Nettle (*Urtica dioica*), commonly referred to as stinging nettle, is a remarkable herb that has been valued for centuries due to its powerful medicinal and nutritional benefits. Often dismissed as a common weed, this nutrient-dense plant is packed with essential vitamins, minerals, and bioactive compounds, including iron, vitamins A, C, and K, and anti-inflammatory phytochemicals. Nettle is gaining popularity in both natural medicine and modern wellness circles for its ability to detoxify the body, support immune function, reduce inflammation, and promote skin health. In addition to its therapeutic uses, nettle is widely appreciated in the culinary world, featured in teas, soups, and even as a nutritional supplement. As research continues to shed light on nettle’s numerous benefits, this versatile plant stands as a vital resource for improving overall health and wellness. In this comprehensive guide, we delve into the history, nutritional composition, and wide range of uses of nettle, offering insights into how this detoxifying herb can enhance your health naturally.
1. Introduction
Nettle is a herb, a wild plant, which grows for its detoxifying, rejuvenating, and cleansing properties. It is cleansing to the skin, and brushing it over your skin each day has a rejuvenating effect as well. Nettle leaf juice can be drunk every day, either in hot water or it also helps strengthen the kidneys, and it is said to increase iron levels in the blood. It is also rich in silicon, calcium, phosphorus, and potassium. Despite the nettle sting, you find a little allergy can be helpful.
In modern herbal medicine, nettle is known for its high concentration of chlorophyll. It nourishes the skin and helps the body to become less sluggish and removes waste products for elimination. It also has an antibacterial action and so can be helpful in cases of acne and other types of skin eruptions. Look for nettle in herbal detox teas too. You can dry off the nettles and infuse them in boiling water. It is advisable to take nettle and other diuretic teas in the morning, so they don’t disrupt your sleep during the night.
1.1. Overview of Nettle
Commonly known in the Western world as stinging nettle because most people discover North American stinging types growing in the wild, it is an important herb in Western phytotherapy where it is considered for joint treatment, effective detoxification, and for reducing the need for bronchodilator drugs especially in asthma treatment where it is often used together with astragalus. The fresh herb may be considered edible when the hairs have been destroyed by cooking or processing. In Soviet Central Asia, the young, tender shoots were picked in the spring and used as a spinach, or a potherb, and in Turkey it is considered a popular dish as well. Nettle has also been used to make a protest beer in the United Kingdom. For herbal purposes, it is important to use this herb while still fresh either immediately after harvest or in a fresh or tincture form. When selecting nettles in a form for consumption, it should be ensured that the hairs have completely disintegrated and are no longer of concern acidity. If eaten regularly, the fresh herb may become an aid for those suffering with iron deficiencies and serves as a tonic to restore hair and fade gray hair.
This attractive herb is a perennial, growing in patches from one central root system. Upright, erect stems 4-angled stems are covered with fine hairs, and paired opposite leaves are heart-shaped (cordate). The margins of the leaf are toothed, and have stinging hairs on the underside. It is helpful to crush and macerate the leaves of the fresh plant to destroy these hairs. Branching stems of narrow racemes of small, pistillate flowers with glabrous sepals droop in spikes from the upper leaf axils at the top of the plant. Nettle is a member of the Liliaceae family and is in the context of holistic function, most commonly the leaf and root parts are used. Depending on the location and the individual plant, nettle may be up to 3 feet in height, while the Minnesotan variety may fail to reach 4 inches. The firmness and health of fertile roots reflect the richness of the soil in which the plant resides and should always be considered.
1.2. Historical and Cultural Significance
Nettle has been used throughout history and has significance attached to it in both Eastern and Western cultures. In ancient Egypt, the juice of the nettle was used to stop bleeding, and in the 6th century BC, the Greek physicians and botanists Dioscorides and Galen both recorded the nettle as a “strong diuretic” and it was often used as such. Throughout history, the nettle has also served many other purposes.
In Denmark, a particular nettle beer made from steeped nettles was drunk, and the Irish mixed it with oats and drank it as a nutritious soup. Nettle also features in early writing and stories from many cultures. It was one of the first plants used for the production of textiles in Denmark, the advantage being that this first step involved just soaking – a natural process. It was also recommended by the Lord Himself in the Danish Bible to be dried… “a fair-sized bundle should be hung up and dried”. Similarly, in the UK, nettle fabrics date back to the Bronze Age, and several pieces of Bronze Age nettle cloth have been found. To compare the strength of the nettle fabric with our modern-day clothing, it must be underlined that each single fiber is as strong as nylon thread.
