This article by Erin Moore and Gerhard Whitworth - Healthline
"Overview
Steeping dried leaves and drinking tea dates back thousands of years. It’s thought to originate in China, where it was used medicinally. Today, people drink tea for many reasons, including its taste, stimulating or calming properties, and health benefits. One popular herbal tea is nettle tea.
What is nettle?
Nettle, or stinging nettle, is a shrub that comes from northern Europe and Asia. Its scientific name is Urtica dioica. The plant boasts pretty, heart-shaped leaves and yellow or pink flowers, but the stem is covered in tiny, stiff hairs that release stinging chemicals when touched.
The leaves, stem, or root from the nettle plant can be crushed and made into powders, tinctures, creams, teas, and more. While people have used it for centuries as an herbal medicine, modern research also supports many of the potential health benefits of nettle and nettle tea.
Nettle may help flush harmful bacteria from the urinary tract. This can benefit people who have urinary conditions, such as benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH). BPH causes an enlarged prostate gland in men. This can cause pain or other problems urinating.
According to one 2013 study, men with BPH who took nettle extract had fewer clinical symptoms than those who didn’t.
Nettle may also help support any medications you’re taking for infections or conditions related to the urinary tract. Talk to your doctor first about any possible interactions between herbal remedies and medications you take.
2. Arthritis and pain
Nettle has historically been used to treat pain and sore muscles, especially related to arthritis. The Arthritis Foundation suggests that nettle tea may also reduce the inflammation and pain association with osteoarthritis.
3. Blood sugar management
Nettle has shown some promising effects on blood glucose levels. It may help the pancreas make or release more insulin, the hormone that lowers blood sugar.
In a 2013 study, nettle leaf extract lowered blood glucose and A1C in a group of people with type 2 diabetes who were taking insulin as well as oral diabetes medications.
4. The power of polyphenols
Nettle is high in plant chemicals called polyphenols. A review of the research on polyphenols suggests that these powerful compounds may play a role in the prevention and management of chronic diseases related to inflammation, such as diabetes, obesity, cancer, and heart disease.
In particular, polyphenols from nettle extract have shown some exciting potential for treating breast cancer and prostate cancer. Plants like nettle also contain potent antioxidants, which are substances that protect the body from aging and cell damage.
You can buy nettle tea loose or in teabags, but you can also grow or harvest the leaves yourself. With fresh leaves, experiment with the ratio of nettle to water you prefer, but a general reference is two cups of water for every cup of leaves.
Here’s how:
Add water to the leaves. Bring the water just to a boil.
Turn off the stove and let sit for five minutes.
Pour the mixture through a small strainer.
Add a bit of honey, cinnamon, or stevia, if you like.
Start out by only having one cup of nettle tea to make sure you don’t have any reactions to it.
Warnings
Be sure to talk to your doctor before you try any new herb or supplement. Even all-natural foods and drinks like tea can cause allergic reactions or interact with certain medications. Some herbs and supplements can be harmful to people with certain health conditions.
Takeaway
Many people feel that some of tea’s magic comes solely from the ritual of brewing it. Enjoying a hot, steaming mug may allow you a moment of reflection or peace. With its nutritional and health benefits as well, drinking a cup of nettle tea now and then may be a smart addition to your routine. "
These words taken from an original article here
Related posts that may be of interest
Benefits of Green Tea, please see here
Six Bedtime Teas That May Help You Sleep, more to read here
Drinking Tea May Reduce Your Risk of Heart Disease and Stroke, more to read here
Tea Drinker Me : Herbal Teas, Low Carb Lemon Cake and More, please see here
However, not all the food and recipes ideas featured in this blog may be suitable for you. If you may have any food allergies, or underlying health issues these must always be taken into account. If you are a diabetic and not sure how certain foods may affect your blood sugars, test is best, i.e. use your meter.
All the best Jan
33 comments:
...I've never been much of a tea drinker!
Another informative article to educate us and consider for better healthcare.
Thank you Jan 🌞🌷☕
It's always wonderful to learn about the health benefits of plants. Valerie
My grandmother made nettle tea and drank it. She was an herbalist of the old-fashioned kind. I have her 'receipt' book somewhere with all her recipes in it. xo Diana
Thanx Jan. I take nettles tea in tea-bags. What you forgot to say is that it tastes like gnats ****. Is it OK to add sugar or milk?
