Nettles are native to Europe, Asia, North Africa, and North America. They have been used since the Bronze Age as a medicinal herb and in spiritual rituals. Scientists have found nettle fibers in burial shrouds, linking them to the transition from life to death. As a healing herb, nettle leaf has been used since ancient times to promote male fertility and treat the effects of arthritis. Moreover, it is rich in nutrients. Ayurvedic healers classify nettles as bitter, salty, cool, and dry. The plant defends itself with tiny hairs that release a chemical that irritates the skin, lasting for several days.
Properties and benefits of nettles
- Nettles arerich in vitamins A, C, E, B1, B2, B3, and B5. The plant is rich in minerals including calcium, iron, folic acid, potassium, magnesium, manganese, phosphorus, selenium, and zinc. It has a significant amount of protein and contains alpha and beta hydroxysitosterols, quercetin, and rutin.
- All this means nutrition does more than help you ditch your multivitamin. The leaves, seeds, and roots of the nettle plant are used to treat inflammation, maintain a healthy upper respiratory system, and promote a healthy prostate. Nettles provide energy, benefit the immune system, balance lymphatic function, keep joints and muscles healthy, and help maintain healthy skin.
- Other health benefits of nettles include maintaining the health of the skeletal system. The plant contains boron, an element that helps rebalance calcium levels in the bones, thereby reducing the risk of osteoporosis. Nettles are known to lower systolic blood pressure and relieve tension and stress on the cardiovascular system, making them useful in reducing the risk of cardiovascular diseases.
- The plant can break down kidney and gallstones and acts as a diuretic, promoting kidney and gallbladder health.
How to cook nettles
Each part of the plant has its specific properties to be used for particular purposes. Simmer the leaves for two hours, then strain and bottle the liquid for a balm for the scalp and hair. Wash them under running water and steam for about twenty minutes, then serve as a side dish. The leaves are also great for enhancing soups.