Nettle also features in the UK folklore of the 3rd century AD. The Anglo-Saxons believed that the nettle represented eternity and growth due to its profusion. In medieval Scotland, the nettle was used as a diuretic and to promote milk production. Meanwhile, in the Far East, Chinese scholar and physician ShenNong mentioned nettle as nutritious in his Herbal Practitioner’s Canon of 100 AD, “that without eating anything else before or afterwards, it will serve to feed and to imbue the strength of men”, due to its rich content in nutrients. Likewise, the relation of the nettle to iron in both Eastern and Western tradition is obvious. It has been used in Europe as a cure for weakness and anemia, for it is black and rich in iron and stimulates the body. Similarly, in Ayurvedic medicine, nettle is used to battle anemia.
2. Nutritional Composition of Nettle
German botanist Jakob Moeller describes nettle (Urtica dioica) as “the inerasable plant.” The people of Italy call it ortica, meaning burn, and Spaniards refer to it as ortiga. Its sting is actually made up of needle-like hairs with a structure similar to glass. The barbed, needle-like points of nettle stings can puncture all types of skin. Although it stings at the slightest touch, the sting is relieved with the juice of the nettle’s own stem.
Certain countries place nettle on their flags, and in others, nettle is produced and eaten just like vegetables. In addition to being an appetizing vegetable, nettle is consumed as a healing herb and drunk as a healing tea. In traditional medicine, it is prescribed as an herbal supplement to increase milk supply in nursing mothers and as a diuretic for rheumatic pains and for ridding the body of toxins. Nettle’s contribution to relieving symptoms associated with benign prostate hyperplasia has been supported by scientific studies.
Nettle is one of our traditional vegetables and belongs to the sole Urticaceae family. It thrives in rainy, temperate rural regions. It flowers in the spring and the first half of summer. Wild nettles are often found beneath trees or in damp and cool areas. The size of the plant may vary. The root of nettle is long, fast comes out of the ground, and takes on a white to a light brown color. Wide heart-shaped leaves with fine edges grow on long stems with fine hair, which are also found on the leaf underneath. The thin, straight, long stems of nettle are ribbed. The essential characteristic of nettle that differentiates it from all other plants is that it stings via glass-like points that extend from the hair on its body. This plant is used as a leaf or a whole plant in both traditional and modern medicine fields.
2.1. Iron Content
Nettle is well known for its high iron content and its ability to correct iron deficiency and anemia. Iron is what feeds the body’s oxygen-carrying abilities and is necessary for the production of red blood cells, which carry life-giving oxygen to the body’s systems. Iron is especially important for children, adolescents, and menstruating women, whose increased need for iron often outstrips the body’s natural ability to produce enough. Does nature have an answer for the growing numbers of children with learning and attention difficulties, irritability, fatigue, and muscle weakness? Simply nip young nettle shoots, juice them, and strengthen your blood with the nourishing juice.
When the body’s supply of oxygen-carrying red blood cells declines, we feel weak and have no energy, and we perform poorly in a mental and physical way. If the diet consists of high levels of processed or fatty foods, it is helpful to combat anemia with nettle juice through a diet rich in green and colorful vegetables. The extra effort and energy to squeeze the nettle juice is well worth the reward of gaining a healthy and robust response. Dynamic brain power also requires a robustly strong supply of red blood cells and the oxygen they provide, so nettle consumption is especially crucial for children and students at exam time.
2.2. Vitamins and Minerals
Nettle is a rich source of vitamins and minerals. It contains moderate amounts of the most bioavailable and stable forms of vitamin C. In many plant foods, the vitamin C activity is easily lost to light, heat, and storage. It is also high in carotenes, vitamin K, and the B complex vitamins, particularly thiamine, niacin, riboflavin, pantothenic acid, and folic acid. Nettle is one of the best sources of rutin, an easily absorbed form of the bioflavonoid quercetin. It is a natural antihistamine and therefore helpful in the treatment of allergies. Additionally, nettle is an excellent source of chlorophyll, making it a potential aid in detoxification as well as being a catalyst into hemoglobin production.
The list of minerals is longer and includes larger amounts of calcium, magnesium, sodium, and iron than a lot of other green leafy vegetables. Potassium, phosphorus, silicon, and sulfur are also found in its leaves, but its real charm lies in its chemical constituents rather than in its basic minerals. Nettle is a rich source of amino acids, and the list includes the essential amino acids histidine, isoleucine, leucine, lysine, methionine, phenylalanine, threonine, valine, and tryptophan. The non-essential amino acids include arginine, cystine, alanine, tyrosine, glutamic acid, aspartic acid, glycine, proline, and serine.
