The Benefits of Nettle: An Underrated Herb

Let's put the spotlight on a commonly known, yet underrated herb Nettle. Also known as stinging nettle, Urtica dioica is an easy to grow, and easy to use herbal medicine for enhancing health and wellness.

Herbal Medicine at Home

Nettles are one of the easiest herbs to grow at home, and are used in countless ways for health and well-being.

Typically known as a weed that crops up on livestock grazing areas, they thrive in moist, rich soil with partial shade. Keep in mind that nettles spread rapidly through seed and creeping roots (rhizomes and stolons).

You'll want to keep them confined to a single area where possible, such as an old bathtub converted into a planter box.

Growing nettles is easy and once they are established, you'll have an endless supply. I was given nettle root clump by a gardener friend to propagate. All I did was bury it in a pot of dirt, water it well for a few weeks and leaves started to emerge. Now I have my own nettle plant at home to harvest from for herbal medicine.

Harvesting Nettles for Herbal Medicine

The best time to harvest nettles for herbal medicine is early spring through to late summer. In early spring, the tender new shoots will have fresh growth. These leaves are soft and perfect for adding to soups or stews.

Using gloves to protect your hands, pick the first 2-4 leaves from the tips of each stem. You definitely need gloves for harvesting nettles! The leaves have stinging hairs called trichromes, which cause skin irritation through a histamine response.

You can also harvest nettles for drying to use in tea or tincture. The best time to harvest nettles for this purpose is later on in the summer season. The plant is more mature, the leaves are more robust which are better suited for drying.

Remember to harvest only what you need. I like to give thanks to the plants before I harvest, and I always leave a third or more of the plant behind.

Uses of Nettles in Herbal Medicine

Nettles as herbal medicine offer a range of healing support. Both the leaves and roots are used, but for very different purposes. Nettles are incredibly nutrient dense. They also have a wide range of therapeutic actions for treating illness like rheumatism and hay fever.

As a herbalist I often prescribe nettles in pregnancy to support nutrient intake, especially iron. The best way to have nettles, in my opinion is as a tea infusion. Another way to have nettles is in tincture, or adding the fresh leaves into your cooking.

Nettle Tea Infusion

Nettle tea is the easiest way to get in a huge dose of nutrients. Consider it your naturally sourced multi vitamin supplement!

Simply put a handful of dried nettle herb into a 1L glass jar. Top off with 750ml of boiling water. Leave the nettle tea to steep for a minimum of 4 hours, or overnight.

In the morning, drain off the leaves and drink the tea throughout the day. I use a cloth bag to separate the herb from the liquid. You can use a sieve, or muslin cloth too.

Therapeutic Actions of Nettles

In herbal medicine, we talk about the therapeutic actions of herbs. This means what type of effect they have on the body and how this corresponds with treating illness.

For example, nettle leaves have the action of haemostatic, or styptic - which means they can stop bleeding.

Other actions include:
Anti-rheumatic - Nettle leaves support rheumatic conditions through reducing inflammation.
Anti-allergic - Nettle leaves support allergic conditions like hay fever, dermatitis and hives through reducing histamine.
Depurative - Nettle leaves are considered a powerful, yet gentle detoxification herb. They support removal of waste products in the body.

Nutrients in Nettles

Nettles are high in a range of important nutrients like iron and other minerals. This is why I often suggest nettle tea for the pregnant and post-partum mother. It is a wonderful nutritive herb for restoring vitamin and mineral stores during and after pregnancy.

Other nutrients in nettle leaves include:

Vitamins: A, C, K, and some B vitamins.

Minerals: Calcium, magnesium, phosphorus and potassium.

Protein: One of the highest-protein greens available.

Nettle Leaves vs Nettle Root

I have spoken extensively about nettle leaves and their health benefits. It may not be as commonly known, but nettle root is also utilised extensively within herbal medicine for men's health.

Nettle root as been used for treating benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) and chronic prostatitis. I have used nettle root for this purpose with positive results. Using nettle root in combination with other herbs like saw palmetto, willow herb and horsetail gives the best results.

Together, these herbs assist with reducing the urinary/bladder issues which are commonly associated with BPH.

Conclusion

As a medical herbalist, nettles are one of my favourite ways to boost nutrient intake for the depleted individual.

A simple tea is easy to brew and drink when sweetened with honey. Growing your own nettles at home provides an abundant source of fresh greens for adding to meals like soups.

They are tasty, nutrient dense and offer a wealth of health benefits. Nature's wisdom highlights the abundance of nettles in early spring, when seasonal allergies are most common and severe. It is no coincidence that nettles with their anti-allergic properties can be of great support at this time for all.

Interested in learning more about how herbal medicine can enhance your life and health?

Feel free to get in touch today. I am always available for a free 15 minute call to discuss your situation. I also have a full range herbal dispensary at my clinic to prescribe herbs for any health concern.

I am looking forward to connecting with you soon,

Natasha