Discover how to craft a revitalising spring detox tonic from wild plants, harnessing dandelion, cleavers, and stinging nettle‘s potent properties.
This short video guides you through the process, highlighting each plant’s benefits and precautions, creating a natural elixir for rejuvenation and balance during the season of renewal.
How To Use
I put 1-2 tablespoons into a regular sized glass of water and drink it, but I like sour drinks, some folks don’t.
You can always sweeten it with something evil like sugar (shriek). I love jaggery, if you have not tried it.
You can also put it in juice, or add it to salad dressings etc. Have a think about other ways you could use it. But for me, it’s in the glass and down the hatch. Simple.
How Long Do You Use It?
I drink it daily, usually in the morning when I wake up. I drink it until I run out or I just lose the desire. Drink until you feel you want to stop. Pay attention to your body’s signals. Your body is deeply wise. Listen to it.
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As the gentle warmth of spring awakens the earth, a lush green tapestry adorns the landscape, offering a bounty of wild plants to invigorate and cleanse our bodies.
Among these, Taraxacum officinale (Dandelion), Galium aparine (Cleavers), and Urtica dioica (Stinging Nettle) stand out as powerful allies to create a nourishing spring detox tonic, brimming with potential benefits.
Dandelion, a humble yet mighty plant, has a rich history of usage as a diuretic in traditional folk medicine and modern phytotherapy across Europe, Asia, and the Americas.
One study confirmed its efficacy, revealing a diuretic effect in human subjects over a day when using a high-quality fresh leaf hydroethanolic extract.
When using the whole plant from root to tip, this remarkable plant also boasts choleretic, antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and hepatoprotective properties.
Cleavers (Goosegrass), with its distinctive, clingy nature, is another essential component of our spring tonic.
Traditionally known for its diuretic properties, this versatile plant has been employed as a potent tonic to cleanse and revitalise the body.
Stinging Nettle, though feared for its sting, offers potent diuretic properties, making it a valuable addition to our spring cleanse.
These three plants create a synergistic elixir to rejuvenate and detoxify our systems.
While their potential benefits are enticing, they may also present side effects and interactions with medications, so seek the guidance of a medical herbalist or healthcare professional if any of the following apply to you.
Dandelion, for instance, may interact with diuretic medications and those broken down by the liver.
Stinging Nettle, too, may interact with blood thinners and medications for high blood pressure.
As such, seek the guidance of a medical herbalist or healthcare professional before embarking on this detox journey.
In the spirit of reconnecting with our ancestral roots and embracing nature’s wisdom, this spring tonic offers a chance to cleanse our bodies and refresh our souls.
As the plants reach for the sky, let us, too, go within ourselves to find renewal and balance, cherishing the intricate bond between humans and the natural world.
Excellent, thanks Robin! <3
I love this Tonic receipy so simple.
Thank you.
Love.
Madeleine Fuggle.
Nice and simple, easy to find nettle, dandelions and cleavers- nice video too, thanks.
Do you then just drink a wee bit straight every day, or mix in things like water or cooking?
Cheers
Susie ps i did your eatweeds forage on line course during lockdowns of 2020- soo good to learn from you and follow each others posts, great!
Well that was smart. Show you how to make it, and not tell you how to use it. Instructions under the video.
Great video, thank you. How do you use the tonic eg dilute it? How often to take it ?
I put 1-2 tablespoons into a regular sized glass of water and drink it. You can put it in juice, add also it to salad dressings etc.
Interesting! Must try. Thanks ?
Fantastic, just what I have been looking for…cheers Robin ?
How much do you take daily?
Do you dilute it in water/juice?
Thanks
Suzi
I’ve just updated the post to answer this.
Lovely , I’m up for the challenge to have a go, would some lemon go nice with it ?
Thanks Robin for the tonic recipe. Do you have a recipe for getting my husband to drink it?! And many thanks for the garlic salt, he likes that.
How long will this last for?
TIA
Wonderful, presumably if it turns out that the quantity you suggest is too powerful, just dilute it further. Listening to our bodies is the secret to everything isn’t it.
Thank you so much for a well produced, clear and hugely beneficial video.
Hi Robin
Can I use the whole dandelion plant in this? I have a field of dandelions and normally use the leaves as salad greens, tempura batter the flowers or add to salad and I dehydrate and grind the root to make ‘coffee’.
Also I haven’t seen any wild garlic/ransoms this year yet – the bluebells are only just coming into flower now – I’m east coast. Is it just late due to weather or am I looking in the wrong kind of woodlands?
Thanks for everything you do, it’s really appreciated.
A brilliant tonic.
I love it and will make it. Having arguments with the steward at the allotment as I like the dandelions and nettles. They are food. He says they are weeds what ever that is and I have to get rid of them…. Thanks again. x
Thanks so much for this Robin. Very inspiring. I can’t wait to make my own spring tonic!
Top tip for those who don’t like sugar is to uses conifer needles,
Douglas Fir tastes wonderful – full of Vit C & Lemonin.
I add it to my mushroon tea & it takes any bitterness away (looking at you birch polypore)
Love this
Thank you
Thank you Robin. I’ll try it.
Thank you!
I went out this morning but there were no wild garlic flowers – can I use the leaves instead?
Yes, a delicate garlic. Just ensure you give it also to anyone you may get close with ?
Made this tonic this morning and also soaking some cleavers overnight to drink tomorrow . Thank you ! ?
Eager to get picking and give it a blast, Previously added goosegrass, dandelion leaves and nettles to celery and cucumber juice, So I will try the A.C.V. and drink it as you mentioned.
Thanks Robin
Made this tonic this morning and also soaking some cleavers overnight to drink tomorrow . Thank you ! ?
Wonderful video thank you. I can get plenty of dandelion, cleavers and nettles. Could I include plantain and mint instead of the other two ingredients?
Many thanks
Yes.
Thank you so much for this! I made some yesterday. Are the leaves supposed to be completely submerged in the vinegar? Mine are all floating to the top and I’m wondering if this is ok or will it cause them to go off?
Also when I’m drinking it, can I eat the leaves too or is all of the goodness gone into the vinegar at that stage?
Stir every day. If you really want to, yes, you can eat the plant matter although the nutrition will have been extracted into the vinegar.
Thank you Robin. Great video, lovely and clear, no nonsense. Have just made some and looking forward to trying it in a few weeks!
Thanks for this Robin. Looking forward to
There is scientific support for the health benefits of vinegar-based tonics to help reduce spikes in blood sugar. A tablespoon diluted in water taken before a meal reduces the spike in blood sugar by 30% and for those affected by this, it reduces the sugar cravings you may feel after a meal. There’s more on how this work here:
Zoe Science and Nutrition podcast episode – How to manage blood sugar spikes. 27 July 2022
It’s an example of how science is catching up with the wisdom that has been built up over centuries.
Hello Robin
I made the tonic, left it in a cupboard for a couple of weeks and discovered it had a large, pale, rubbery disc formed on top! After tasting a bit I put in on the compost heap. Now, again after a few more weeks it’s formed another! I have photos. What is it??? Has anyone else had this? I’m drinking the tonic every day but am puzzled. Hope you can help. (Don’t know how to send photos in a comment box)