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Taraxacum officinale

Usually regarded as a common garden weed, the Dandelion grows wild throughout much of the world. Other common names include Blowball, Puffball, Swine Snout and Wild Endive.

A member of the Asteraceae family (a relative to sunflowers and daisies), it is distinguished by its single yellow flower which opens at dawn and closes at dusk. Once the flower has matured the plant forms a puffball of seeds that are dispersed by the wind.

Its botanical name Taraxacum originates from the Arabic word tarakhaqun meaning ‘wild chicory’. Its common name is thought to be a corruption of the French word dent de lion meaning ‘lion’s tooth’, a reference to the coarsely toothed leaves. Officinale is traditionally used to refer to a plant with health and medicinal properties that was sold in the apothecary.
Traditionally used in Western Herbal Medicine to:

• Support gallbladder function
• Promote bile flow from gall bladder
• Promote healthy appetite and relieve loss of appetite
• Support healthy digestion
• Reduce symptoms of indigestion

Traditionally, Dandelion has long been used in Western Herbal Medicine to support healthy digestion and was also consumed by many different cultures as a food source.

Cynara scolymus

Originating from the Mediterranean regions, this perennial plant is now widely cultivated all over the world.

The botanical name Cynara scolymus is derived in part from the tradition of fertilising the plant with ashes (Latin: cinis, cineris), and partly from the Greek word skolymos, meaning “thistle” from the spines found on the bracts (they are not leaves) that enclose the flower heads forming the edible portion of the plant.

According to Greek myth, the artichoke owes its existence to Zeus who fell in love with Cynara, a mortal. He took her to Olympus however, the beauty missed her life on earth and one evening Cynara snuck back to her hometown. Upon her return to Olympus, Zeus was enraged and sent her home, in the form of an artichoke.

Globe artichokes are not only a culinary delight, but also a well-known and popular herbal medicine.

Traditionally used in Western Herbal Medicine to:

• Relieve symptoms of indigestion, flatulence and abdominal bloating
• Relieve nausea
• Reduce abdominal feeling of fullness
• Support digestive system health
• Promote bile flow from gall bladder

Artichoke has been known since the 4th century B.C. as a food and remedy. This plant has been appreciated by the ancient Egyptians, Greeks, and Romans, who used it both as a food and as a medicine.