Day 7: Nettle leaf tea
- Sarah-Jane Cobley
- Apr 7
- 3 min read
Updated: Apr 9
Urtica dioica
Walking through a nature reserve today, I notice there are a lot of trees and grassy areas. The most prominent herb for me is the nettle which I can smell and is carpeting certain areas where brambles seem to have been cleared.
Most of the trees are still bare. Except for the elder. There are catkins on the willow and the oak which I sit beneath. I have found a rock to use as my tea table.
My meditation soundtrack is again the birdsong, (and unfortunately some building works that causes me to re-locate). I feel quite eccentric walking in nature with a teacup in hand!
ID features
Does nettle need a description? Hmmm. Green pointed leaves with toothed edge that grow in opposite pairs. The whole plant is covered in stinging hairs.
Medicinal uses
Nettle leaf is incredible. It is such a well-rounded medicine that benefits all ills. It’s a general tonic restorative because it is so nutrient rich. Take it to recover strength after any illness or injury. It will provide much needed goodness for your body to replenish its stores.
The iron is well absorbed due to it being packaged with a whole host of co-factors that increases bioavailability. This means it works very well for iron-deficiency anaemia, but also for anyone who would like an energy boost because the extra iron increases the oxygen carrying capacity of the blood.
Pregnant and nursing mothers’ benefit, as much of their minerals are given over to help grow the baby and so nettle will aid replenishment of these and help avoid exhaustion. Nettle has an affinity for the pelvic area and is used for reducing heavy periods. It also stimulates milk production.
Minerals such as boron, calcium and silica strengthen the bones, and calcium and magnesium support the nervous system. Additionally, magnesium is relaxing for muscular tension.
Not only does nettle strengthen, it also supports the body in its detoxification process. This works via supporting the kidneys in its job of removing the products of metabolism and other toxins circulating in the blood.
This removal of toxins helps ease joint and skin issues which are aggravated by circulating toxins.
Nettle is used as part of a hay fever tea along with herbs like elderflower, plantain and red deadnettle. It provides histamine which blocks the body’s histamine receptors, thereby reducing the body’s own histamine production. Plant histamine is much milder in action than our body’s own histamine, and so this causes a reduction in inflammation.
How to make a cuppa
Use scissors to cut the nettle top and use one top per cup with boiling water. The water must be boiling to soften the stinging hairs. It’s best to consume the nettles at the end of the tea, if you’re happy to do this, (I like it). You get the benefit of all the nutrients then.
Taste
I think nettle tastes like the scent of freshly cut grass. I also notice the mineral-rich taste, even just from the tea, but more so when I eat the leaves at the end of my drink.
Cautions
Use only the fresh young tops, as the stinking hairs of the older leaves contain large silica crystals that are irritant or damaging to the kidneys.
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For those Local to me:
My next herb walk is at 6.30pm on Tuesday 15th April. Meet in Peel Park, (on the Community Centre side), in Long Ashton, North Somerset, BS41 9DP. Bring a flask of hot water for a foraged tea.
There will also be a walk in Ashton Court on Tuesday 22nd April. Meet at the entrance to the rose garden with a flask of hot water. We must be mindful that the gates to the grounds are shut at sunset, (8pm), and so we will finish promptly at 7.40pm.
£10 cash on arrival, or pre-pay option via: https://www.healthneedsthyme.co.uk/services
Herbal Medicine Consultations
I am a qualified medical herbalist, trained in much the same way as a GP. However, my medicines are from nature's larder. They nourish and strengthen so that your body can heal itself. I offer consultations via video call and send tonics out in the post. Email me to book an appointment: sarah-janecobley@healthneedsthyme.co.uk
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