How to brew nettle tea. Nettle tea: benefits for the body, how to brew

We have known since childhood that if we touch nettles, it will bring pain and a burning sensation. And only with age we learn that nettle contains a lot of beneficial properties, cures many diseases and is used as food. Basically, the plant is brewed, and the resulting nettle tea will be very useful. Below you will learn not only about the benefits of nettle tea, but also about its possible harm.

What are the benefits of nettle tea?

Nettle tea has many beneficial properties, namely:

  • has a beneficial effect on the cardiovascular and nervous systems;
  • regulates water balance in the body;
  • strengthens;
  • maintains vascular tone;
  • stops inflammatory processes;
  • has preventive and anti-allergenic properties;
  • lowers ;
  • helps to lose weight.

Nettle tea for weight loss

To prepare nettle tea, you can use either tea bags with dried leaves purchased at the pharmacy, or freshly picked ones. They are brewed in the most usual way: pour boiling water over the leaves and let it brew for a few minutes.

There is another brewing method, but the resulting drink will be more intense and will be considered an infusion, not tea. In this case, the nettle leaves should be poured with water in a saucepan and brought to a boil, then let it brew for 30 minutes. The tea can be drunk at any time and in the desired quantity, since the content of the active substance of nettle in it is insignificant.

The infusion is a medicinal drink and should be consumed only a few times a day, Otherwise, you can cause harm to the body. Nowadays, it is not necessary to collect nettles yourself; pharmacies sell herbal infusions and ready-made herbal teas, which are much easier to use.

What is the harm from nettle tea?

But it should be remembered that in addition to its benefits, nettle drink can be dangerous. It is not recommended for pregnant women to drink, as it stimulates uterine activity and can cause premature birth. It is prohibited for use by people with heart and kidney failure, problems with cerebral vessels and high blood clotting.



As is known, nettle grows in the forest, in vegetable gardens and wastelands, like a weed. And, probably, everyone who was in the forest more than once regretted nettle leaves . The fact is that its leaves are covered with burning hairs that sting the skin when touched. But also, almost everyone knows that nettle is not just a weed, it has medicinal properties and has long been used in medicine, cooking and cosmetology.

Useful properties of nettle

The chemical composition of nettle includes a number of microelements (iron, phosphorus, magnesium, potassium, etc.), vitamins (in particular vitamin C), tannins and protein. Therefore, its benefits for the body are invaluable.

Tea from the plant is prescribed for the treatment of many diseases. nettles Nettle tea has a diuretic effect, improves metabolism, and is indicated for diseases of the liver and gall bladder. It is also recommended for rheumatism and gout.

Eating nettle helps strengthen the walls of blood vessels and cleanse the blood. Normalizes the female cycle, and in nursing mothers helps increase milk production.

It is important to know that in case of renal and heart failure, tea from nettle contraindicated, like many herbs that have a diuretic effect.

How to make nettle tea

You can use fresh or dried nettle leaves to make tea. Place the leaves in a saucepan, add water and cover with a lid. Bring to a boil over low heat and immediately turn off the heat. Let it brew for 30 minutes, drink 15 minutes before meals 3 times a day.

Nettle is very often used in various herbal preparations. They can be bought ready-made or prepared at home. Nettle goes well with rose hips. You can take 2 tbsp. spoons of nettle leaves and a handful of rose hips, pour boiling water (about 2 liters) over the collection and leave for 2-3 hours in a thermos. The result will be very tasty, and most importantly, healthy tea.

Useful video about nettles

Nettle has many beneficial properties for the human body. In the pharmaceutical industry it is used to prepare various drugs, medicinal tinctures, and herbal teas. Extracts from the herb are included in shampoos, creams and other cosmetics. Tea made from the leaves of the plant is used to treat many diseases, but the healing drink also has a number of contraindications.

    Show all

    Compound

    The most beneficial parts of nettle are the leaves; they contain many components:

    • vitamins: A, E, K, B;
    • trace elements: iron, copper, magnesium, phosphorus, barium, molybdenum, sulfur, manganese, potassium, chromium, aluminum, calcium;
    • carotenoids;
    • organic acids;
    • glycosides;
    • starch;
    • flavonoids;
    • phytoncides;
    • histamine, choline;
    • chlorophyll;
    • tannins;
    • proteins, carbohydrates.

    The leaves and stems of fresh nettle contain a large amount of water - about 80%. The plant is low in calories and contains virtually no fat. Dried leaves are used for brewing tea and preparing tinctures.

    Medicinal properties

    The plant is useful for both oral and external use. Drinking nettle tea helps:

    • strengthening the immune system;
    • acceleration of metabolic processes;
    • strengthening vascular walls;
    • normalization of blood pressure;
    • reducing cholesterol and blood sugar levels;
    • cleansing of toxins;
    • stimulation of the gastrointestinal tract;
    • increased appetite;
    • improving vision;
    • normalization of sleep;
    • relieving nervous tension and stress;
    • elimination of neurosis-like conditions;
    • normalization of the genitourinary system.

