So this first week of my herbal course is going good.
I have been experiencing this beautiful herb for the last week and what an amazing discovery I have had.
So, lets talk Nettles.
This herbaceous perennial plant belongs to the Urticaceae family. One main thing to know about Nettles is that it has little "hairs" all over that inject a substance into any unsuspected person/animal that may touch the plant. This is a built in protection measure that this plant has. The substance emitted contains formic acid, histamine, acetylcholine, serotonin, and silica. These are smooth muscle stimulants that cause painful itching and burning that can last up to 12 hours.
In other words....DON'T MESS WITH MAMA NETTLE!
Respect her!!!!!
Now, let's talk about what makes this an AMAZING plant.
Stinging Nettle (as it is so commonly known) is rich in nutrients. Fresh leaves contain high concentrations of A,C,D,E,F,K and P. This plant also contains vitamin B-complexes. Leaves, stems, and roots all contain calcium and magnesium, which are 3 times higher in leaves. Many bioactive compounds are found in the leaves. The leaves are the most beneficial parts of the plant.
The roots are the poorest part of the plant in terms of bioactive compounds. The roots contain starch, gum, albumin, sugar and resins, neurotransmitters and receptors (histamine/acetylcholine/choline/serotonin.
Many of the biologically active compounds are highly important in the creation of medicines, such as phytosterols (help with decrease cholesterol) and lignans (improve immune response). All parts have antioxident, antimicrobial, and pro-health capabilities.
Many of the beneficial properties of this plant come from carotenoids. Carotenoids are highly important for our bodies. Nettles can be used as a nutritious food.
roots-meat tenderizer
leaves-herbal tea, rich in vitamins and minerals
cooked nettles-substitute for spinich
This plant can be eaten/infused, however, it is very important to prepare properly via hot water infusion, maceration, drying or tincturing.
I am so excited that in my herbal course though Sky House Herb School and Apothecary (SHHS) that I will be able to learn all the above listed methods. This is going to be a great course.
Be sure to check back here for all my updates. I will be finding scholarly articles for all herbs tried in the course.
For all information in this blog post, here is the article used for this information. Please read it and do your research because it is through YOUR EYES that the best opinion is formed! Click this link https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6100552/. All information came from here and the last few pages have the Resources for more articles or books.
My Experience
So I drunk hot water infused nettles daily for 3 days. The taste of unsweetened tea is not an unpleasant experience. It smells of deep earth and grass....fitting huh. Lol. On day 4 I realized that I was becoming a little dehydrated from the nettles. It does tend to be a diuretic. Lol. Today, I am drinking it and I will dilute it with more water to try and balance it out. I thought I was drinking enough water outside of the nettles the other days but I do not believe I was.
I have also noted a calm that has come over me after drinking this infusion. With being a nurse during COVID times this was a needed and welcome feeling. Read the article above and let's learn Mother Nature's hidden gems together!!