Urtica dioica can be an intimating yet wondrous herb. Stinging Nettle can be quite the intrusive plant; occupying its habitat with immense patches! Giant patches tend to bring joy, for it is a tasty & nutrient dense Spring edible. Caution is used for foragers from the painful stinging sensation their tiny needle like appendages give. That trait can also be used as a key identifying characteristic to distinguish it from Stinging Nettle lookalikes. Their stings usually resolve within a couple hours but occasionally can last for days.
Nettle is not only a tasty edible but also has numerous medicinal benefits. There are endless options with preparing Nettles for food. This is one edible that is safe to ingest in larger quantities, almost vegetable like. Definitely not recommended to eat raw, the needles can sting your mouth & throat leading to pain & difficulty breathing. However once you cook, blanch, blend, juice or dehydrate the leaves, the needles are no longer functional. You can sauteed fresh leaves just as you would spinach, kale or chard. Blend them into pestos or an herbal pate. Along with drying them for nutrient dense infusions. Nettle leaves are high in chlorophyll, calcium, potassium, vitamin C & A, iron & magnesium. Nettles are safe for folks of all ages to ingest, including pregnant & postpartum women, children, even in small quantities for your canine friends.
Not only is Urtica dioica a grand Spring edible, but also holds more medicinal qualities. Studies have shown it to be anti-inflammatory, anti-anemic, antihistamine, antioxidant rich, a mild astringent, lung tonic, capillary tonic, kidney tonic & non-irritating potassium sparing diuretic. Nettle seeds are now shown to be restore the kidneys during degenerative kidney disease. The best time to harvest your local Nettles are in the Spring before they go into flower. It has been suggested that kidney irritation can occur when using Nettles into flower. You can find Nettles in all medicinal forms such as teas, tinctures, vinegar infusions, powders, freeze dried & as food...although extracts do not contain the same nutritious quality.
Stinging Nettles are a fun & delicious herb to forage throughout the Spring. Bring your knife, harvest basket & your best set of gloves! Stay tuned for a Nettle recipe of ours...Homemade Nettle Leaf Pasta.
Many Herbal Blessings!