This site has a herb of the month, contest, etc. a forum to ask
questions and others to list their experiences! Neat~~ Thanks for the
yummy soup!
There are about 30 to 40 types in the Urticaceae family. Learn more
about the different species of nettle.
Foraging for Nettle in the Garden, Woods, and Fields
I have daring memories of foraging stinging nettle when I lived in
Budapest, Hungary. A family friend of my husband Peter, who has an
extraordinary amount of wild stinging nettle growing in his back yard,
taught me how to pick stinging nettle with my bare hands, literally
using my fingertips.
I followed his directions precisely, touching the uppermost top side
of the nettle leaf, bringing the sides together, then pulling it off
and away from the plant, and then releasing it, dropping the leaf into
a bag or basket. Fortunately those prickly stingers – the silica
‘hairs’ on the nettle leaf that hold the formic acid – only stung me
once [when I was impatient and not focused]. Good thing there was
curly dock growing near the nettles.
Curly dock, which looks similar to dandelion, is nature’s natural
remedy to help relieve the painful sting and itch from those tiny
silica hairs located on the underside of the nettle leave. It
generally grows right alongside nettle. Pluck one of its leaves and
rub it over the affected area for immediate relief.
Whether I worn gloves or not, I foraged for fresh nettle when I
stopped it outside in my mother-in-law’s backyard or when we made
another visit to our family friend’s backyard bounty.
Mountain Rose Herbs Nettle Leaf
Snip off or pick the top leaves, which is the most potent part of the
nettle plant.
Selecting Nettle
Nettle is best used for food when they are first coming up in the
spring. Keep in mind once the stems have started to elongate and they
begin to flower, the leaves aren’t as tender and become less
desirable, but they are still edible.
The color of the nettle leaves may vary from a light shade of green to
dark green to a dark reddish-purple. Any of these leaf colorations is
good for eating. However, it is said that the nettle leaves with
**Purple color indicates it’s richer in iron mineral**
Always choose fresh or dried nettle that is ideally organic and is
untreated with chemical pesticides.
Storing and Preparing Nettle for Later Use
Here are a couple ways to store and preserve fresh and dried nettle:
Rinse and pat dry fresh nettle leaves and trim the stems short. Place
the leaves between two paper towels and place in a large plastic bag
and refrigerate up to four days.
Dried Nettle
Drying nettle using a dehydrator is a great way to preserve extra
fresh nettle to use for later use. You will need to do the following:
1. Washing the leaves right after harvesting or purchasing.
2. Remove the leaves from the stem.
3. Allow the leaves to air dry for about 30 minutes or pat dry with
paper towel.
4. Place the leaves in a dehydrator, spreading them out on a
dehydrator rack in single rows (do not pile the leaves on top of each
other).
5. Keep enough space between each leaf so there is good air circulation.
6. If necessary, rotate the tray a few times through out dehydrating.
7. Dehydrate for 8 to 10 hours or until the leaves are completely
dry (to avoid mold).
or
Dry nettle leaves the good old fashion way by hanging a bunch in a
dry, dark, cool location until thoroughly dried.
Dried and powdered nettle can keep well for months when stored in a
cool, dry place protected from extended exposure to direct sunlight,
in an airtight container [glass jar, spice tin, or plastic bag].
Always remember to label and date the container.
Tip: Store dried leaves whole and crumble or crush the leaf or
leaves as needed. This will help retain the fresh flavor from the
leaves.
Nettle freezes successfully.
Nutritional Benefits of this amazing herb
Nettle is a highly regarded herb in the world of herbal medicines, and
not as regarded, overlooked, and worst in the world of the average
person’s back yard for its nutritional and healing value. This amazing
herb contains a wide spectrum of vitamins, minerals, and other
elements.
Nettle contains:
Amino Acids | Beta-Carotene | Calcium | Iodine | Iron | Magnesium |
Phosphorous | Potassium | Protein | Silica | Sulfur | Tannin | Vitamin
A | Vitamin B complex | Vitamin C | Vitamin D | Vitamin K |
Suggestions and Tips Using Nettle
Some fun and delicious ways to use and enjoy fresh, dried, powdered nettle.
You can eat fresh nettles? This might seem a bit frightening, even
bold, but it true, yes, fresh nettle can be eaten raw. But be cautious
and be sure to neutralize the acids that can sting you. How do you do
this? Be sure to crush the nettle leaves, which deactivates the acids
that can sting you.
