You may forage for nettles within the UK, as they’re quite common and might usually be present in woodland and countryside areas. You will want to put on a pair of gloves to choose the leaves, however cooking or boiling them in water removes the sting.
The perfect time to forage for nettle leaves is late February to early March when the younger leaves seem, however nettles can be found till the tip of Autumn. Older leaves are typically harder and extra bitter, and it’s best to keep away from choosing leaves from any nettles which have flowered because the leaves can include calcium carbonate which can have an effect on kidney well being.
Dietary profile of nettles
90g of blanched nettles accommodates:
- 37Kcal/155KJ
- 2.4g protein
- 0.1g fats
- 27g carbohydrate
- 6.1g fibre
- 444mcg vitamin Ok
- 428mg calcium
- 50mg magnesium
- 297mg potassium
Like different inexperienced leafy greens, nettles are excessive in vitamin Ok, which is necessary for wholesome blood clotting. They’re additionally supply of vitamin A, calcium and magnesium, which assist help wholesome pores and skin and bones, and assist keep a wholesome immune system. Additionally they include fibre, some B nutritional vitamins, and different minerals resembling iron and potassium.
Methods to make nettle tea utilizing recent leaves:
- Put 1 cup of nettle leaves and a pair of cups of water in a small saucepan. Add extra water in case you choose a weaker tea.
- Convey to the boil, then take away from the warmth.
- Let the leaves sit for about 5 minutes.
- Pour via a steel strainer to serve.
Methods to make nettle tea utilizing dried nettle leaves:
- Put about 2 tsp of dried nettle leaves in a tea strainer in a mug, or in a teapot.
- Cowl with boiling water and steep for 10-Quarter-hour earlier than serving.
Is nettle tea good for you?
- Anti-inflammatory advantages
- Wealthy in antioxidants
- Helps bone well being
- Pores and skin-healing properties
- Can assist prostrate well being
- Could scale back arthritic ache
- Helps stability blood sugar
- Helps keep wholesome ldl cholesterol
- Could assist scale back blood stress
- Could assist stop sure cancers
What are the well being advantages of nettle tea?
1. It affords anti-inflammatory advantages
Nettles have anti-inflammatory properties that may assist with inflammatory problems and lowering signs in circumstances resembling eczema, arthritis and psoriasis.
2. It is excessive in antioxidants
Nettle tea accommodates excessive ranges of an antioxidant referred to as phylloxanthobilin. A weight loss program excessive in antioxidants helps protects our cells from harm and will scale back the danger of sure ailments resembling coronary heart illness and a few cancers.
3. It helps help bone well being
Nettles include numerous nutritional vitamins and minerals that assist help sturdy and wholesome bones, together with calcium, magnesium, phosphorus, zinc and vitamin Ok. Additionally they include excessive ranges of boron which helps to keep up wholesome calcium ranges within the physique and will assist stop osteoporosis.
4. It has skin-healing properties
Nettles are a pure antihistamine, in addition to having anti-inflammatory and antibacterial properties that may assist in the remedy of pores and skin circumstances resembling zits, hives and eczema.
5. It might assist with a wholesome prostrate in males
The anti-inflammatory, anti-tumour and anti-viral properties of nettles have been discovered to assist in relieving the signs of benign prostatic hyperplasia.
6. It might scale back ache in these with arthritis
A research by Plymouth College discovered that stinging nettles might scale back ache and incapacity in these with osteoarthritis.
7. It helps to enhance blood sugar ranges
Nettles have been discovered to enhance blood sugar ranges by rising insulin and the variety of pancreatic β-cells within the physique, which play a significant function in glucose homeostasis as they’re the principle supply of insulin.
8. It helps to keep up wholesome levels of cholesterol
Nettles include a phytochemical referred to as quercetin, which helps to lower whole ldl cholesterol, in addition to having properties that assist scale back lipid ranges within the blood.
9. It might assist to cut back blood stress
Some analysis has demonstrated that consuming nettle tea often might assist to cut back blood stress.
10. It might provide protecting advantages in opposition to sure cancers
Some analysis has demonstrated that nettle tea might shield in opposition to or decelerate the development of sure cancers. This analysis has solely been carried out in vitro up to now however might provide potential advantages in human research.
Is nettle tea secure for everybody?
Nettle tea might not be appropriate for these are taking medicine for hypertension or diabetes, or folks with kidney illness or any blood clotting problems. At all times verify together with your GP earlier than utilizing nettle tea to verify that it’s secure for you to take action.
Extra like this
Some folks can expertise a sensitivity to nettles or nettle tea, so in case you expertise any signs resembling hives, abdomen discomfort or discover an itchy throat, then discontinue use.
If there are any indicators of an allergic response resembling issue respiratory, swelling of the face, tongue or lips, then name 999 instantly, as this may be life-threatening.
The underside line
Whether or not you forage to your personal leaves or purchase it in a extra handy teabag type, having a cup of nettle tea each day affords a spread of well being and dietary advantages, from lowering blood stress to providing protecting anti-inflammatories and antioxidants.
Additional studying
Nettle recipes
High 10 anti-inflammatory meals
Highlight on hypertension
What’s osteoporosis and what impacts bone density?
What it’s good to find out about blood sugar