    Nettle tea also has other medicinal properties; it has a bactericidal, anti-inflammatory, and hemostatic effect. The use of the plant helps to block the appearance of new formations in cancerous tumors, so a tincture from it is indispensable for cancer. The medicinal herb is especially useful for the heart and blood vessels - when consumed, the heart muscle and vascular wall are strengthened, blood circulation is normalized.

    Nettle can treat many diseases. So, the indications for the use of nettle tea are:

    • tuberculosis;
    • anemia;
    • haemorrhoids;
    • nausea;
    • heartburn;
    • flatulence, diarrhea;
    • urolithiasis disease;
    • gastritis;
    • allergy;
    • arthritis, arthrosis;
    • gout;
    • rheumatism;
    • migraine;
    • neurodermatitis;
    • pancreatitis;
    • inflammation of the gallbladder.

    You can use nettle for medicinal purposes only after consulting a doctor, since uncontrolled use of the plant can be harmful to health.

    For women

    For women and girls, nettle is useful for heavy periods and pain in the uterine area. The plant allows you to reduce the amount of discharge, normalize the cycle, and also compensate for the loss of hemoglobin. During lactation, nettle tea helps replenish the lack of vitamins and other substances.

    The drink is also indispensable during menopause; it helps reduce nervous excitability, normalize blood pressure and eliminate pain. The plant is also useful for weight loss - the substances in the perennial contribute to the rapid burning of calories. Nutritionists advise not only drinking nettle tea, but also preparing dishes from it - soups, salads, casseroles.

    The benefits of the herb for the skin are invaluable - when drinking tea, acne, fine wrinkles and swelling disappear, the skin cleanses, and pigmentation decreases.

    For men

    For males, the perennial is an excellent natural sexual stimulant. Drinking nettle tea improves potency and increases libido. The plant helps to increase the number of sperm and improve reproductive function. Regular use of the drink helps men fight prostatitis.

    During a hangover, nettle tea helps to quickly remove harmful substances from the blood and improves general condition. The herb has also been noted to eliminate nicotine addiction.

    For children

    Nettle is useful for children as a natural immunomodulator. Tea helps strengthen the immune system and reduce susceptibility to viral diseases. For colds, the healing drink helps eliminate cough and relieve inflammation in the upper and lower respiratory tract. Regular consumption helps to compensate for the lack of iron and other vitamins in the child’s body and prevent the development of anemia.

    It is allowed to use nettle tea for children in the absence of an allergic reaction to the stinging plant. Otherwise, you can only harm the fragile body.

    Contraindications

    The harm to the plant is due to its “burning” effect. After contact with nettles, burns remain on the skin, which can be eliminated by taking an antihistamine and applying a compress of a solution of apple cider vinegar and water.

Many people do not perceive nettle as a useful, medicinal herb and consider it a weed. However, tea from this plant has amazing healing properties and cosmetic effects. Today we will tell you what benefits or harms nettle tea will bring.


Main properties of nettle tea

Here are the beneficial elements that nettle tea contains:

  1. Vitamin K. It helps relieve inflammation and restores blood vessels.
  2. Protein. Saves the body from the virus and improves immunity.
  3. Iron.
  4. Phosphorus.
  5. Carotene.
  6. Starch.
  7. Magnesium.
  8. Tannins.
  9. Ascorbic acid.

Cooking process

Making nettle tea takes very little time. You can take dry leaves or freshly picked nettles.

Cooking process:

  1. Place nettles in a small saucepan and cover with warm water. It is important that the liquid completely covers the leaves.
  2. Place the container on low heat and wait until the water boils. After this, immediately turn off the stove. There is no need to boil the nettles!
  3. Leave the liquid with the plant to infuse for half an hour. At this moment, nettle will transfer all its beneficial properties to our tea.
  4. Next, strain the broth through a strainer. We only need the liquid after the nettle, and not the leaves themselves.
  5. Take tea no more than three times a day before meals.

Nowadays, pharmacies sell ready-made tea collections, which include dried nettle. It will also need to be poured with boiling water and left for about half an hour.

Nettle tea - benefits

Let's look at the amazing healing properties of nettle tea:

  • Treatment of tuberculosis.
  • Recommended for bronchitis. Tea will improve sputum discharge.
  • Restores liver cells.
  • Fights anemia.
  • Normalizes metabolism.
  • Helps to lose excess weight.
  • Boosts immunity and gives energy to the body.
  • Eliminates minor imperfections on the skin: acne, pimples.
  • Relieves severe pain and inflammation.
  • Fights arthritis.
  • Relieves allergy attacks.
  • Useful for gout and rheumatism.
  • Prescribed for the treatment of gallbladder diseases.