1. Use your blender, mortar and pestle, and juicer to crush nettle leaves.
2. Try using fresh nettles the next time you make a green juice or smoothie.
3. Use fresh nettle in soup and salad recipes.
4. Make powdered nettle by grinding dried nettle leaves in a coffee grinder
5. Make a fresh batch of healing nettle tea.
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Cold French Pressed Nettle Tea
I absolutely adore tea. It is one of my favorite beverages.
Cold Brewed Nettle Tea
Peter’s mom spoke highly of nettle and said to me, “Nettle made into a
tea is excellent for rejuvenating the body and is a perfect spring
tonic”.
Fresh or dried nettle is great for making tea. However, I personally
prefer using dried nettle for a thicker, richer, tastier tea. Nettle
is an excellent herbal cleanser that I drink often.
I steep dried leaves in fresh cold water generally forging a tea-ball
strainer or items like that, to allow the leaves to float free in the
cold water. Nettle tea doesn’t take much time to steep. You’ll notice
the water change to a deep rich color within 10 minutes. Steep as long
as you desire, anywhere from 15 minutes to 4 hours, or even overnight.
The longer you steep it and more intense and rich the flavor.
Store unconsumed tea in the fridge.
Ingredient in Nettles, Silica~ why so important?
THE FOLLOWING FROM THIS SITE:
http://www.smart-publications.com/articles/view/the-nutritional-solution-for-healthy-shiny-hair-and-nails-revealed/
Why do you need silica?
Next to oxygen, silica is the most abundant element on earth. Your body contains about seven grams of this essential trace element, which is necessary for healthy skin, ligaments, tendons, and bones. Silica helps facilitate the formation of collagen, which is vital to the strength and development of epithelial and skeletal connective tissue.Silica, along with vitamin C, helps to maintain moisture in the skin and other tissues via compounds called mucopolysaccharides. Also known as glycosaminoglycans, these mucilaginous carbohydrates, together with collagen and elastin, make up our connective tissues.
Silica also plays a role in the body’s healing processes, and is integral to a healthy immune system. Additionally, silica is vital for the structure of your teeth, contributing to the hardening of enamel, and preventing bleeding gums and gum recession.
Scientific studies
In one study silica was examined for its ability to improve skin and nail health in women who had sun-damaged skin. Chronic exposure to sunlight has been shown to damage connective tissue, which causes loss of elasticity in skin. In this randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study, women were given 10 mg daily of either a bioavailable silica or placebo. Measurements of skin and nail health were taken throughout the study. At the end of 20 weeks, the women taking silica had decreased skin roughness and less-brittle nails and hair, showing that silica had a significantly positive effect on nails, skin, and hair.2Another study at the University of Cincinnati’s College of Pharmacy investigated the effect of silica on hair. In this randomized, double blind, placebo-controlled study 48 women with fine hair were given 10 mg of bioavailable silica a day or placebo for nine months. At the end of the study, the researchers concluded that the women taking silica had thicker hair because of increased elasticity and tensile strength.3
Why do you need a silica supplement?
As we get older, our levels of silica decline, and low estrogen levels decrease the body’s ability to absorb silica.Also, the amount of silica found in food is very low since it is usually found in the skin or outer layers of food, and is removed during processing. For instance, the silica found in rice is usually removed through rice polishing. The current intake of silica by the average person is much lower than it has been in the past.
The main food sources of silica are apples, oranges, cherries, raisins, almonds, peanuts, raw cabbage, onions, endives, carrots, eggplants, pumpkin, red beets, celery, cucumber, fish, honey, and corn. An increased need for silica is best met by increasing your consumption of whole grains, because they are rich sources of absorbable silica. However, absorbing silica from food can be difficult.
A silica deficiency can result in soft or brittle nails, premature wrinkles, thinning or loss of hair, poor bone development and osteoporosis. The chief symptom of silica deficiency is sensitivity to cold, i.e. feeling cold even on a warm summer day.
2. Biotin—is part of the B vitamin complex, and is a co-enzyme involved in several processes in the body. It helps manufacture and utilize fatty acids and amino acids, and helps in the utilization of carbohydrates for body heat and energy. Biotin also aids in the utilization of folic acid, pantothenic acid and vitamin B.
Studies have shown that supplementation with biotin—called the hair vitamin—helps restore dry, brittle nails4 and promotes hair growth.
