Image by Dandelion Salad via Flickr
Sent to Dandelion Salad by a friend; thanks, Jay!
Originally posted on June 10, 2019
April 11, 2022
The History Guy: History Deserves to Be Remembered on Jun 3, 2019
Dandelions are among the most populous and widespread plants on earth. The secret to their success has to do both with their unique characteristics, and their inextricable connection to humans. The history of humans and dandelions is forever linked in ways that may surprise you.
This is original content based on research by The History Guy. Images in the Public Domain are carefully selected and provide illustration. As images of actual events are sometimes not available, images of similar objects and events are used for illustration. […]
From the archives:
Vijay Prashad: The Coming Food Crisis: Ukraine War Is Wake-Up Call for Global South
Chris Hedges: Food Companies Distort the Science and Research Into What We Eat
A Modern Example of National Madness by Henry Pelifian
Collard Greens, So Good For You
Dandelion Salad 
When I was a child living with my parents all six of us would go out dandelion picking. Mom and Dad had a particular type we would pick. The sweet leaves make a great salad.
Nice story, Dennis. The young leaves of dandelions in early Spring are the best for salad. Older leaves can be eaten but best cooked.
Dandelions offer amongst the greatest levels of nutrients and concentrations of phytochemicals of the so-called “weeds”.
From root to flower, dandelions are highly nutritious plants loaded with vitamins, minerals, fiber, polyphenols, flavonoids, carotenoids and other highly-beneficial natural compounds.
Along with the massive benefits they provide to numerous valuable pollinators.
Now consider the insane amount of time, energy and money spent daily, monthly, yearly in trying to eradicate such a valuable plant.
And further consider the massive environmental & ecological damage done with the use of herbicides as people foolishly look to destroy this highly-beneficial plant.
It’s been reported that the desire for a lush green lawns originated from medieval Europe, by those with the excess wealth to hire peasants to “weed” their lawns.
Hiring that help was a status symbol.
Banal vanity that has resulted in massive negative consequences for humans, animals, insects and the planet.
Dandelion & Burdock used to be a popular drink from the 13th century, or so, often credited to Thomas Aquinas as its inventor.
Showing to contain antioxidant, antibacterial, antiviral and anti-inflammatory properties.
Yet now both plants are largely disregarded as mere “weeds”.
Human kind has “progressed” so much that we’ve largely lost much of the knowledge of the past.
And have come to rely on more synthetic pharmaceuticals (pushed mainly for IP & profit considerations).
Interestingly, the history of the development & evolution of the pharmaceutical industry was founded on the discovery of the numerous benefits of numerous phytochemicals.
But now most pharmaceuticals are based on inferior synthetic substitutes.
And highly-beneficial “weeds” are increasingly destroyed.
Go figure……..
Thanks for your comment, anon0sean.