3. Health Benefits of Nettle
There are countless ways to benefit from nettle. It may surprise some that it is such a useful and safe culinary and medicinal herb. However, once you learn about its many benefits, you will want to get some for yourself. The following are typical uses: The leaf is used to treat ailments such as osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, hay fever, kidney problems, and many other conditions. The root is used to treat urinary incontinence and enlarged prostate, as well as for kidney pain symptoms. Nettle seed is useful for adrenal and kidney support. The above ground herb part is used along with large amounts of fluids in so-called “irrigation therapy” for urinary tract infections (UTI), urinary tract inflammation, and kidney stones (nephrolithiasis). In manufacturing, stinging nettle extract root is used in making hair and skin products.
Because it has so many uses, I have decided to divide the benefits and uses into two main categories: A. Health benefits that nettle makes accessible to those who use it as consumed food such as soups and teas; B. Medicinal benefits and uses in which the different parts of the nettle plant such as the root, leaf, and seed are largely used in the making remedies.
3.1. Detoxification Properties
The uses of this plant are not only limited to the industrial field, but it is a natural medicine that can help us in various aspects due to its beneficial properties. Ayurvedic medicine has pointed out that nettle has purifying and detoxifying properties for the body. The root of this plant has been used in natural medicine since ancient times to help cure diseases that affect the liver. Nettle is a good cleanser for the body and is a herb that has been used for years for detoxification treatments and diets that help to eliminate toxins that accumulate and pack the liver and the body. It is a diuretic plant that is used to eliminate toxins through the urine, and is a plant that is recommended to purify the body. Also, introducing the intake of this plant increases the number of red blood cells that flow through the blood, being very beneficial in blood purification processes, and keeping our blood pure from any contamination that can accumulate over time.
To help us eliminate toxins caused by various factors, be it stress, pollution, poor diet, or other factors, experts have found that the nettle root can help us in these cases. We know that the consumption of good vegetables is of great benefit to the body, the needles of this plant are rich in many nutrients and iron, and help regenerate tired bodies. Many people use this natural treatment to nourish the body with vitamins that help increase energy levels, prevent fatigue, and provide a rich intake of iron. The intake of these leaves in infusions increases the amount of iron that flows through the blood, the production of new hemoglobin, and carries more red blood cells that benefit the kidneys, which help prevent the creation of certain toxic factors that the body can acquire from environmental contaminants, which are dangerous substances that must be eliminated from the body. Therefore, in detox diets, nettle infusions are recommended for those who need to detoxify their blood and improve the functioning of their body while replenishing vitamins and carbohydrates.
3.2. Anti-inflammatory Effects
Anti-inflammatory effects. Nettle has been shown to contain a substance known as caffeic malic acid, which has an anti-inflammatory action. The combined action of this acid to the histamines present gives the nettle the treatment power against allergic type symptoms: rhinitis, hypersensitivity to various allergens, allergic rhinitis, hay fever. Assortments rich in various active compounds such as essential oil, flavonoids, hydroxycoumarin, but also tannins, organic acids and vitamins, have an anti-inflammatory, diuretic and anti-crystallizing role that can help to fix and reduce burns from the burning of the sun, anti-inflammatory and analgesic effect, acting on the metabolism of prostaglandins just like nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs.
But it also reduces chronic inflammation, balancing the profile of the interleukins, modulating and keeping away the systemic response, and blocking, with the synergic action of the elements rosamine, histamine and proteases that modulate the inflammation, the development of inflammatory processes that affect the membranes and the mucousness of the large intestine, preventing or counteracting the effects of ulcerative colorectal diseases. This prebiotic effect is also the result of the concentration of nutritive compounds. The stem, the leaves, the setae and the roots of the nettle contain antioxidant compounds that can counteract inflammation by acting on the redox control of cytokines and suppress inflammatory diseases, protecting cell membranes from inflammation, helping to counteract damage to the mucous tissue.
3.3. Support for Hair and Skin Health
We see hair and skin health reflecting the balance of our inner terrain, as well as the balance of our overall health. The plant-based diet certainly supports hair and skin health. And, certain herbs support hair and skin health as well. Nettle is one such herb. Nettle supports hair and skin health via several pathways.
Nettle increases circulation. When you increase circulation to the scalp, hair health improves as hair follicles receive more nutrition. Nettle supports circulation to the hair follicles. Nettle provides nutrient-rich support. Nettle provides antioxidant-rich support to the hair and skin. The antioxidant level of nettle protects hair, nourishes it, and promotes growth. Nettle also contains vitamin A, which has been said to bolster hair elasticity, and it is known to nourish the hair follicle. In addition, the iron content of nettle promotes healthy hair and skin by supporting healthy red blood cells. Healthy hair and skin result from healthy iron-rich blood. Nettle supports healthy skin. In addition to nourishing the hair, nettle also nourishes and supports healthy skin. A combination of drinking nettle tea and using a cooled nettle tea bag as a skin poultice is said to be beneficial for healthy, radiant skin. Nettle’s iron-nutrient-rich content also supports healthy skin.
