Dandelion coffee
Encyclopedia
Infusion
An infusion is the outcome of steeping plants with desired chemical compounds or flavors in water or oil.-History:The first recorded use of essential oils was in the 10th or 11th century by the Persian polymath Avicenna, possibly in The Canon of Medicine.-Preparation techniques:An infusion is very...
or herbal tea, and coffee substitute
Coffee substitute
Coffee substitutes are non-coffee products, usually without caffeine, that are used to imitate coffee. Coffee substitutes can be used for medical, economic and religious reasons, or simply because coffee is not readily available. Roasted grain beverages are common substitutes for coffee.In World...
, made from the root of the dandelion plant. The roasted dandelion root pieces and the beverage have some resemblance to coffee
Coffee
Coffee is a brewed beverage with a dark,init brooo acidic flavor prepared from the roasted seeds of the coffee plant, colloquially called coffee beans. The beans are found in coffee cherries, which grow on trees cultivated in over 70 countries, primarily in equatorial Latin America, Southeast Asia,...
in appearance and taste.
History
Susanna Moodie explained how to prepare dandelion coffee in her memoir of living in Canada, Roughing it in the bush (1852), where she mentions that she had heard of it from an article published in the 1830's in New York Albion by a certain Dr. Harrison.Dandelion coffee was later mentioned in a Harpers New Monthly Magazine
Harper's Magazine
Harper's Magazine is a monthly magazine of literature, politics, culture, finance, and the arts, with a generally left-wing perspective. It is the second-oldest continuously published monthly magazine in the U.S. . The current editor is Ellen Rosenbush, who replaced Roger Hodge in January 2010...
story in 1886. In 1919, dandelion root was noted as a source of cheap coffee. It has also been part of edible plant classes dating back at least to the 1970s.
Harvesting
Taraxacum
Taraxacum is a large genus of flowering plants in the family Asteraceae. They are native to Eurasia and North America, and two species, T. officinale and T. erythrospermum, are found as weeds worldwide. Both species are edible in their entirety...
spp.) from other yellow daisy-like flowers such as catsear
Catsear
Catsear , also known as flatweed, cat's ear or false dandelion, is a perennial, low-lying edible herb often found in lawns. The plant is native to Europe, but has also been introduced to the Americas, Japan, Australia and New Zealand where it can be an invasive weed...
and hawksbeard
Crepis
Crepis, commonly known in some parts of the world as hawksbeard or hawk's-beard , is a genus of about 200 annual and perennial flowering plants of the family Asteraceae superficially resembling the dandelion, the most conspicuous difference being that Crepis usually has branching...
. True dandelions have a ground-level rosette
Rosette (botany)
In botany, a rosette is a circular arrangement of leaves, with all the leaves at a single height.Though rosettes usually sit near the soil, their structure is an example of a modified stem.-Function:...
of deep-toothed leaves and hollow straw-like stems. Large plants that are 3–4 years old, with taproots approximately 0.5 inch (13 mm) in diameter, are harvested for dandelion coffee. These taproots are similar in appearance to pale carrot
Carrot
The carrot is a root vegetable, usually orange in colour, though purple, red, white, and yellow varieties exist. It has a crisp texture when fresh...
s.
Preparation
After harvesting, the dandelion roots are driedDrying (food)
Drying is a method of food preservation that works by removing water from the food, which inhibits the growth of microorganisms and hinders quality decay. Drying food using sun and wind to prevent spoilage has been practised since ancient times, and was the earliest form of food curing...
, chopped, and roasted
Roasting
Roasting is a cooking method that uses dry heat, whether an open flame, oven, or other heat source. Roasting usually causes caramelization or Maillard browning of the surface of the food, which is considered by some as a flavor enhancement. Roasting uses more indirect, diffused heat , and is...
. They are then ground into granules which are steeped
Steeping
Steeping or weltering may mean:# Saturation in a liquid solvent to extract a soluble ingredient, where the solvent is the desired product. Tea is prepared for drinking by steeping the leaves in heated water to release the flavor and nutrients...
in boiling water to produce dandelion coffee.
Benefits
Dandelion coffee is said to be a good tonic for the liverLiver
The liver is a vital organ present in vertebrates and some other animals. It has a wide range of functions, including detoxification, protein synthesis, and production of biochemicals necessary for digestion...
.
A bitter tonic made from the dandelion root is also used as a laxative
Laxative
Laxatives are foods, compounds, or drugs taken to induce bowel movements or to loosen the stool, most often taken to treat constipation. Certain stimulant, lubricant, and saline laxatives are used to evacuate the colon for rectal and/or bowel examinations, and may be supplemented by enemas under...
.
Chemistry
Unroasted Taraxacum officinaleTaraxacum officinale
Taraxacum officinale, the common dandelion , is a herbaceous perennial plant of the family Asteraceae . It can be found growing in temperate regions of the world, in lawns, on roadsides, on disturbed banks and shores of water ways, and other areas with moist soils. T...
