Dandelions! Their petals are so full of joy.... They symbolize that spring is here and flowers are blooming and the bees are buzzing. Seriously my favorite time of year.
Did you know they are also full of anti-cancer and antioxidant phytochemicals? The yellow and orange coloring comes from carotenoids. The carotenoids in the bright yellow flower absorb the sun rays to be used during photosynthesis. When we eat these brightly colored plants, our very intelligent body turns those carotenoids into vitamin A, which has a long list of healthy actions in the body - powerful antioxidant that fights cell damage, protects the major organs, promotes healthy vision, protects the skin, strengthens the immune system - to name a few. Basically, when you eat carotenoids, you are eating the sun! That's pretty fricking cool if you ask me. So......go find a NON-SPRAYED field and go pick a few. You can eat them right there (they taste like slightly sweet spinach,) throw them in a salad or a smoothie, or make a dandelion vinaigrette. Get your dandelion on!