4. Culinary and Medicinal Uses
Delicious, springy nettle tops are wonderful to cook with and have a slightly nutty flavor, much like spinach. The addition of nettle will give any soup the benefit of the valuable iron and nutrients it contains. Often used to advertise herbalism to men, nettle is remarkably high in iron, making it useful in the strengthening of the blood of both menstruating and pregnant women.
Nettle was once thought to benefit any illness of the kidneys and was an active ingredient of the once-popular Porter’s Patent Stomachic Aromatic Bitters, a patent medicine that could be added to whiskey for flavor and effect. Nettle is still used by the modern herbalist as a tonic for the urinary tract to treat cystitis and to dissolve calcium cystoliths and to treat mild urinary retention.
Used as a diuretic and in the elimination of gravel and stones, nettle’s high mineral content works to alkalinize urine, thus preventing the formation of stones. Nettle is also used to treat arthritis and rheumatism and is helpful in conditions that affect the skin, leading many practitioners to think of the skin as an external urinary system.
Nettle leaf is an excellent remedy for allergies. As an astringent, nettle helps in stopping the common cold and reducing asthma and hay fever symptoms. The fresh juice of the nettle root is combined, in equal parts by weight, with honey to produce a diuretic and remedy for prostate hypertrophy and benign prostatic hyperplasia.
Drinking several cups of nettle tea daily before menopause can relieve or prevent symptoms of premenstrual syndrome by eliminating water retention that is sometimes experienced as a premenstrual symptom. It is possible to eat nettle leaves as a part of your repertoire of green foods.
4.1. Teas and Infusions
To prepare an infusion or tea, add one cup of boiling water to two teaspoons of dry nettle leaf and stir. Cover the cup and allow it to sit for 15 minutes. Strain and drink 2-3 times daily, not to exceed three consecutive days at a time. If you want to prepare it cold, the process is the same, and you have to let it sit for four hours and then refrigerate to have it cold or introduce ice preferably without sweetening. Infusions are milder than decoctions and are a useful way to take nettles and other healing herbs with children. If fresh nettle herb is being used, an equal volume of water is needed.
Nettles are effective as a tonic, depurative, diuretic, and astringent nutritious strengthener to tired nerves, muscles, bones, and body parts. Some of their therapeutic uses include treating gingivitis, anemia, poor circulation, kidney problems, rheumatism, spleen, tiredness, and an excessively abundant menstruation. The tea helps to reactivate the evacuation functions of the intestines and stomach, which is why it’s recommended for those who need help going to the bathroom. This way, nettle tea helps to clean out the digestive system, helping to eliminate toxins. During the winter months, an herbal tea can help boost the immune system, especially during the cold and gray days of winter.
4.2. Cooking with Nettle
The young nettle leaves must always be used without touching them without gloves. You can stew, season and use in the preparation of various types of dough to flavor the fillings of both pans and aprons. Nettle is recommended with very cooked foods, in soups and risottos. It can also be a natural and healthy flavor to give to the garbage prepared with legumes. In general, nettle is treated as spinach in the kitchen. Often, in fact, the two vegetables are used mixed to give an intense and mellow flavor and to take advantage of the properties of both. Nettle can also be used to give a unique and original flavor to homemade herbal teas.
The chronic plants, in particular the roots, are especially dug into the full moon from August to September. Once the plants are aired and sorted, the leaves should be detached and the tops can be stored in wicker baskets, nylon bags or transparent glass jars for six months. Store the boxes in a dark and dry environment, without exposing them to ultraviolet rays, infrared and light. To obtain a long-lasting product, it is advisable to keep it in plastic containers, wicker, nylon or glass.
4.3. Supplements and Extracts
Several studies have demonstrated the potential of nettle root extract in the management of benign prostatic hyperplasia. The volatile fraction of the extract seems to be critical. Nevertheless, other in vitro and clinical studies have suggested the benefit of using nettle root extracts in the control of other hormonally dependent pathologies in women and to preferentially alleviate certain symptoms that may be associated with menopause. Nettle root extract has been reported to inhibit human sex hormone binding protein much more effectively than the action of finasteride or pygeum extract, suggesting that nettle root probably acts directly at the hormonal binding site. For these reasons, nettle root is used in modern phytotherapy as an innovative model for the study of hormone-related pathologies.
