Nettle Tea: Effect and Preparation of the Remedy

The positive effect of nettle tea on our health proves one thing above all very impressively: Good things do not have to be expensive. Nettles are among the oldest medicinal plants of all and have already proven themselves many times over.

Stinging nettle – that’s why the medicinal plant is so valuable for health

You probably associate stinging nettles primarily with unpleasant experiences. The medicinal plant convinces with excellent inner values. In short: stinging nettles are among the plants that are very often underestimated. Old naturopaths like Paracelsus and Kneipp already knew that. Incidentally, the stinging nettles are also important for a functioning ecosystem: Among other things, numerous butterfly species and butterfly caterpillars feed on the plant.

• The stinging nettle contains a huge arsenal of nutrients that are not only health-promoting but essential for our organism. The stinging nettle provides all eight amino acids that are important for us and a lot of high-quality proteins. This makes nettle an excellent source of protein for vegans and vegetarians.
• The antioxidants and the beauty vitamin E are important for cell renewal and thus for the skin and our external appearance. With a good portion of vitamins, including the nerve vitamins B1, B2, and B5 as well as vitamin A, provitamin A, vitamin C, and vitamin K, the stinging nettle can also score points.
• Essential oils and flavonoids as well as tannins and chlorophyll can also be found in the medicinal plant, as well as numerous minerals. The medicinal plant contains a particularly large amount of iron, calcium, silicon, magnesium, and potassium.
• The high potassium content of the stinging nettle is one of the reasons why the medicinal plant has been used successfully for centuries to treat urinary tract and prostate diseases. Potassium dilutes the urine and ultimately acts as a diuretic, allowing pathogens to leave the body faster.
• Nettles inhibit pathogenic bacteria and also have an anti-inflammatory effect on intestinal diseases such as Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis.
• For gout and rheumatism, the pain and anti-inflammatory nettles have been used since time immemorial.
• In a study with two groups of participants, scientists from the Universities of Frankfurt and Munich examined the effect of stinging nettle with that of conventional medicines for arthritis and arthrosis. The group of participants that ate 50 grams of nettle butter per day was able to drastically reduce the dose of their medicines. Instead of 200 milligrams of diclofenac, the subjects only took 50 milligrams.
• By the way: Nettles make you beautiful! Use a homemade nettle hair tonic to stimulate hair growth.

Nettle tea – this is how you prepare the healthy pick-me-up

Spring fatigue – who doesn’t know it? A well-tried means of successfully dispelling spring tiredness has been nettle tea for ages. Due to its nutrient density and in particular the high iron content, tired minds are quickly awakened again. Incidentally, the healthy herbal tea also detoxifies the body so that you can start spring in a buoyant manner.

• Use dried young leaves for nettle tea. Old nettle leaves are less suitable as they usually taste very bitter.
• The healthy nettle tea is quickly prepared. For a liter of tea, take four to five level tablespoons of nettle leaves.
• Pour the hot water over the leaves and let the nettle tea steep for ten to fifteen minutes. It is best if you have a cup of nettle tea first thing in the morning.
• The cheapest and above all in the organic quality you get the nettle leaves from your own garden. But you can also get nettle leaves from specialist retailers.
• The strength of the nettle tea depends on the intended use and your taste. Do a tea regimen, and take more nettle leaves for a period of time. You agree on the exact dosage with your doctor.