Nettles are not just a common weed that spreads in gardens. It’s a good idea to keep a few and try making a very healthy nettle tea.

What it is and how to grow it

Nettle is a weedy plant that can be found anywhere there is sufficient moisture for it to grow. It is most common along riverbanks, in ravines and roadsides. Stinging nettle is a stinging nettle with small stinging needles on its leaves. They are filled with substances that cause skin irritation with typical small red pimples.

However, the stinging is not to be feared, it soon disappears and is believed to counteract rheumatism. In the past, people with rheumatism deliberately stung themselves to cure themselves. Nettle has a rich history associated with humanity. It has always been widely used as a medicinal plant, but also for textile production or in cooking and cosmetics.

In the Middle Ages, poorer people wore homemade shirts made from nettles.

Today it is used as animal feed or in experimentation with biofuels. It is also enjoying a renaissance in cosmetic products, but especially in nutrition. Nettles are harvested in spring, when they have the greatest healing power, and dried. You can use the fresh leaves to make salad, Easter stuffing, tea or just eat the tiny seeds on the tops.

How to drink

Preparing nettle tea is simple. The dried leaves are poured over hot water and left to infuse. It is also possible to prepare a cold infusion. The nettles are poured over hot water and left to infuse for 12 hours.

Dill tea has a dark green colour and a very strong grassy taste.

Some people may find its aroma unpleasant. Therefore, it is a good idea to add sugar and lemon to it, or combine it with other herbs that will affect its final taste.

It is also possible to drink nettle syrup, which, with the addition of a lot of sugar and lemon, tastes much better than tea on its own. The syrup can be made into a tea, giving you a better tasting drink but with about the same effects.

It depends on whether you steep the nettles and boil them, or prepare the syrup by sprinkling sugar over the nettle leaves, as you do with plantain syrup. You don’t have to worry about combining the two herbs at all.

You will get a very interesting and effective syrup from which you can prepare a delicious tea or take it by the spoonful.

Most famous recipes and instructions

Nettle tea is prepared by placing a strainer and 1 teaspoon of dried nettles in a mug and pouring hot water over them. Leave them to infuse for no longer than 5 minutes, then remove the strainer. It is important to observe the dosage, never give yourself more nettles than recommended and also keep the infusion time.

The nettle is very effective for lowering pressure, in case you overdose, you would be constantly tired and may have too low pressure.

Nettle tea is sweetened with sugar, honey or syrup. You can also add lemon to it.

A soothing sleeping tea with nettle, St. John’s wort and lavender will help you fall asleep quickly. Just mix a handful of dried nettles, St John’s wort and lavender flowers, stir well and scoop out one teaspoon. Infuse this in a cup of tea, sweeten with honey and flavour with lemon. You’ll drift off to sleep before you can finish your tea.

What are the health benefits

Nettle especially lowers blood pressure, purifies the blood and strengthens the heart, blood vessels and the entire cardiovascular system. It is rich in vitamins and minerals, you will find vitamin A, C, K and B vitamins in it. Also lots of minerals, calcium, potassium, phosphorus, iron, magnesium and sodium. Nettle is an important antioxidant.

It counteracts rheumatism, treats eczema, regulates blood sugar levels, and is effective in urinary tract diseases.

It is often included in urological tea mixtures used for bladder inflammation.

It stops bleeding, relieves joint and muscle pain and is great for hair. Infusions with nettles used regularly on the hair have an effect on their growth and density. Blondes should not use them, however, as they naturally darken the hair.

Not only as a decoction are they useful

Nettles are very nutritious and healthful not only for humans, but also for animals and plants. It has a high potassium content, which plants need, so a nettle infusion is a great fertilizer. You don’t have to throw away the leaves from the tea, just put them on the potting soil and use them as a very effective fertilizer, after which the plant will grow beautifully.

The nettle tea is an excellent remedy against allergies, the substances contained in the nettles counteract hay fever and its symptoms.

They dilate the trachea and aid breathing. You should use nettles before and during pollen season as a supportive remedy to combat allergies.

Nettles are also very effective on the skin, fighting eczema and being anti-inflammatory. It contains antihistamines, which counteract itching and dryness of the skin. Nettle is used to make medicinal ointments and creams.