If you go hiking, you've probably seen burdocks on a trip into the deep forest. The bur of the burdock plant is a round ball of seed material with hooks or teeth that sticks to your clothes and shoes as you walk by. In fact, the bur of this plant is said to have given people the idea for Velcro. Burdock plants are in the family Asteraceae, which also includes sunflowers and daisies. Burdock grows wild in Europe, Asia, and the United States. It is also grown in gardens because it is thought to have medicinal properties. Burdock root can be eaten as a raw vegetable or cooked in stews, soups, and other recipes. In addition to tea, it comes in powder, oil, and extract. Burdock root tea tastes sweet and earthy, and you can drink it hot or cold.