Contraindications for nettle tea

  1. Increases blood clotting. Prohibited if the pressure is too high.
  2. Do not use if you have thrombophlebitis.
  3. Contraindicated during pregnancy. It may increase the tone of the uterus too much and labor will begin prematurely.
  4. Individual intolerance to nettle. Some people may have a simple allergy to this herb.
  5. Prohibited for varicose veins.
  6. Contraindicated in renal failure, acts as a diuretic.
  7. If cysts or polyps cause bleeding, do not drink nettle tea at this time.
  8. During periods of extreme heat, you should not use this decoction too often.

How to use tea for weight loss

Many people have questions about how you can lose weight with regular tea. In fact, nettle contains components that curb a person’s appetite. You start to eat much less and don’t go hungry. Therefore, doctors advise taking tea 10 minutes before meals.

Tea can be combined with any diet. It will help you not to relapse and start consuming prohibited foods. In addition, tea will give a diuretic effect, which also gets rid of extra pounds.

Doctors have proven that nettle tea removes all toxins and harmful substances from the body. And they are known to lead to excess weight. Nettle will improve the functioning of the stomach and will not allow you to gain weight in the future.

To make the tea even more effective, you can add 1 tablespoon of lemon juice. Drink liquid before every meal. At the same time, do not forget about regular exercise, which will lead to weight loss faster.

Nutritionists believe that tea works better when served warm or hot. Therefore, consume the drink almost immediately after preparation. Add a little lemon juice to nettle tea to enhance the effect. When losing weight, you should not put sugar in tea. Better use honey.

To ensure that the effect of the tea appears as quickly as possible, try not to eat from 7 pm until the morning. At this moment, nettle will actively fight toxins and promote rapid weight loss.

Even if you urgently need to lose weight, do not drink more than 4 cups of tea per day. This can be harmful to your health and will not speed up your weight loss process. You always need to know when to stop and drink even herbal tea correctly.

Taking tea during menstruation

These days, every woman feels severe pain and discomfort. Sometimes there is severe bleeding that cannot be stopped. Nettle tea can cope with all these problems.


It significantly reduces blood loss and restores the uterus. Tea used during this period will help cope with severe pain. Doctors note that such a folk remedy allows you to make your cycle regular, without deviations.

Delicious nettle tea recipe

To make the drink not only very healthy, but also tasty, add the following ingredients to it:

  1. Grated ginger – 1 teaspoon.
  2. Lemon juice – 2 tablespoons.
  3. Rosehip – 2 tablespoons, crushed.
  4. Lingonberries – 1 tablespoon.

Cooking method:


Recipe for nettle tea with herbs

This tea will help cure bile diseases. It will help with rheumatism and joint pain.

Ingredients:

  1. Rosehip – 5 grams.
  2. Nettle leaves – 25 grams.
  3. Medicinal horsetail – 15 grams.
  4. Birch leaves – 7 grams.
  5. Dandelion grass – 25 grams.

Preparation:

  • Grind all the herbs and rose hips and mix in one container.
  • Pour boiling water over all ingredients and leave for 1.5 hours.
  • Strain the liquid and drink tea 3 times a day. For the full course, it is recommended to drink the composition for about 6 weeks. Before doing this, it is best to consult a doctor.

Nettle tea for immunity

Doctors recommend drinking nettle tea in the fall and winter to avoid catching the flu and catching a cold. This is a real vitamin “bomb”, which in just a couple of days increases immunity to the maximum. In addition, tea will cleanse the entire body of toxins and will be beneficial for the liver and kidneys.

Ingredients:

  1. Dry carrots.
  2. Rose hip.
  3. Nettle.
  4. Cowberry.
  5. Currant leaves.

Cooking method:

  • Use equal amounts of all ingredients, such as one tablespoon per serving.
  • Pour boiling water over the mixture and leave to brew for 1 hour. It is best to pour the liquid into a thermos so that the tea infuses and does not cool down.
  • Strain the tea from the herbs and other ingredients and drink several times a day.
  • You can add honey to the drink to improve its beneficial qualities.

Preparing nettles for tea

Nettle leaves need to be collected between May and August. At this moment the plant is just blooming. Collection should be carried out wearing thick gloves. Carefully separate the nettle leaves from the stems. After this, you need to dry the plant in a dark, dry place. This is done in order to prepare a large amount of grass for the winter. And in the summer, you can immediately brew a fresh plant that you just picked from the garden. It contains a lot of vitamins that the body needs so much.

Dried leaves can be stored in a dark place. It's best to keep them in a small cardboard box. If some leaves begin to turn yellow or wither, they need to be removed from the total mass and discarded.