The alcoholic extract of nettle leaves and their flavonoids, in particular quercetin, has been well studied. They effectively inhibit several inflammation mediators, such as 5-lipoxigenase, COX-1 and COX-2, as well as leukocyte elastase. The increase in the volume of blood platelets after exposure to UVA and UVB radiation was also inhibited by quercetin. Its photoprotective capacity against ultraviolet radiations has been proposed as a new skin protection approach. The reduced production of inflammatory PGE2, NO, TNF-α, IL-6 and ICAM-1 pro-activation of a culture of human keratinocytes exposed to UVA and UVB radiations may also explain other properties including phlogistic and necessary skin regeneration. As seen before with other compounds that reduce inflammation or oxidative stress, quercetin exerts benefits in both cells and in vivo. Clarifying these beneficial effects at the cellular and molecular levels allows a better understanding of biochemical, pharmacological or toxicological processes and helps drug development. The supplementation of these flavonoids and their glycosides in cosmetics and pharmaceutical products is a useful application to adjust for the excessive production of free radicals involved in skin aging. These antioxidant cell protectors are also important because they play an important role in the death of tumor cells, without reducing the effect of anti-tumor drugs or causing damage to healthy cells. The use of nettle leaf extracts as an ingredient in cosmetics and pharmaceutical products, whether whole or part fractions, presents a novel combination of chemopreventive and antitumoral agents. Rottlerin isolated from the roots is a protein kinase inhibitor and has demonstrated apoptotic effects in prostate cancer cells.
5. Nettle in Traditional Medicine
In addition to these traditional uses, this plant had therapeutic applications in traditional medicine. The botanists believe in its benefits because young nettle shoots are said to be diuretic and anti-inflammatory. It was used to treat diarrhea, skin lesions, and abscesses. The leaves soaked in cold water were applied to the back for kidney problems, wounds, contusions, and pains. Chestnut, in the 17th century, observed that patients usually feel lighter and have clear urine. The use of nettle as a diuretic has been recognized and recommended in many ethnobotanical studies that documented a long historical tradition, as well as in several other previous studies.
However, the moderate scientific evidence suggests that nettle intake stimulates mild diuresis. The traditional properties mentioned include the treatment of urinary infections, anti-inflammatory and astringent wound cleansing, and particularly antihemorrhagic action. The root was the most used part because it was considered effective in the treatment of various problems. In the 20th century, the roots were widely used in cases of hydrogen-resistant prostatic hypertrophy, as evidenced by their use in licensed drug preparations. According to Chestnut, nettle root and uva ursi would be useful in cases of gonorrhea. These retrospective data are mostly coherent with pre-clinical and clinical studies of Urtica dioica, providing notes for the modern use of this plant. Today, nettle root and extract are used as a preventive and curative adjuvant to treat functional prostate disease.
5.1. Ayurveda
“The nettle is cooling and diuretic and pacifies the three disorders (the doshas) of the body. When dried and powdered, it is beneficial to the hair and stops falling hair.” So says the ancient Ayurvedic text Bhavaprakasa. Nettle is the first food for the liver and is a blood purifying herb that also eliminates toxins from the body. The juice extracted from nettle leaves is beneficial in cases of jaundice and hepatic disorders. The juice is the urine problem solver and is useful for those suffering from dysuria and strangury. Tamil Siddha healers use nettle seeds as an antipyretic and anodyne agent, due to the presence of analgesic compounds such as scopoletin, scoprin, and scopolin.
I have found nettle to be one of the most powerful remedies for chronic and excessive menstruation. It cures internal bleeding better than any other known herb. It zeroes in on the problem, bringing the extreme loss of good-quality blood to a screeching halt. It post-haste returns a woman to optimal health by promoting the rapid production of red blood cells. Traditional Chinese Medicine uses nettle for breast milk production and sits the new mother down with a soup made of nettle and a lightly cooked egg. This soup provides the highest kind of nursing rest. The recipe and usage is mimicked in Peru. Kick the can to the curb and take back your birthright to good nutrition. Dress nettles as you would spinach, kale, or chard. Blending with another vegetable at first will dilute their taste. Then, blend less and less as you crave nettles more and more.
5.2. Traditional Chinese Medicine
In Traditional Chinese Medicine, nettle is considered to be sweet and mildly warm. It is used to treat the majority of the conditions that it is traditionally used for. Two specific actions it has are to treat bleeding due to blood deficiency and treat the liver by increasing the secretions of bile. It is used to stimulate the flow of milk in breastfeeding mothers. In animal studies, it also causes uterine trouble and in rats overdose causes miscarriage. It is a traditional practice in some parts of China to rub nettle leaves on their bodies to increase flexibility and tone in their muscle development. This can be taken internally to help heal the tendons and bones. The syrup of nettle is a common form used in Traditional Chinese Medicine to help cleanse the body and the blood of toxins and waste.
