Content

• Steps
• Part 1 of 2: Collecting nettles
• Part 2 of 2: Brewing Nettle Tea

Although fresh nettles are painful, they can be eaten boiled or scalded. This plant can be very nutritious. Before brewing nettles, consult your doctor if you have any health problems or are taking medication.

Steps

Part 1 of 2: Collecting nettles

1. 1 Collect young nettles in the spring. Plan to harvest nettles in the spring before they bloom. Some people think that faded nettles have an unpleasant bitter aftertaste.Others argue that cystoliths (microscopic stones) in mature plants can irritate the urinary tract. Both of these claims are disputed by some nettle gatherers, but most still only use young plants.
   • Some varieties of nettle bloom in the fall.
2. 2 Protect yourself from burns. Wear gloves, a long-sleeved shirt or jacket, and long pants to avoid contact with stinging hairs. Bring a pair of scissors or pruning shears to make the job easier.
   • Many experienced people pick nettles with their bare hands, but their advice on how best to do it differs. Perhaps the point is in specific varieties of nettles. The main thing is to carefully examine the plant and determine where the burning hairs are. They tend to grow at the same angle, so you can keep contact with them to a minimum by moving along the stem from the opposite end or by pinching off the leaves with your fingers from the top and bottom.
3. 3 Recognize the nettles. Nettle is one of the weeds that are found almost all over the world. It is easy to find in partially shaded areas, such as along a fence or at the edge of the nettle. Nettle leaves are dark green, grow in pairs, and are heart-shaped or spear-shaped with denticles around the perimeter.
   • The most common and familiar species is stinging nettle, but there are others, for example, stinging nettle. Outwardly, it is somewhat different, but also edible.
4. 4 Choose healthy leaves. The stalks of the nettle are edible, but there is no need to add them to tea. Check the top bud and leaves for black spots, which are a sign that the plant is infested with pests. If they are healthy, pluck them and put them in a bag. Grasp the stem with a gloved hand and slide it up and down to pluck all the leaves in one go.
   • It is possible to keep the plant alive by plucking only the top two or three rows of leaves. However, do not worry about this, as nettles are a very tenacious weed.
   • If you cut off the top of a very young plant, it will begin to grow in breadth and grow into a bush, from which you can also harvest leaves later.
5. 5 Dry the leaves (if desired). You can use fresh or dry leaves to make tea. They will taste differently. To dry the nettle leaves, place them in a paper bag and leave in a well-ventilated area until they dry, but retain their green color. Dry leaves usually do not sting, but can still irritate the skin.

Part 2 of 2: Brewing Nettle Tea

1. 1 Review medical contraindications. Stinging nettle is safe for most people, but it can create a dangerous combination with certain medications or body conditions. This issue needs more research, but mainly doctors give the following recommendations:
   • Avoid drinking nettle tea during pregnancy as it can lead to premature labor or miscarriage.
   • Children and nursing women should not drink nettle tea, as the effects of nettle on the child's body have not been studied.
   • Check with your doctor if you have problems with blood sugar (including diabetes), blood pressure, a blood disorder, or if you are taking any medication, even if it is an over-the-counter pain reliever.
   • Start with small portions, especially if you are prone to allergies.
2. 2 Wash the nettles. Go through the collected leaves and remove any insects that are accidentally left on them. Rinse the leaves in a sieve under running water, removing dust and dirt with gloved hands.
3. 3 Boil the nettle. Place the leaves in boiling water for 10-15 minutes, or until the water turns light green. One loose glass of leaves will be enough for two cups of tea, although you can make it weaker or stronger.
   • If you do not want to stain the pot or kettle, just pour boiling water over the nettle and let it brew,
4. 4 Drink nettle tea as is or with sugar. The leaves will no longer sting. However, it may be more convenient to drink if you strain the tea through a strainer.
5. 5 Turn the tea pink with lemon juice. Lemon juice or any other acid will give your tea a rosy color. It will be more saturated if you brew the stems with the leaves, as they contain more substances that change color.
   • Sometimes this phenomenon is used in traditional medicine to change the beneficial properties of tea. However, there is no scientific evidence for this.
   • Certain chemical compounds - anthocyanins - are responsible for the color change.