nettle tea

[BleeckerSt_Girl]

Anyone like to drink nettle tea? What does it do for you?
I've been getting into it lately.

[abejita]

It is good for injuries because it is an anti-inflammatory. Also it is good for allergies and prostate health.

[badger]

I bought some when I was in England a few years ago because I'd never heard of it (I LOOOVE tea of any kind so was keen to try). I found it really "grassy" tasting. Never thought it had much value health-wise, and I never noticed anything different when I drank it so half of it ended up in the bin.

[BleeckerSt_Girl]

Well interestingly, I have started drinking a big cup every day, and I do notice a really nice effect. About halfway through it, I notice a slight warm flush through my whole body, very subtle but definitely there, and this very pleasant effect lasts for several hours. It's a nice feeling of physical vibrancy and well being. Sort of like the feeling after being out in the sun for 10 or 15 minutes.

I then started reading about all the good stuff nettle is supposed to do for you, and in fact it has a variety of vitamins and nutrients in it...minerals, B complex, calcium, magnesium, vit.E, just to name a few. Then there is a long list of physical issues nettle can help with. Pretty impressive really.
My usual default is to be skeptical about herb health claims, but this lovely warm glow feeling is something I now look forward to in my afternoon, and knowing it has nutritional benefits too is definitely a plus.
Diggin' my nettle tea! :cool:

[BleeckerSt_Girl]

I have some stinging nettle growing in my yard. Today for the first time I cut the tender 4" tips of each stalk and simmered them quickly in water, let them sit for a few mintues, then drained and added a dab of butter and a dash of salt. Oh my goodness, they are really good! In a spinach-y sort of way, but with their own flavor. DH didn't care for them, but I thought they were a real treat! Supposed to be loaded with nutrition, so I guess I'll be an avid nettle-picker from now on. :)
I saved the cooking water which was quite potent, and added a touch of honey and put it in the fridge for a 'tonic tea'.

[staceysue]

I cook up nettles and eat them in the spring. They're delicious.

I also get use Simplers Nettle-Radish compound for my allegery-induced sinus headaches and it has really worked wonders.

[badger]

hmm, I'll have to give it a try again. It could very well be that the leaves inside the tea bag was old. It was packaged only in a thin cardboard box and sat in my cupboard for a while.

It's interesting that I've never noticed nettle here, but I see it all the time in England. Even got "stung" once, and itched like a bajeezus!

[staceysue]

Wherever there's nettle, you'll usually find yellow dock growing next to it. If you chew up a yellow dock leaf and rub it on the place where you got stung, it will take the sting out. Just one of those interesting facts that are stuck in my head.

[BleeckerSt_Girl]

That cooked nettle was so delicious that I'm now going to cordon off the area there so the nettles can continue to grow without danger of being mowed again. :D

[BleeckerSt_Girl]

That cooked nettle was so delicious that I'm now going to cordon off the area there so the nettles can continue to grow without danger of being mowed again. :D

Update, one year later....
Now it's the following Spring. The nettles have been coming up nicely in that area that I cordoned off. They were growing all fresh and bushy and tender, about 7" tall.
I snipped off the top 3" of most of the shoots, and had enough for one big bowl of the nettle tops simmered in water for a couple minutes. I added a pinch of sea salt and a pat of butter. YUM!!!!!!!!!! I think they are even better than steamed fresh spinach. I know they are supposed to be incredibly nutritious.
Next week I'll probably have enough for another serving!

[chryss]

I snipped off the top 3" of most of the shoots, and had enough for one big bowl of the nettle tops simmered in water for a couple minutes. I added a pinch of sea salt and a pat of butter. YUM!!!!!!!!!! I think they are even better than steamed fresh spinach. I know they are supposed to be incredibly nutritious.

When I was a child we used to gather nettles and my grandmother used them mixed with spinach or in soups. Mhhhh!

[Kitsune06]

Here's (http://www.herbalistmanifesto.com/herbs/?p=17) a snippet from one of my favorite blogs. I wish I'd have known the things were edible when I was a kid. The fact would have enabled me to exact the perfect revenge on plants that stung me around my favorite fishing spots. :p

[Susan]

I use nettles too, they are growing in my garden next to other healthy herbs. I like the spinach-version more than the tea. I sometimes mix the nettles into ordinary spinach if I don't have enough of them.

My grandfather always said that it's "healthy" to get stung by nettles and it can help if you have stiff fingers or other joints. Maybe he just wanted to calm me down when I was crying because of the stinging as a kid, though :)

[Pax]

Update, one year later....
Now it's the following Spring. The nettles have been coming up nicely in that area that I cordoned off. They were growing all fresh and bushy and tender, about 7" tall.
I snipped off the top 3" of most of the shoots, and had enough for one big bowl of the nettle tops simmered in water for a couple minutes. I added a pinch of sea salt and a pat of butter. YUM!!!!!!!!!! I think they are even better than steamed fresh spinach. I know they are supposed to be incredibly nutritious.
Next week I'll probably have enough for another serving!

How cool to eat and enjoy something from your yard that supposed to be a "weed".

[Biciclista]

how the heck do you gather these things? I know they're good to eat but...OUCH

[Stushica]

I drink a good bit of nettle as well as mullen leaf tea in the spring to help with allergies, personally i think it's pretty icky tasteing stuff but not nearly as bad as not breathing lol. I think i'll scout for some to eat next time if it's a more tastey alternative. As far as the picking goes I'd use gloves! also if you get "stung" the inside of the leaf (the liquidy side) to can be used to relieve the sting. :)

[BleeckerSt_Girl]

My grandfather always said that it's "healthy" to get stung by nettles and it can help if you have stiff fingers or other joints.

I have honeybees for that. ;) Apitherapy!


how the heck do you gather these things? I know they're good to eat but...OUCH

I set a big bowl down next to them, hold the top leaves with kitchen tongs, and snip the stem below it with scissors, toss them into the bowl with the tongs. Simply dump the bowlful into simmering water or broth.

Here are a couple of tender shoots from last year:
http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_9fPBEJTqGzw/S9WxkKs0hvI/AAAAAAAACyo/fFrChNB7SVg/s1600/nettle2.jpg

[chryss]

how the heck do you gather these things? I know they're good to eat but...OUCH

The "needles" are around the edge, so you can actually pinch them with index finger and thumb in the middle of the (top and bottom side of the) leaf without getting stung. Then you rip or better cut them off (with scissors) at the leaf stem and you get single leaves this way.

Or of rouse household rubber gloves ;) .

[Catrin]

Nettles have been used for centuries in some parts of the world as a way to help regulate heavy menstrual flow, also given after childbirth. They are also quite yummy early in the season with a good garlic sauce - Eastern European comfort food :cool: