Stinging Nettle is a highly beneficial weed. My boys and I practice picking, rolling and consuming....yummy!! Nettles for Health It is supposed to help a whole array of different diseases and ailments. People have even reported missing tumors after nettle cures. It helps sciatica by washing the area daily with an infusion or by taking a nettle bath. It can help headaches because of it cleansing abilities, and possibly for the same reason it also helps rheumatism. People with joint problems in general will see benefits from ingesting nettles. Nettles are also said to give you a real boost of energy. Even elderly people report gaining great strength and endurance from the herb. One reason might be that it quickly eases anemic cases because of its high content of both vitamin C and iron which assists the body in taking up the iron, and it has no side effects like iron tablets might have, often causing constipation. But although many people can be anemic, and thereby low in energy without knowing it, it can’t seem to explain all the cases. It could be worth a shot to go on a nettle cure if you feel like you’re tired and exhausted all the time. In general nettles have so many benefits that it wouldn’t be a bad idea to make it a habit to drink a cup or two of the tea a day. It is actually quite tasty and can be sweetened with a little honey or mixed with other teas such as peppermint in order to make it a little more exciting. If nettle tea doesn’t appeal to you, you can also put a teaspoon of the dried herb in your food on a regular basis. Throw it into any strew, omelette or soup and use it as a spice, that way you get all the benefits without skipping your morning coffee! Nettles for Food Nettles contain many valuable nutrients, especially iron and vitamin C like already mentioned. Nettles make a delicious soup and you can cook it just like you would with spinach. Saute the leaves a first with a little onion (although it works fine without too) and then boil in vegetable broth for 10-15 minutes. Go over it with a hand-held blender and finish off with a dash of cream or some milk. You can of course expand on this basic recipe adding spices or other plants like fresh dandelion leaves. It tastes really yummy with a piece of bread and a boiled egg. Since the nettle season is short considering, it is very possible to freeze the leaves by bringing them to a boil first. This will compact them considerably and make sure they keep better in the freezer. This way you can make nettle soup all year long. Since the nettles have few known side effects they are safe to use but should not be used in excessive amounts for any length of time. Some claim that it’s not safe for pregnant women, while in fact it was used especially for pregnant women in the past, making both pregnancy and birth easier. However it would be wise to be a little careful just in case. So assuming you’re not overdoing it, go enjoy your nettles, they’re growing among your weeds right now! by Agathe Molvik. Sources: “Healing Through God’s Farmacy” by Maria Treben and “Medisinplanter i Norge” by Rolv Hjelmstad.
Posted on: Sun, 07 Jul 2013 00:50:22 +0000
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