After a long, cold winter, most of us warmly welcome the arrival of milder weather and the return of the green. As the world seems to wake up, we also wake and stretch our limbs. Emerging from a season of storage and hibernation, our winter inactivity and heavy comfort food indulgences may become more apparent. We have been content to daydream by the fireplace with a warm blanket, drink tea and eat soup.
As March rolls around, it teases us with warm days, then quickly rushes us back to the cold. When the warm weather finally arrives for good, we fling open the windows and do a thorough spring cleaning. We can treat ourselves similarly and focus on nourishing our bodies and ridding ourselves of winter accumulation.
Stinging Nettle Benefits
In Traditional Chinese Medicine and many other holistic approaches to health, food is medicine.When we eat seasonal food, we remain in balance with our environment and are better able to tolerate seasonal changes and stay healthy. Spring is the time of the Liver and Gallbladder, a good time to choose foods that cleanse, support, and rejuvenate.
Vinegar is a great choice for spring eating because it is bitter and sour and has a detoxifying effect on the liver. Nettle is rich in calcium and iron and contains potassium, zinc, and copper. Nettle is also rich in B vitamins, and vitamins A, C, D and K. It is a powerhouse of an herb and called “Earth’s green milk” by Susun Weed because of its ability to nourish and restore. Nettle also builds blood and nourishes the adrenal glands.
You can read more about stinging nettle benefits hereand how to grow them here. If growing your own nettles isn’t an option, we recommend purchasing them atMountain Rose Herbs.
Nettle Recipes for Spring Eating
Herbal vinegars take 3 – 6 weeks to prepare, but are very simple to make.
Nettle Vinegar
You will need a non-reactive container like a glass jar, and ideally a non-reactive lid because vinegar can corrode metal. If no non-reactive lid can be procured, place a few pieces of wax paper between jar and lid.
Ingredients
Dried nettle
Raw, unpasteurized organic apple cider vinegar
Directions
- Fill the jar ¼ full with nettles.
- Pour enough apple cider vinegar to fill the jar, ensuring all nettles are covered by a couple inches.
- Cover the jar with lid or wax paper and lid.
- Let sit in a cool dark place for 3-6 weeks and shake occasionally.
- The dried nettle may soak up vinegar. Check jar and add vinegar as needed.
- Strain and get creative.
- If stored properly in a cool, dark cabinet, it should last a year.
Ways to Use Nettle Vinegar
Spring and summer are times for eating light. Think greens and eat your nettle vinegar with early lettuce, mustard greens, dandelion, and sprouts. Use pungent herbs such as cilantro, basil, and mint, which are also good for addressing a stagnant liver. Toss these into a salad with olive oil, your nettle vinegar, and a squeeze of lemon for added sour flavor to further stimulate the liver.
Once you’ve made your nettle vinegar, you can incorporate it into marinades and dressings. Below are two of my favorite recipes with nettle vinegar as an ingredient.
Mexican Marinade
Ingredients
¾ cup onion, minced
¾ cup nettle vinegar
1/3 cup fresh hot pepper (optional)
3 tablespoons fresh cilantro,minced
2 cloves of garlic,minced
1 teaspoons salt
Directions
- Combine ingredients in a glass or ceramic dish.
- Store in a glass jar in the fridge.
Basic Vinaigrette Dressing
Ingredients
3 parts first cold pressed extra virgin olive oil or oil of your choice
1 part nettle vinegar
Minced fresh herbs of your choice
Salt and pepper to taste
Directions
- Combine all ingredients and store in fridge.
- You can be very creative with this by adding olives, nuts, citrus, garlic, celery, or shallots. The options are unlimited.
Additional Nettle Recipes
Looking for more ways to incorporate nettles into your spring eating? Here are a few additional recipes you might be interested in checking out!
Nourishing Weedy Tea
Spring Tonic
Nettle Detox Infusion by the Untrained Housewife
Stinging Nettle Soup by My Yoga Online
Eat light, get outside and move – hike or walk or run a road race for charity and rid your body of stagnation. Start doing something you love or are passionate about and get yourself ready for the summer season. If you have any other ideas on how to incorporate nettle vinegar in food or recipes, please share in the comments below!
Ellen Demotses is an aromatherapist, and a TCM and Western herbalist. She is a member of the American Botanical Council and the American Herbalists Guild, and is developing a natural skincare line.
FAQs
Sautéing – Sauté until they look fully cooked, usually about 5-8 minutes. Steaming – place nettles in a colander and steam for 5-10 minutes. The stinging substance in nettles (formic acid) is neutralized with heat and once it is dried.