Conclusion

Now you know that nettle tea has many beneficial properties and helps in the treatment of certain diseases. Remember the main contraindications so that the drink does not harm your health. We have presented the best and most delicious nettle tea recipes. Now you have learned how to collect nettles yourself and prepare them for winter tea parties.

Julia Vern 6 238 0

Herbal tea is a proven remedy for improving health in all respects. Nettle tea is no exception, the benefits and harms of which are so incommensurable that the properties of the drink should be carefully studied by anyone who trusts folk medicine even a little.

An outwardly unattractive and even dangerous plant for the skin, when used correctly, can significantly strengthen the immune system, act as a diuretic and improve metabolism. It is believed that nettle is the best female assistant in solving intimate problems such as regulating the menstrual cycle, for example, and also in improving lactation.

Nettle tea, tincture or decoction is prescribed to people with problems with the liver and gastrointestinal tract, as well as the respiratory system. It is also taken for:

  • rheumatism;
  • gout;
  • malfunctions of the gallbladder, etc.

Compared to the number of positive qualities of nettle, minor contraindications seem insignificant. But they exist and you need to know about them. Firstly, the active substances included in nettle tend to thicken the blood. People with unhealthy blood vessels and varicose veins should pay special attention to this fact. Secondly, such tea is contraindicated for people suffering from heart or kidney failure.

Nettle tea can cause serious damage to health in the following cases:

  • bleeding as a result of a tumor, cyst, polyp;
  • high level of blood clotting;
  • for kidney diseases.

You need to take tea strictly following the dosage, avoid consuming it in conditions of extreme heat, when the body lacks fluid due to its active loss.

How to properly prepare nettle tea - proven recipes

Nettle is a plant that can protect itself due to small but dangerous stinging fibers covering the leaves. It is better to prepare it for making tea using special gloves. The beneficial medicinal properties are especially clearly demonstrated by the shoots of a young plant with leaves of small diameter. Mature bushes with large leaves have an unpleasant bitter taste, so it is better not to use them for preparing a decoction.

The collected leaves are washed thoroughly and allowed to dry.

To prepare 250 tea decoction you will need about 9 leaves of a young nettle bush.

According to the classic recipe, the leaves are placed in a pan, filled with water and boiled for 10 minutes until the water turns emerald green. The leaves are removed from the finished tea, as they can give a bitter taste.

An interesting recipe from dried nettle leaves, suitable for preparation in the winter, when there are simply no fresh ones. Dry nettle has the same beneficial properties as fresh. You can prepare it in the summer by drying the leaves yourself, or you can buy it ready-made at the pharmacy in convenient packaging in the form of filter bags.

For one glass of nettle tea you will need a spoonful of dry leaves. You don’t need to cook them, just pour boiling water over them and let them brew for 15 minutes, then pass them through a sieve. Drinking the tincture is equally beneficial both cold and hot. Additives such as lemon, honey and ginger can make the taste more intense.

A worthy recipe is green tea with nettle and rosehip. It is better to use a thermos for cooking. Your favorite green tea, some nettle leaves and rose hips are poured into the bottom of the container, after which all the ingredients are poured with boiling water and allowed to brew for several hours. The finished drink is especially beneficial for the body, but only if the correct dosage is observed.

Nettle decoction for pregnant women - can I drink it?

Recommendations regarding nettle tea for pregnant women are often given by observing doctors, believing that the drink will help improve the health of mother and baby in the womb. Indeed, the tincture or decoction has a beneficial effect on the body during pregnancy, helping to improve the functioning of the pancreas, preventing an increase or decrease in blood sugar levels, which is a common problem during pregnancy.

Proper consumption of the drink during gestation also contributes to the active removal of toxins and normalization of the functioning of the kidneys and liver. Naturally, there are contraindications for pregnant women in the first trimester. Until the end of the “dangerous period” it is better to refrain from any experiments, allowing the body to independently cope with an important stage - the birth of a new life.

Considering the blood-forming property of nettle, there is a risk of increased uterine tone and bleeding in the first months of pregnancy. You should also be careful with tea in the last weeks before giving birth, be sure to consult a doctor about its use.

Side effects of nettle tea - what you need to know

Tea, tincture or decoction of nettles are undoubtedly beneficial for health. But it is impossible to talk about their complete safety. In certain cases, tea can cause serious damage to health. Among the main contraindications for use are, as noted above, kidney disease, high levels of blood clotting, bleeding caused by tumors, as well as any diseases that require surgery in the near future.

The permissible limit for an adult is one cup (250 ml) three times a day. For a child, one quarter of a glass 3-4 times a day will be enough and always warm. The exception is adults and children who fall into the group of people with an allergic reaction to nettle extract.

Increasing the dosage will invariably lead to negative consequences. Most often, an overdose causes loss of appetite, diarrhea, insomnia and dizziness. More serious consequences are associated with disruption of the natural functioning of the heart.