(among other dandelion species) root contains:
Sesquiterpene lactone
Sesquiterpene lactone
Sesquiterpene lactones are a class of chemical compounds; they are sesquiterpenoids and contain a lactone ring, hence the name....
s
- Taraxacin (a sesquiterpeneSesquiterpeneSesquiterpenes are a class of terpenes that consist of three isoprene units and have the molecular formula C15H24. Like monoterpenes, sesquiterpenes may be acyclic or contain rings, including many unique combinations...
guaianolide) - PhenylpropanoidPhenylpropanoidThe phenylpropanoids are a diverse family of organic compounds that are synthesized by plants from the amino acid phenylalanine. Their name is derived from the six-carbon, aromatic phenyl group and the three-carbon propene tail of cinnamic acid, which is synthesized from phenylalanine in the first...
glycosideGlycosideIn chemistry, a glycoside is a molecule in which a sugar is bound to a non-carbohydrate moiety, usually a small organic molecule. Glycosides play numerous important roles in living organisms. Many plants store chemicals in the form of inactive glycosides. These can be activated by enzyme...
s - Phenylpropanoid glycosides: dihydroconiferin, syringinSyringinSyringin is a natural chemical compound first isolated from the bark of lilac by Meillet in 1841. It has since been found to be distributed widely throughout many types of plants. Chemically, it is the glucoside of sinapyl alcohol....
, and dihydrosyringin - Taraxacoside(a cylated gamma-butyrolactoneGamma-Butyrolactonegamma-Butyrolactone is a hygroscopic colorless oily liquid with a weak characteristic odor and is soluble in water. GBL is a common solvent and reagent in chemistry and is used as an aroma compound, as a stain remover, as a superglue remover, as a paint stripper, and as a solvent in some wet...
glycosideGlycosideIn chemistry, a glycoside is a molecule in which a sugar is bound to a non-carbohydrate moiety, usually a small organic molecule. Glycosides play numerous important roles in living organisms. Many plants store chemicals in the form of inactive glycosides. These can be activated by enzyme...
) and - Lactupircin
Carotenoids
- LuteinLuteinLutein is a xanthophyll and one of 600 known naturally occurring carotenoids. Lutein is synthesized only by plants and like other xanthophylls is found in high quantities in green leafy vegetables such as spinach and kale...
- ViolaxanthinViolaxanthinViolaxanthin is a natural xanthophyll pigment with an orange color found in a variety of plants including pansies. It is biosynthesized from zeaxanthin by epoxidation. As a food additive it used under the E number E161e as a food coloring; it is not approved for use in the EU or USA however is...
Coumarin
Coumarin
Coumarin is a fragrant chemical compound in the benzopyrone chemical class, found in many plants, notably in high concentration in the tonka bean , vanilla grass , sweet woodruff , mullein , sweet grass , cassia cinnamon and sweet clover...
s
- Esculin
- ScopoletinScopoletinScopoletin is a coumarin found in the root of plants in the genus Scopolia like Scopolia carniolica or Scopolia japonica, in chicory, in Artemisia scoparia, in the passion flower, in Brunfelsia, in Viburnum prunifolium or Kleinhovia hospita...
Flavonoids
- Apigenin-7-glucoside
- Luteolin-7-glucoside
- Isorhamnetin 3-glucoside
- Luteolin-7-diglucoside
- Quercetin-7-glucoside
- QuercetinQuercetinQuercetin , a flavonol, is a plant-derived flavonoid found in fruits, vegetables, leaves and grains. It also may be used as an ingredient in supplements, beverages or foods.-Occurrence:...
- LuteolinLuteolinLuteolin is a yellow crystalline compound. It is a flavonoid; to be specific, it is one of the more common flavones. From preliminary research, it is thought to play a role in the human body possibly as an antioxidant, a free radical scavenger, a promoter of carbohydrate metabolism, or an immune...
- RutinRutinRutin, also called rutoside, quercetin-3-O-rutinoside and sophorin, is a citrus flavonoid glycoside found in buckwheat, the leaves and petioles of Rheum species, and asparagus...
and - Chrysoeriol
Phenolic acid
Phenolic acid
Phenolic acids are a type of organic compounds. Included in that class are substances containing a phenolic ring and an organic carboxylic acid function ....
s
- Caffeic acidCaffeic acidCaffeic acid is a hydroxycinnamic acid, a naturally occurring organic compound. This yellow solid consists of both phenolic and acrylic functional groups...
- Chlorogenic acidChlorogenic acidChlorogenic acid is a hydroxycinnamic acid, a member of a family of naturally occurring organic compounds. These are esters of polyphenolic caffeic acid and cyclitol -quinic acid. It is an important biosynthetic intermediate. It also is one of the phenols found in coffee, bamboo Phyllostachys...
