Stinging Nettle-Ade Recipe (2024)

FAQs

How do you prepare stinging nettle for medicinal purposes? ›

There are several ways to prepare the leaves once you've taken them home. You can wash and dry them by leaving them in the open air, or you can freeze-dry them for long-term storage. If you freeze the leaves, blanch them first. Boil them in water for 2 minutes, then soak them in ice water for 2 more minutes.

Put the nettle leaf and alcohol in pint jar, stir and cover with the lid. Label the jar with contents. Place the jar in a cool, dark place, and shake it daily. After 2-3 weeks, strain into bowl and use wooden spoon to press down on herbs left in strainer to get all the goodness.

Nettle is believed to be a powerful blood air purifier that removes toxins from the body, making it an excellent addition to your daily routine.

Sautéing – Sauté until they look fully cooked, usually about 5-8 minutes. Steaming – place nettles in a colander and steam for 5-10 minutes. The stinging substance in nettles (formic acid) is neutralized with heat and once it is dried.

Avoid nettles if you have severe kidney disease, are on dialysis, or have fluid retention due to congestive heart failure. Nettles may interfere with blood pressure medication. Do not eat the raw leaves. A rash may occur if you are allergic to nettles.

Pregnant women should avoid consuming stinging nettle because it may trigger uterine contractions, which can raise the risk of a miscarriage (41). Speak to your doctor before consuming stinging nettle if you're taking one of the following: Blood thinners. Blood pressure medication.

Occasional side effects include mild stomach upset, fluid retention, sweating, diarrhea, and hives or rash (mainly from topical use). It is important to be careful when handling the nettle plant because touching it can cause an allergic rash.

Stinging nettle extracts are generally well tolerated and have not been implicated in instances of serum aminotransferase elevations or cases of clinically apparent liver injury.

The bottom line. Whether you forage for your own leaves or buy it in a more convenient teabag form, having a cup of nettle tea every day offers a range of health and nutritional benefits, from reducing blood pressure to offering protective anti-inflammatories and antioxidants.

Avoid if you're pregnant or breastfeeding because there isn't enough information on its safety. Use with caution if you're elderly because of the potential of causing low blood pressure. And use stinging nettle with caution if you have diabetes because of the potential that it may lower or raise blood sugar levels.

What is the best way to take nettle? ›

Soaking nettle leaves in tea is one way to consume nettle. People can also eat young nettle leaves (by steaming or wilting them in the same manner as spinach), take dried nettle leaf in capsules, or use nettle tinctures.

Boil the nettles.

Put the leaves in boiling water for 10–15 minutes, or until the water turns light green. One loose cup (240 mL) leaves is enough for two glasses of tea, although you can make it stronger or weaker. If you don't want to get your kettle mucky, just pour boiling water over the leaves and let steep.

Stinging nettle products are usually made from the leaves and stems, and sometimes the roots. Root preparations are used to relieve symptoms of BPH.

Stinging nettle can be eaten on its own or as an ingredient in foods. Nettle leaves must first be cooked or steamed to destroy the hairs on them, which contain a number of irritating chemicals. Most medicinal uses of stinging nettle use more of the plant than you would typically eat.

They can be used medicinally, ceremonially and as a highly nutritious food source. Roots, seeds, stems and young, tender leaves are all edible. Native Indigenous people use stinging nettle for medicine, ceremony and as a food source. Mature fibrous stems have been used to make rope, cloth and fishing net.