God bless.
wow, i had stinging nettle in my backyard years ago . I never planted it, it was a wild plant and man did it hurt/sting. I never knew you could make a tea out of it. Interesting.
Interesting and useful information, thanks.
Hello,
I have been trying different teas. I have never heard of the Nettle Tea. Thanks for sharing the info. Enjoy your day, have a happy new week!
Interesting. I haven't seen nettle tea in our shops and it is years since I have seen the plant itself. I will keep my eye out - on both fronts.
I love tea! Thanks for the information on nettle tea.
I don't think I have had nettle tea- but it sounds great! I do love having tea- I always find it relaxing. :)
Thanks for sharing!
~Jess
The nettles in the US look like the ones I've seen in the UK. Are they the same, I wonder. They can be hell on bare!
www.thepulpitandthepen.com
I love tea, but I've never heard of this one. Thank you for this interesting and informative article.
Victor S E Moubarak said...
Thanx Jan. I take nettles tea in tea-bags. What you forgot to say is that it tastes like gnats ****. Is it OK to add sugar or milk?
Hello Victor, and thank you for your comment and question.
I have to agree nettle tea is an acquired taste but many do like it and it seems to help with some ailments and allergies.
I don't know of anyone who adds milk to their nettle tea (not saying that some may!) but it is more usual to add something like lemon, honey or cinnamon. Some do add sugar or a sweetener like stevia.
Hope this helps.
All the best Jan
Elephant's Child said...
Interesting. I haven't seen nettle tea in our shops and it is years since I have seen the plant itself. I will keep my eye out - on both fronts
Many thanks for your comment.
Just to let you know that some health shops have nettle tea leaves/bags and I believe you can order them from Amazon …
Of course in the current Covid 19 situation many shops are still closed.
Take care
All the best Jan
Jeff said...
The nettles in the US look like the ones I've seen in the UK. Are they the same, I wonder. They can be hell on bare!
www.thepulpitandthepen.com
Hello Jeff, many thanks for your comment.
Yes, you certainly need to take care when handling fresh stinging nettle leaves, as their hair-like barbs can harm your skin and can cause rashes, bumps, hives and itchiness.
All the best Jan
I really enjoy Nettle tea. It is very soothing for my lupus body.
Hi, I have tried nettle tea and like it. I also have used a nettle lotion, it was amazing.
Very interesting. I don't drink much tea...of any variety. I do drink lots of water, though...and, every morning, freshly squeezed orange juice (with grapefruit, lemon and/or limes added when in season).
I've never been a tea drinker, but you're giving me good reasons to reconsider. Thanks and wishes for a good week.
Interesting. I have Herb book with all those types of tees in it plus medicinal things.
I have never tried this type of tea and in truth have never come across it before. I will look out for it.
I'm not sure this one's for me, I suppose it's an acquired taste.
I´ve never seen it in a shop, but I walk by wild ones often.
This is really interesting!
My grandmother used to love nettle tea, but I have never tasted it. As a child, and having been stung too many times by nettles, I was terrified of even trying it...but after reading about all these amazing health benefits, I will definitely give it a go!
Many thanks!😊😊
Hope you are enjoying the sun today, in spite of these cold winds!
Hugs xxx
I never realized all the benefits to nettle or even that is steeped as a tea. It grows wild where we used to live. It was definitely uncomfortable to come in contact with!
I really must give nettle tea a go, I have far too many of them, they pop up everywhere.xxx
I've had nettle soup but never nettle tea. I learned a lot from this one, jan. Now I need to find some nettles!
Sounds interesting, but I think I'll stick with my de-caff thanks xx
I've never tried nettle tea. I should try it. Right now, my favourite is green tea. I drink a cup just about every evening after we've eaten.
I've drank this tea before and I don't remember why I stopped? Maybe I had an allergic reaction?
I am so excited that someone has found a good use for the stinging nettle! Ran into just a few too many of those on my walks around the UK!
My doctor from a Rehabilitation centre in Chennai suggested taking care of my weight to avoid arthritis issues. Now that I have found your blog, I believe now switching from coffee to tea is the right choice to a safer me! Thank you for this insightful article on nettle tea. I should get started right away!
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