If you’ve ever been outside in the spring or summertime, then you’ve probably run across a dandelion plant. Maybe you used to play with them as a child, or you find yourself irked by their presence when you go to mow the lawn. Whatever your interaction with them might be, you probably know the plant we’re talking about. But have you ever stopped to consider the medical benefits this particular plant can have on your health?
There are plenty of ways that the dandelion plant can benefit your health, and there are a variety of different ways that you can add it to your health routine. The most common two forms of dandelion that people interact with are the leaves and the root. These components can have many beneficial effects on your health, including the health of your liver. So if you’re interested in learning more about the differences between dandelion root and dandelion leaf, then keep reading.
Dr. Emil is a licensed doctor with plenty of experience in the supplement world, so you know the information you receive is accurate! In this article we’ll look at the following information to help you become acquainted with the differences between dandelion leaf and dandelion root.
- Dandelion leaf and what it is
- Benefits of dandelion leaf
- Possible side effects of dandelion leaf
- What dandelion root is
- The benefits of dandelion root
- Side effects associated with dandelion root
- How to decide which one to add to your diet: dandelion leaf vs. root
What is Dandelion Leaf?
Dandelion leaf can be very beneficial to your health
The dandelion plant is a pretty well-known plant that is native to Europe, but can now be found in many different regions including the United States. You may be familiar with the dandelion plant as a whole, but what about the health benefits of its leaves? The jagged leaves found on the dandelion plant can have many beneficial effects on your health if consumed properly. Dandelion leaf is most commonly taken through a supplement, though some prefer it loose to add to teas and other remedies. With health benefits from helping with the management of blood sugar levels to containing many vitamins and minerals, the dandelion leaf can be a healthy addition to any diet.
Benefits of Dandelion Leaf
Dandelion leaf can have many different health benefits to your body, and knowing and understanding what they are is the first step to using dandelion leaf correctly. So let’s take a look at some of the ways that dandelion leaves can be beneficial to your health and help you to live a happier and healthier lifestyle.
Dandelion Leaves Contain Anti-Inflammatory Properties
Dandelion leaf has many different aspects that help with inflammation throughout the body. More research still needs to be done to prove the effectiveness that dandelion leaf has on reducing inflammation, but it is believed that incorporating dandelion leaf into your daily diet can help to be a natural anti-inflammatory throughout the body.
Can Help to Increase the Health of Your Liver
More research is still needed to conclude these findings, but it is believed that dandelion has a history of being used to help treat certain liver conditions. There are plenty of liver pills to help increase your health out there to buy, and dandelion leaf is only one of them. But how does it work? Sodium dichromate is an environmental pollutant that can increase the oxidative stress in the liver, which can lead to liver disease. Dandelion leaf can help lower oxidative stress levels, which in turn can increase your liver's health.
Dandelion Leaves are a Great Source of Antioxidants
The dandelion leaf is also known to contain powerful antioxidants that can have plenty of benefits to your health and body. These antioxidants have the potential to help prevent some chronic diseases, boost your body’s immunity, and to help your body prevent cellular damage and promote cell growth.
If you’re looking for other ways to add a healthy amount of antioxidants into your daily diet, then check out Dr. Emil’s Daytime Burn. With several antioxidants and vitamins and minerals, Daytime Burn is a great addition to any diet for someone who wants to promote healthy liver detoxification, increase metabolism, and have higher energy throughout the day. Dr. Emil’s Daytime Burn also includes a healthy dose of dandelion leaf to help benefit your body’s overall health.
Can Help Improve the Health of Your Skin
Dandelion leaves can help to protect your skin cells against harmful environmental elements like sun damage and high UV rays. When applied to the skin either before or very soon after sun exposure, it has been seen that dandelion leaf can protect your skin from the harmful effects of the sun. The vitamins and minerals found in dandelion leaves can also have a positive effect on your skin’s overall health.
Possible Side Effects of Dandelion Leaf
Dandelion leaf is a relatively safe and natural addition to any diet, though everyone’s bodies react differently so there are a few possible side effects to keep an eye out for when adding a new component to your daily routine. Some side effects like heartburn, possible allergic reactions, and stomach issues are a few to watch out for. As a rule, it is best to consult your primary care doctor before incorporating any new addition into your daily health routine.
What is Dandelion Root?
Let’s take a look at how dandelion room differs from dandelion leaf
Similar to dandelion leaf, dandelion root is taken from the same plant and possesses many of the same attributes that dandelion leaf does. However, these two components differ not only in the way that they are two different components of the same plant, but also by the effects they each can have on the body. Similar to dandelion leaf, the most common way of incorporating dandelion root into your diet is through a supplement that takes dandelion root’s natural healing capabilities and puts them into an easier method of consumption.
Benefits of Dandelion Root
While dandelion leaf has many health benefits including boosting liver health and acting as an anti-inflammatory, dandelion root has been shown to help the body in other ways like supporting bone health and reducing cholesterol. Let’s look at the other benefits that dandelion root can have on your body and overall health.
Dandelion Root Can Help to Reduce Cholesterol and High Blood Pressure
Having high cholesterol is one of the biggest causes of heart disease, and changing your diet is one of the easiest ways to prevent it. Adding more foods like fruits and vegetables while limiting your intake of processed foods can help you to naturally lower your cholesterol. Incorporating dandelion root is also another way to promote healthy cholesterol levels. While more research is still needed to prove why this is, dandelion root has been seen to lower cholesterol when paired with a healthy diet.
Can Support Liver and Kidney Health
Like dandelion leaves, dandelion root works to protect your liver from oxidative stress. But that isn’t all that dandelion root can do for your liver. Dandelion root has been seen to prevent and treat damage to the liver caused by excessive alcohol consumption, and the antioxidants found in dandelion root can also help the overall health of your liver. Similar to how milk thistle can work to restore liver health, dandelion root can have many benefits to your liver as well.
Dandelion Root May Help Your Body to Kill Cancer Cells
Perhaps one of the largest benefits of incorporating dandelion root into your diet is that it may help to kill off certain cancer cells. Studies have found that dandelion root might be beneficial in preventing and treating certain types of cancers, including liver. This can mean not only a healthier liver as a result of taking dandelion root, but it can help your body to fight off certain cancer causing cells.
Possible Side Effects of Dandelion Root
There have been few reported side effects to taking dandelion root, but there is always a possibility for an allergic reaction when adding anything new into your daily diet. It is not only best to consult your primary doctor before starting dandelion root for this reason, but also to ensure that adding dandelion root to your diet will not interact with any medication you are currently taking.
Dandelion Leaf Vs. Dandelion Root: How Do You Choose Between the Two?
Both dandelion leaf and dandelion root can be beneficial to your health, so how do you decide which one is for you?
While dandelion root and dandelion leaf are two different components of the dandelion plant and they both act to help the body in different ways, each one has the potential to benefit your health. Deciding which one to incorporate into your diet will depend a lot on what you are hoping to accomplish with it. As outlined above, the entire dandelion plant can help to contribute to your body’s overall health in different ways depending if you use the leaf or the root, so look at the benefits of each to help you decide which one is the right step for you. But with so many benefits from both, you can’t really go wrong with whichever one you choose.
Dandelion leaf and dandelion root are two different things, but they have very similar effects on your body. If you are considering incorporating either dandelion leaf or root into your diet because you are interested in the health benefits, use this article as a guide to help you better understand what dandelion leaves and roots are, what they can do for your health, and the differences between them. Deciding which one to take depends a lot on your personal health history and what you are hoping to accomplish, but always remember to consult your doctor before adding a new addition to your supplement routine.
