Nutritious Nettles - Easy Infusion

Monday, March 16, 2020
Image credit - Pixabay

I'm trying to remember when I first fell in love with nettles (Uritica dioica) but it's been quite awhile now. I believe this herb was the very first one I ever bought in bulk. When I discovered for myself just how amazing nettles were I knew I always wanted to keep them on hand.

You might be thinking, "Isn't this the plant that stings you if you try to touch it?" And the answer to that is yes, YES it is! But oh if you can get past its prickly nature you will discover an emerald gem of an ally you'll likely want to keep close too.

Nettles are a nutritive herb, which means they assist the body in restoring balance. They nourish, tone, and promote healthy metabolism. Nutritive herbs help in the functioning of the liver, the kidneys and the lymphatic and immune systems. Nettles have a particular affinity for the adrenal glands! That makes me especially happy as my adrenals struggle a bit. Just look at the nutrition that's packed into just a one quart infusion.

Minerals:
Calcium (1000 mg per quart of infusion)
Magnesium (300 mg per quart of infusion)
Potassium (600 mg per quart of infusion)
Zinc (1.5 mg per quart of infusion)
Selenium (.7 mg per quart of infusion)
Iron (1.5 mg per quart of infusion)
Manganese (2.6 mg per quart of infusion)
Also: chromium, cobalt, phosphorus, copper, sulphur, silicon, and tin.

Vitamins:
Vitamin A from {beta carotene} (5000 IU per quart of infusion)
Vitamin B complex, especially thiamin, riboflavin, niacin, folate, vitamin C, vitamin D, and K 
Each quart of infusion also contains about 3mg of Boron. 

How To Make A Rich Nettles Infusion

Can there be an easier recipe on the planet? Well maybe but you'd be hard pressed to find it! So here goes... 

Take 1 cup of dried nettles (don't pack it down) and place them in a glass quart jar. Fill the jar up with hot water that's just about to boil and put the lid on. Let it sit on the counter and steep for at least 4 hours. I always do mine in the evening and let it sit over night. 

After it's finished steeping strain the liquid out into another jar, pressing down on the herbs to get as much out as possible. That's it! 

I put mine in the fridge because I like to drink it cold but you don't have to. I do try to drink it all up in the same day, about a cup at a time. However, it will remain quite good into the next day if I have some left over. I personally don't keep it longer than that. Some folks like to fill a go-cup with their infusion and just sip it all day. That would be great too! 

No matter what infusion may be in my rotation I always give it a 1-2 week break every 6 weeks. That's just my way. I don't remember where I first heard that advice but I think it's a good idea.  

Some Like It Hot On The Spot

If you just want to relax with a nice nutritive cup of hot tea then go for it. I love it this way! All you have to do is put 1-3 teaspoons of dried nettles into your favorite cup and pour boiling water over it. Let it infuse for 10-15 minutes, strain and drink. It's delicious... I think I'll go make a cup now! 

Of course, with either of these methods a little honey or stevia can be added for sweetness before drinking. Some folks even like to add a little salt to round out the flavor and/or top off the mineral content. 

There are many other surprising ways to enjoy nettles and I plan to share some of those in future posts so keep a look out! 


Cautions: Considered safe and nutritious but some allergic reactions have been reported. Raw nettle stings may cause some discomfort. Internal use may decrease the efficacy of anticoagulant drugs (Hoffman 2003). 


References:

Herbpathy - Alterative Herbs. Retrieved from: https://herbpathy.com/Action-of-Alterative-Cid617

Sassy Holistics. Nettle Infusions: The Most Versatile Herbal Infusion. September 17, 2015. Retrieved from: https://www.sassyholistics.com/2015/09/17/nettles-infusions/

Herbal Academy. (n.d.) Nettle monograph. Retrieved from https://herbarium.theherbalacademy.com/monographs/#/monograph/1023