Since nettle is considered to be sweet, many TCM practitioners use it as a single formula to help rectify and strengthen the liver. This is because sweetness enters the liver and stomach, which are benefited directly when food is ingested. The sweetness helps move the blood out to all parts of the body, and this is why the herb is so effective at increasing the flow of milk in nursing mothers. It is an effective herb to increase the energy of the liver and to promote the function of the liver to cleanse and purify toxins and waste from the body. Small amounts of nettle help the digestion of grains and legumes. Medium levels of nettle will tonify and make strong the sinews, and the biggest amounts can inhibit all the functions when there is a liver that needs cleansing. The seeds of nettle are used in TCM to treat and stop male urinary incontinence.
6. Nettle in Modern Research
Nettle stimulates and supports the immune system in a variety of ways. Nettle is an antirheumatic herb, known to cleanse the body of metabolic waste that may be contributing to inflammation and joint pain. Nettle is also a circulatory stimulant, improving the flow of nutritive blood into your extremities, aiding in the removal of metabolic waste products and helping the flow of nutrients into your cells. The flavaglycosides and other antioxidants contained in nettle have been found to have a strong effect on the overall body health of adults, children, and the elderly. In a clinical trial conducted in the eighties, daily doses of nettle leaf reduced the severity, frequency, and duration of allergic rhinitis. In a trial conducted with diabetic patients, it was found that nettle seed contains a glucose-lowering substance that can help prevent and possibly reverse the onset of type-2 diabetes.
Today, research done in major medical institutions shows that nettle contains saponins, which are capable of ending benign prostate hyperplasia, one of the most common prostate complaints among aging men. The hydrophobic extracts of nettle can reduce the level of free testosterone in the body, preventing the conversion of more testosterone residue into dihydrotestosterone, a hormone that causes the prostate to grow. Published studies and case histories indicate that the biggest threat faced by prostate patients is the risk of developing prostate cancer. Medical testing with nettle seed shows that the lipid-lowering compounds contained in nettle have been able to lower a human prostate intracellular level of dihydrotestosterone, the relief of prostate inflammation, and a reduction in the overall size of a swollen prostate. Based on these results, nettle prostate complexes are available in Europe, the United States, and Taiwan.
6.1. Scientific Studies on Health Benefits
The common stinging nettle, Urtica dioica, is a detoxifying herb that is rich in vitamins A, B, C, and E, as well as other minerals like iron, calcium, and potassium. It’s used as a nourishing herb for people weakened by chronic illness. The nettle’s acidic quality is a means to purify the blood and help support the liver and kidneys. It’s also given to children as they are growing, to help them grow strong teeth and bones.
Nettles are generally considered safe and are commonly taken as a tonic infusion. Nettle infusions, which become quite tasty as they brew and can be taken hot or chilled, are a better way to extract its many vitamins and minerals than making a tea with a teabag. To prepare a nettle infusion, place about 1 ounce of the herb in a quart canning jar and fill it with boiling water, then add a lid or a table-sized saucer on top of the jar. Allow it to infuse for at least 4 hours, or overnight, before straining and serving. Nettle leaves are also added to food—often scrambled eggs, cheese dishes, omelets, green vegetables, and sauces. Once cooked, the nettle no longer stings. The roots can be prepared as a decoction. The dosage is 1/2-1 teaspoon of tincture three times daily.
7. Safety and Precautions
One of the most common forms is the allergy rash, called hives, the sting of an itch. These generally only require treatment if they actually cause problems; rather, they are indicators from the body that the herb has been effective. The symptoms generally last a day at most and require no medicine if they are recent enough that the patient uses no heat. For medium-aged symptoms, heat alone or combined with antihistamines can quickly give relief. Heat can be applied in the form of a hot shower, hairdryer on low, hot towel, or heating pad. The area of the body can be simply kept warm by wearing rubber gloves or warm socks.
In more chronic cases of contact allergy, such as those that frequently trouble herbalists who often handle fresh herbs, might be related to immunogenic, histamine intolerance and range from rashes to fatigue. Rest and a change of diet during the duration is recommended. It is also suggested that some people have the ability to “outgrow” nettles. Avoiding an herb can actually cause symptoms to become worse in some individuals. Avoiding the herb, then introducing it in minute amounts can help the body to build a tolerance to it once again. This should only be done under the direct supervision of a qualified medical professional.
7.1. Allergies and Side Effects
Nettle is a wonderful healing herb that should be a part of everyone’s health regime – especially during the spring and summer months and especially during a serious detox plan or when a tincture or good herb is needed to use topically to relieve pain. Nettle is helpful in or as a part of a cleanse, for women during heavy flow times or when the blood needs enrichment (pregnancy, breastfeeding), is great for prostate health and may relieve benign prostatic hyperplasia, and is wonderful for the health of the hair and scalp. And nettle has many more benefits beyond even these!
