Table of contents:
- Various benefits of dandelion that you may not know
- 1. Regulate blood sugar
- 2. Source of antioxidants
- 3. Boosts the immune system
- 4. Relieves inflammation
- 5. As a basic ingredient in skin care
Dandelion, or Taraxacum spp, is a plant that is usually found in mountains or other highland areas. Although not as popular as roses or jasmine flowers, plants that have bright yellow flowers when they are in bloom and are white when they are still seeds, actually have a variety of good benefits. What are the benefits of dandelion for health?
Various benefits of dandelion that you may not know
Various parts of the dandelion plant, including roots, flowers, leaves, and stems, can be processed into good herbal medicines to support and maintain a healthy body. Do not believe? Check out the following series of dandelion benefits:
1. Regulate blood sugar
Dandelion contains 2 bioactive compounds, namely chicoric and chlorogenic acids in all parts of the plant, which are believed to help lower blood sugar levels. This is evidenced by a study published in Biochemical and Biophysical Research Communications.
According to the research results, these two compounds can help increase insulin secretion in the pancreas as well as accelerate the process of glucose absorption in the blood of experimental animals. Plus, research from the Journal of the Society for Biomedical Diabetes Research in 2016 investigated the antihyperglycemic, antioxidant, and anti-inflammatory properties of dandelion that are thought to help treat type 2 diabetes.
But of course, further research is needed to really prove the efficacy of these benefits of dandelion on the human body.
2. Source of antioxidants
As you probably already know, antioxidants work to ward off free radicals that cause chronic disease. In order to increase the number and at the same time support the work of the antioxidants that are already in the body, dandelions contribute a lot of antioxidants in the form of beta carotene to protect body cells from damage.
In addition, dandelions are also equipped with antioxidants called polyphenols which are found in flowers, roots, leaves and stems.
3. Boosts the immune system
Dandelion is believed to have antiviral and antibacterial properties that can improve the body's ability to fight infection. Yes, several studies have also found that dandelion plant extracts are able to reduce the virus's ability to replicate, aka increase its number.
Even so, so far deeper research is still needed to draw definite conclusions about the benefits of dandelion or the bright yellow flower. Especially to fight viral and bacterial infections in the human body.
4. Relieves inflammation
Various bioactive compounds, one of which is polyphenols, which are contained in dandelion can help reduce inflammation due to disease in the body. The researchers have only conducted testing that is limited to experimental animals, but seen positive developments in the inflammatory response of the body treated with dandelion plants.
In order to find optimal results, a lot of research is still needed to find out how it develops in the human body.
5. As a basic ingredient in skin care
The benefits of dandelion are not only limited to supporting body health. Dandelion can also be used to maintain skin beauty, for example protecting against sun exposure, skin aging, to acne.
A study published by Oxidative Medicine and Cellular Longevity, found that dandelion can reduce the damage to difficult cells caused by exposure to ultraviolet (UV) rays. Especially when the dandelion leaf and flower extracts are used on the skin right before or immediately after exposure to sunlight.
Meanwhile, the extract from dandelion root is believed to be able to accelerate the regeneration of new skin cells while inhibiting the aging process. Not only that, dandelion plant extracts are no less useful for relieving inflammation of the skin, skin irritation, increasing hydration, and increasing collagen production.
