Nettle – Irritatingly Good

Stinging nettle is believed to be able to substitute a whole pharmacy. The soft green leaves and stems have many stinging hairs, which when touched, inflame the skin. Some people actually use this irritating effect to their benefit, and rub nettles onto arthritic joints. The warmth that lasts after the stinging subsides is said to temporarily relieve pain. This unpretentious plant has numerous positive effects on the entire body.

Taste:

Stinging nettle has a flavor similar to spinach when cooked. Soaking nettles in water or cooking it removes the stinging chemicals from the plant, which allows them to be handled and eaten without incidents. It can be prepared in variety of dishes, which are very popular during the Easter Lent. To fetch young nettle plants, go for a walk in the countryside. The plant is easily found.

Food:

Stinging Nettle has been used in medicine and cooking since ancient times. Young plants were harvested by Native Americans and used as a cooked plant in spring when other food plants were scarce. In the UK, an annual nettle eating competition draws thousands of adventurous competitors who attempt to eat as much of the raw plant as possible. Nettle can be used in variety of recipes, such as polenta, cold appetizers and salads. Nettle soup is particularly popular in Northern and Eastern Europe. It is also sometimes used in the flavoring of some varieties of Gouda cheese.

Nutrition information:

Compared to spinach, nettle is even richer in iron and contains the same amount of vitamins A, C and D. Nettle is also rich in iron, potassium, manganese, and calcium. Extracts can be used to treat arthritis, anemia, hay fever, kidney problems, and pain. It’s juice has shown to improve the blood flow in patients with congestive heart failure. Fresh nettle is used in folk remedies to stop bleeding because of its high Vitamin K content. When dry, the Vitamin K is practically non-existent and so is used as a blood thinner.

Source: Wikipedia