How do you make stinging nettles safe to eat? ›
Because the stings have to remain firm to cause the irritation, cooking the leaf instantly makes them safe – don't try to eat the leaf raw in a salad or anything. There are plenty of recipes online for a variety of hot dishes, so see what you fancy. Think of the nettle leaf like spinach and use it in a similar way.
What parts of stinging nettle can you eat? ›
Roots, seeds, stems and young, tender leaves are all edible. Native Indigenous people use stinging nettle for medicine, ceremony and as a food source. Mature fibrous stems have been used to make rope, cloth and fishing net.
How do you consume stinging nettle? ›
The dried leaves and flowers can be steeped to make a delicious herbal tea, while its leaves, stem and roots can be cooked and added to soups, stews, smoothies and stir-frys. However, avoid eating fresh leaves, as their barbs can cause irritation. Currently, there is no recommended dosage for stinging nettle products.
When should you not eat stinging nettles? ›
Avoid if you're pregnant or breastfeeding because there isn't enough information on its safety. Use with caution if you're elderly because of the potential of causing low blood pressure. And use stinging nettle with caution if you have diabetes because of the potential that it may lower or raise blood sugar levels.
What are the side effects of eating stinging nettles? ›
Stinging nettle is generally considered safe when used as directed. Occasional side effects include mild stomach upset, fluid retention, sweating, diarrhea, and hives or rash (mainly from topical use). It is important to be careful when handling the nettle plant because touching it can cause an allergic rash.
What are the benefits of eating raw stinging nettles? ›
Stinging nettle is high in amino acids, protein, flavonoids, and bone-building minerals like iron, calcium, magnesium, potassium, and zinc. Nettle contains vitamins and minerals that can help keep your bones strong (Gupta, 2021). Stinging nettle is one of the greatest sources of vitamin K.
Which part of stinging nettle is poisonous? ›
The hair-like needles of the nettle tree, though thin and wispy, are extremely dangerous. These delicate looking hairs are not something you want to even barely graze your epidermis.
What not to take with stinging nettle? ›
Interactions ?
- Medications for diabetes (Antidiabetes drugs) interacts with STINGING NETTLE. Stinging nettle might lower blood sugar levels. ...
- Warfarin (Coumadin) interacts with STINGING NETTLE. ...
- Lithium interacts with STINGING NETTLE. ...
- Water pills (Diuretic drugs) interacts with STINGING NETTLE.
Nettles that have begun to make seeds are getting mature, you can still eat them, but I like to use a scissors to clip off only the tender new growth. After a few months of growing the stems get tough and fibrous. Of course you can always pick the leaves off, but the tender stem is half the fun.
A word of caution: Do NOT eat stinging nettles raw. They will sting your skin and the inside of your mouth. The stingers must be deactivated before eating. If you can't blanch them right way, gently wash the nettles under cold running water.
How to prepare stinging nettle? ›
Nettles need to be thoroughly cleaned and de-stung before eating. To do this, the easiest method is blanching them in boiling water and rinsing them afterward, squeezing out the water before sautéing them or adding them into soups or stews. By blanching the nettles, they get cleaned and broken down in one fell swoop.
What does nettle do for a woman? ›
This nutrient-dense herb has a wide-array of uses, but today we want to take a closer look specifically at how it's been used to treat issues of women's health. From treating UTIs and painful menstruation, to mitigating and preventing osteoporosis, the nettle plant is an ally not to be overlooked.
How do you prepare stinging nettle for medicinal purposes? ›
There are several ways to prepare the leaves once you've taken them home. You can wash and dry them by leaving them in the open air, or you can freeze-dry them for long-term storage. If you freeze the leaves, blanch them first. Boil them in water for 2 minutes, then soak them in ice water for 2 more minutes.
How do you pick and eat nettles? ›
Nettles are best when very tender, so pick in the spring when the nettles are just coming up or later in the season. Pick the young leaves from the tips. Use rubber gloves or pinch the leaves hard, so you don't get stung. Once picked, lay the nettles out on a tray to wilt.
Does boiling nettles get rid of the sting? ›
Once water boils, place nettle into boiling water using tongs. If using fresh nettle, be careful not to touch it with bare hands. Blanch nettle for one to two minutes. This will remove the sting.
How long to blanch stinging nettles? ›
Blanch the nettles in boiling water for 60-90 seconds. Drain the nettles in a colander. Run cold water over them to cool them to room temperature. Press down on the nettles to squeeze out all the water.
