Tea
Nettle tea
Nettle is the plant everyone knows from being stung and almost nobody thinks of as food. That is a shame, because it is one of the most nutritious plants growing wild in Denmark: iron, calcium, potassium and a good deal of silica.
The tea tastes green and faintly of hay. Not bad, just honest.
It moves water, so drink it in the morning. Drink it in the evening and you will get to know your nightly route to the bathroom rather well.
Ingredients
- 2 tsp dried nettle leaves
- 250 ml boiling water
Equipment
- Strainer or tea infuser
- Cup
- Plate to cover with
Method
- 1
Pour 250 ml boiling water over 2 tsp dried nettle leaves, steep 10 minutes.
Dosage
1-3 cups daily, preferably before 4 pm.
If you drink it as a course, take a break after 4-6 weeks.
Shelf life
Dried leaves keep 1 year, dark and airtight. Drink the tea fresh.
Safety
Nettle is diuretic. If you take water tablets, or have kidney disease, speak with your doctor first.
It can lower blood sugar. If you have diabetes and take medication for it, keep an eye out.
It can lower blood pressure and affect blood thinners, because it contains vitamin K. If you take anticoagulants, ask your doctor.
Not recommended during pregnancy. Nettle has traditionally been used to bring on contractions.
Forage with gloves, and not at roadsides or where dogs are walked. The leaves must be blanched or dried before use, or they still sting.
How the herbs work
Nettle is diuretic and increases what the kidneys pass out. That is why it is used for fluid retention and as a general cleanse.
It is also unusually nutritious, with iron, calcium, potassium and silica, and the leaves contain compounds that ease inflammation. That is why it has traditionally been used both for joint pain and as a spring tonic after winter.
The content here is general knowledge and folk herbal lore, not medical treatment. In illness, pregnancy, breastfeeding or alongside medication: always talk to your doctor first.