Nettle has a very good reputation as a safe herb to take chronically. Non-chronic, excessive or regular use has been known to cause itching, hives, rash and other allergic reactions and can include it possibly counteracting contraceptive drugs and blood thinning drugs. Those who experience any symptoms that relate to having mild to severe allergies should use amounts of very small quantities and build up to a small, normal amount to partake of as needed. Caution should also be taken with the following: diabetics who are on sugar lowering medications as nettle has been known to reduce blood sugar levels; certain drugs such as lithium, phenodioxodiazepines and phenytoin to have increased effects from prolonged use of nettle; and those using nitrates to decrease the sex drive, for hair loss products to counteract, for those being treated for hypotension to be affected and for the possible dangerous drop in blood pressure or heart rate.
7.2. Interactions with Medications
Some medications may interact with nettles. Because it thins the blood, patients taking blood-thinning medications such as warfarin, aspirin, or other anticoagulants should avoid nettle. However, nettle thins a patient’s blood only at the beginning of use. It is very important to discontinue nettle when you are scheduled for surgery, no matter how minor the surgery may be, as it will interfere with anesthesia. Patients who are taking diabetes medications or drugs meant to lower blood pressure could have problems with low blood sugar or low blood pressure. Because nettle can interact with chlorothiazide and bendroflumenethiazide, patients taking these drugs could face complications. This interaction occurs because nettle can lower the level of potassium in the body and is high in potassium.
Sometimes, nettle can spike the blood levels of lithium (a drug used to treat manic-depressive conditions). Patients who are also taking lithium will need to have their lithium levels adjusted. For the same reason, patients taking potassium-sparing diuretics should avoid nettle – these include amiloride, triamterene, and spironolactone. Hormone therapies can also affect the healing abilities of nettle, you should speak with a doctor if you are using hormone therapy or are undergoing fertility treatments. Nettle color hair rinses can help to prevent hair loss, but check with your dermatologist first if you are using hormone therapy. If you are pregnant, you should consult a doctor before taking nettle. Always do so under the supervision of a health professional, as there can be serious health risks.
8. Growing and Harvesting Nettle
The stinging hairs on the nettle plant are very painful, so the plant should be handled with care. However, the young greens of the nettle plant provide a high amount of chlorophyll. Therefore, the nettle plant serves as an excellent blood builder, cleanser, and detoxifier. It builds up the blood to help overcome issues associated with anemia, iron deficiencies, and generally low energy. There are a number of positive health benefits found in the nettle plant.
Nettle, or stinging nettle, is a shrub that comes from northern Europe and Asia. The plant is covered with fine, stinging hairs that break easily when touched. This causes the stinging sensation. The leaves and stems of the plant are used medicinally. Despite the use of herbal medicine in the past, there are no high-quality clinical trials to detail the effects of nettle on the human body. The nettle plant may have therapeutic properties and has been utilized medicinally dating back to Ancient Greece. In the growing and harvesting of nettle plants, the best time to harvest the leaves of the plants is before the nettle plants flower, usually in the early spring and when the stinging hairs are less active.
8.1. Cultivation Tips
Nettle spreads by both seed and rhizome, so only sow in well-prepared soil where you want it to spread or grow it in a large pot. Nettle does not like acid soil though and will become quite feeble and less useful in such soil. Nettle thrives where it can get its roots into moist but well-drained soil, though it will grow near water and on drier sites too. Healthy nettles look vigorous and have a deep green color in their leaves. Use only good, fresh seeds for direct planting—bad storage or old seeds can impede germination rates. Small nettle seeds should not be buried but only pressed softly and watered in; the larger seeds need one to three times the diameter under soil. Net seeds in March to May and also in October: either direct or indoors in trays. Once the seedlings are one inch, plant outside, planting distance 7 inches. Keep those for greens at a closer spacing; compare by touching the plants as they grow and drawing your conclusions. Remove rows upon rows of weeds and select the strongest nettle seed leaves for seedlings when transplanting. The first year these are put aside to build the second year beds, as is the material from sickly plants. Cut back before or after flowering (both for the years yield and your own new leaves) and topdress with homemade compost. Where a nettle survives, it usually comes back. With love, it comes back strong.
