Yellow Dock Root Powder

Part of the buckwheat family, yellow dock is popular among foragers for its towering stalks of rust-colored winged seeds — which are both edible and decorative. Also called curly dock or curled dock, the plant has crisp, wavy-edged leaves and a deep, branching taproot that is used medicinally in ointments, tinctures, decoctions, teas, and supplements.

The burnt-gold color of yellow dock root comes from anthraquinone, a laxative compound also found in aloe, cascara sagrada, and turkey rhubarb. Yellow dock powder contains a small amount, by comparison, and acts as a mild laxative and liver tonic. The bitter root is primarily used to support the digestive system, often in combination with dandelion and burdock, and clear skin conditions like psoriasis, eczema, and acne.

Nutritive and rich in iron, yellow dock root powder is highly regarded by Western herbalists and midwives as a tonic for improving iron absorption, especially in cases of iron- deficiency anemia. Traditional recipes call for a syrup combining yellow dock root with dandelion root, burdock root, and nettle leaves with blackstrap molasses.