Nettle Tea from The Tea or Coffee Cafe

Nettle Tea provides health benefits that have been known for centuries ...

Stinging nettles, from which nettle tea is made, grow all over northern Europe and much of Asia and are usually found in all parts of the countryside, in hedgerows, overgrown gardens and in many fields.

Stinging Nettle Plant for Nettle Tea The medicinal value of nettles has mostly been forgotten and they are under-valued as a herb. Most people believing them to be annoying, stinging weeds and determined to obliterate them form their own gardens.

However the stinging nettle has many beneficial uses and has been used to brew nettle tea for hundreds of years. The Romans valued them very highly.

Health Benefits of Drinking Nettle Tea ...

Nettle is in fact a truly wonderful plant and it is valued for its astringent, expectorant, tonic, anti-inflammatory and diuretic properties, as well as being an important source of beta-carotene, vitamin A, C and E, iron, calcium, phosphates and minerals.

Stinging Nettles can help cure diseases and inflammations of the urinary system.
Nettles have a slightly laxative effect, and are recommended in depurative remedies.
Use Nettle Tea for 2 to 3 weeks to help with hepatic and biliary diseases and for conditions associated with the spleen.
Nettles can be a great help to those with diabetes, as it can help decrease blood sugar and glycemic levels.
Nettle Tea is useful in eliminating viruses and bacterial infections.
Stining Nettles can help you fight coughs, tuberculosis and asthma and help prevent arthritis, rheumatism, tendonitis and other disorders of the muscles and joints.
Nettle tea also helps fight a wide variety of intestinal disorders and can help protect against skin problems, allergies like eczema and even hay fever

All these valuable qualities recommend it as a powerful remedy against hepatic, arthritic or rheumatic conditions, and to help treat allergies, anemia and kidney diseases.

Brewing Nettle Tea ...

Nettle tea is available in teabags, and for those who want maximum benefit with minimum inconvenience then Nettle Teabags are a great option. There is no need to worry about stings as the sting has been dried out.

Brewing A Cup of Nettle Tea However, if you intend to harvest your own fresh nettle leaves, (a little more cost effective), then you have to be a little careful and target only the best ...

Try not to harvest your plant from areas where pesticides are sprayed or used constantly. ie; the edges of fields where farmers are cultivating crops.
Always use a sturdy pair of gloves to protect yourself from stings
And try to only take the brighter green, nettle leaves from the top.

Preparation ... Nettles can be prepared by soaking either fresh or dried leaves in freshly boiled water. This simple method allows for maximum retention of the active substances in the nettles.

Give your nettle leaves a good rough chop with a pair of clean scissors or a sharp knife.
Place them in a teapot, preferably a ceramic or glass teapot as they will hold the heat well.
Pour over boiling water and allow your nettle tea to brew for five to ten minutes. This allows the sting to die and all of the natural botanical oils to infuse the brew.
Then, simply pour your nettle tea through a strainer into your preferred cup or mug and drink the tea.

The addition of a little honey to sweeten is quite nice and the cooked nettles are also edible. they can be added to stews or soups or sprinkled over salads and are very good for you, with a flavour similar to spinach.

Stinging Nettles are also good for other things besides tea, and have also been used by traditional herbalists to help improve hair texture and quality. Nettles are used in some polenta and pesto recipes and nettle soup is common in Northern and Eastern Europe. Turkey, other poultry, cows and pigs thrive on nettles and adding ground up dried nettles to chicken feed will increase egg production.

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