8.2. Harvesting and Drying Techniques
The best time to harvest this herb is in spring. Wear gloves when harvesting or the needles (stinging hairs) will give you a mild rash. It is a worthwhile herb to grow as it can be dried and made into an infusion over a twelve-month period. Use dried leaves and flowers in teas. Place plants and leaves on a drying screen, in a dark area and hang dry slightly. The aerobic bacteria count (below 108 cfu/g) is a colour-stabilising factor in heat-drying nettle. It takes approximately 48 h to achieve <20% air drying. Prepare by heat infusion for greatest health benefits. Moisten them again, and rub off the leaves. Dry them in a warm, well-ventilated room on an herb drying screen with a large ingenious elastic band. A large pillowcase can be used in place of the screen. To keep the pollen in, hang the pillowcase opening up and close it with a string when the nettles are in place. Keep out of direct sunlight. Dry until crisp then store in a glass jar.
Use
Nettle acts as a diuretic (similar to alcohol), removing impurities through urination. It acts dually by detoxifying. Helpful for arthritis, allergies, and overburdened kidneys. Nutritional, fresh, or dried, it packs over 20% protein; 10% fat; 40% carbohydrate; plant fiber; iron; magnesium; potassium; manganese; calcium; and vitamins (A, C, D, and K) into a substantial but not delicious food. Soak overnight and cook before using in large amounts. Fresh nettle can be substituted for the stock or water in soups, and it can be juiced (6 oz. per day per glass). To remove the nettle toxins, cook them for 5 min at 212 F. Remove the water when dry or wilted, then squeeze out the water and use.
9. Conclusion
Nettle really is an incredible herb, with dozens of surprising benefits and uses! Many people around the world have taken advantage of the nettle so, get out there and get your hands on some for yourself. Whether you choose to use it as a simple tea, infuse it into an oil or make a pungent vinegar, you’re sure to be surprised at the many gifts this herb has to offer.
I hope you have enjoyed this article on nettle. As you can see, it’s a fabulous herb that can offer so much. Do share this guide to the benefits and uses of nettle around to your friends and family, and leave your feedback in the comment box below. Thank you, and happy foraging!
9.1. Summary of Key Points
In general, nettle is one of the most finely textured and well-developed greens due to its wide range of nutrients. In terms of type, nettle is always a decongestant, an antioxidant, a diuretic, and an antiallergic. In terms of yin-yang classification and temperature, it will be warming and cooling. You can absorb and use many of the nutrients of nettle by drinking nettle tea, nettle aurum, nettle calcium, nettle wine, and other nettle products. In addition to detoxification and neutralization of toxins, nettle can also lower fat and blood sugar levels, enhance kidney filtration, and promote urine production and excretion. For lack of luster in skin and hair, nettle is the best beauty herb. The more you use it, the more natural and beautiful you become, showing the African vitality and strength that the peppergrass bring out.
Scientists have conducted research on the chemical ingredients and medicinal properties of nettle. The medicinal properties of nettle are: First, it can improve the symptoms of allergic rhinitis and allergies. Second, it has skin irritation activity, which can relieve inflammation caused by various allergens, relieve the symptoms of skin sensitiveness, soothe sensitive skin, and solve the problem of skin tolerance. For example, it can improve the skin burning and itching sensation caused by hydrogen peroxide. In another clinical study, the researchers also proved the therapeutic effect of nettle for skin sensitivity. Nettle is mainly composed of protein and minerals, especially rich in iron, which can be used to prevent and treat iron deficiency anemia. There are also many ways to incorporate nettle into recipes, and quite a few cosmetics on the market now contain nettle extract.
9.2. Future Research Directions
In the modern world, research into the uses and benefits of nettles continues. There is considerable scientific background to support the plant’s traditional medicinal uses. This includes the use of nettle root as an anti-inflammatory for urinary problems associated with benign prostatic hypertrophy and the use of a compound in nettle leaves as a novel treatment for the hot flushes of the menopause. Two exploratory clinical studies have been performed with nettle leaf for treatment of hay fever. The remedy was well tolerated and may provide a suitable alternative to antihistamines in patients who only suffer mild symptoms.
One of the most interesting future possibilities for nettle is use as a functional food. There are very few edible weeds on the market, and nettles have potential fast growing, high iron/low calorie, title. Nettle will not solve the world food crisis alone but contributing about 11% of RDA for iron in a single portion of a food would be a coup for most food manufacturers. The concentration of iron (but not other essential non-essential toxic minerals) present in commercially available nettle products is as high as that found in the most iron-rich commercial herb, the tea substitute Rooibos Aspalathus linearis. Nettle tea, is the most commonly consumed and most successful current nettle functional food however it will not pass stringent EU and USA legislation restricting health claims of products containing potentially dangerous native and tropical plants due to pressure from multinational pharmaceutical and agrochemical companies. Urtica dioica can, however, be more easily introduced as a pasture plant where this legislation may not apply.
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