagus Basil Soup and Quinoa Chick Pea Lettuce Asparagus Salad with Green Olives and Tahini Dressing.
Sign up here: https://www.macroval.com/cookingclasses.htm
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