Stinging Nettles can be harvested in early spring, long before other green, leafy vegetables show up. They grow like weeds and grow just about anywhere, making them easy to find, and they’re free. Once the leaves of a stinging nettle have been exposed to hot liquid for a couple of minutes or finely chopped in a food processor, the needles and stinging chemicals are neutralized and they’re safe to eat. They are often used as a substitute for spinach, and, in fact, have a taste similar to spinach with cucumber flavor notes. There are numerous vitamins in them, from vitamin A to vitamin C to vitamin K. (In fact, they have more vitamin A, fiber, iron, calcium and magnesium than broccoli – although broccoli does have more vitamin C). Nettles have a surprising 25 percent protein content, and they’re known to be a natural blood thinner and diuretic. They’re also high in iron and have a similar nutritional profile to other green, leafy vegetables like kale and spinach.  

Hay Fever:

Some findings suggested that nettle helped reduce sneezing and itching in people with hay fever. In another study, 57% of patients rated nettles as effective in relieving allergies, and 48% said that nettles were more effective than allergy medications they had used previously. Researchers think that may be due to nettle's ability to reduce the amount of histamine the body produces in response to an allergen.

How to consume Nettle:

You can buy nettle tea loose or in teabags, but you can harvest the leaves yourself from ecologically clean areas away from the city. 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:

1. Add water to the leaves.

2. Bring the water just to a boil.

3. Turn off the stove and let sit for five minutes.

4. Pour the mixture through a small strainer. (this also can make a great hair wash)

5. Add a bit of honey, lemon -enjoy your tea😊