- Chicoric acid (dicaffeoyltartaric acid) and
- ρ-hydroxyphenylacetic acids
Polysaccharide
Polysaccharide
Polysaccharides are long carbohydrate molecules, of repeated monomer units joined together by glycosidic bonds. They range in structure from linear to highly branched. Polysaccharides are often quite heterogeneous, containing slight modifications of the repeating unit. Depending on the structure,...
s
- GlucanGlucanA glucan molecule is a polysaccharide of D-glucose monomers linked by glycosidic bonds.Many beta-glucans are medically important.-Types:The following are glucans:-Alpha:...
s mannanMannanMannan is a plant polysaccharide that is a polymer of the sugar mannose.Detection of mannan leads to lysis in the mannan-binding lectin pathway.It is generally found in yeast, bacteria and plants. It shows α linkage. It is a form of storage polysaccharide.-See Also:Mannan Oligosaccharides...
s and inulinInulinInulins are a group of naturally occurring polysaccharides produced by many types of plants. They belong to a class of fibers known as fructans. Inulin is used by some plants as a means of storing energy and is typically found in roots or rhizomes...
(8).
Cyanogenic glycosides
- Prunasin
Sesquiterpene lactone
Sesquiterpene lactone
Sesquiterpene lactones are a class of chemical compounds; they are sesquiterpenoids and contain a lactone ring, hence the name....
s (of the germacranolide
Germacranolide
Germacranolides are a group of natural chemical compounds classified as sesquiterpene lactones. They are found in a variety of plant sources....
type)
- 11β, 13-dihydrolactucin
- Ixerin D
- Ainslioside taraxinic acid
- β-glucopyranosyl
- Taraxinic acid
- Glucosyl ester
- 11-dihydrotaraxinic acid and 13-dihydrotaraxinic acid
- l'-glucoside
- LactucopicrinLactucopicrinLactucopicrin is a bitter substance that has a sedative and analgesic effect, acting on the central nervous system. It is a sesquiterpene lactone, and is a component of lactucarium, derived from the plant Lactuca virosa , as well as being found in some related plants such as Cichorium intybus...
- LactucinLactucinLactucin is a bitter substance that forms a white crystalline solid and belongs to the group of sesquiterpene lactones. It is found in some varieties of lettuce and is an ingredient of lactucarium. It has been shown to have analgesic and sedative properties....
and - Cichorin
Eudesmanolides
- Tetrahydroridentin-B
- Taraxacolide-O-β-glucopyranoside
- Prunasin
- Dihydroconiferin
- SyringinSyringinSyringin is a natural chemical compound first isolated from the bark of lilac by Meillet in 1841. It has since been found to be distributed widely throughout many types of plants. Chemically, it is the glucoside of sinapyl alcohol....
- Dihydrosyringin
- Taraxasterol
- ψ-taraxasterol
- Homo-taraxasterol and
- Stigmatsterol
Triterpenes
- CycloartenolCycloartenolCycloartenol is an important type of stanol found in plants. The biosynthesis of cycloartenol starts from the triterpenoid squalene. It is the first precursor in the biosynthesis of other stanols and sterols, referred to as phytostanols and phytosterols in photosynthetic organisms and plants...
- A Serine proteinase
- Taraxalisin
- α-amyrin
- β-amyrin
- Arnidiol
- Faradiol
- LupeolLupeolLupeol is a pharmacologically active triterpenoid found in a variety of plants, including mango and acacia visco. It has several medicinal properties, one being anti-inflammatory...
- Taraxol
- Taraxaserol and
- 3β-hydroxylup-18-ene-21-one
Sterol
Sterol
Sterols, also known as steroid alcohols, are a subgroup of the steroids and an important class of organic molecules. They occur naturally in plants, animals, and fungi, with the most familiar type of animal sterol being cholesterol...
s
- Taraxasterol
- ψ-taraxasterol
- Homo-taraxasterol
- β-sitosterol
- Stigmatsterol and
- CampesterolCampesterolCampesterol is a phytosterol whose chemical structure similar to that of cholesterol. Many vegetables, fruits, nuts and seeds contain campesterol, but in low concentrations. Banana, pomegranate, pepper, coffee, grapefruit, cucumber, onion, oat, potato and lemon grass are few examples of common...
Other
- Lettucenin A and
- Taraxalisin
- Amino acidAmino acidAmino acids are molecules containing an amine group, a carboxylic acid group and a side-chain that varies between different amino acids. The key elements of an amino acid are carbon, hydrogen, oxygen, and nitrogen...
s - CholineCholineCholine is a water-soluble essential nutrient. It is usually grouped within the B-complex vitamins. Choline generally refers to the various quaternary ammonium salts containing the N,N,N-trimethylethanolammonium cation....
- MucilageMucilageMucilage is a thick, gluey substance produced by most plants and some microorganisms. It is a polar glycoprotein and an exopolysaccharide.It occurs in various parts of nearly all classes of plant, usually in relatively small percentages, and is frequently associated with other substances, such as...
and - PectinPectinPectin is a structural heteropolysaccharide contained in the primary cell walls of terrestrial plants. It was first isolated and described in 1825 by Henri Braconnot...