Nettle - beneficial properties and contraindications

Most household plots perceive nettle as a weed. And it is not surprising - accidental contact with its burning leaves will cause irritation or even burn on the skin. And the taste is not particularly different. But in folk medicine, nettle is considered a mine of useful components. This allows you to use it as a source of vitamins and an effective assistant in the fight against chronic illnesses.

Specific features of nettle

This unpretentious plant can be found on the banks of small rivers, in gardens and on vegetable gardens, on country roads. In height, it can reach one and a half meters, growing in whole bushes.Nettle blooms from May to July, but the largest concentration of trace elements in its composition falls on May. Therefore, it is best to harvest and eat just spring nettles. But you need to collect it in protective gloves. This is due to the fact that on its leaves and stem there are tiny hairs with histamine and formic acid, burning the skin.

It is because of its prevalence that it is not particularly appreciated by hostesses. But herbalists and naturopaths insist that nettle is the most valuable product, not inferior to our vegetables and fruits.

For medicinal purposes, 2 subspecies of nettle are used: stinging and dioecious. This and its most famous varieties, found almost throughout the former Soviet Union. Stinging nettle is a little less than dioecious nettle, but the latter is more popular in traditional medicine.

Useful properties of nettle

Nettle is an incredibly useful plant and undeservedly forgotten, because:

1. It contains exactly 2 times more ascorbic acid than lemon, so it serves as an excellent immune stimulant.Its regular addition to food protects the body from seasonal colds, viral infections and provides a general strengthening effect.
2. 20 small nettle leaves compensate for the body's daily need for vitamin A. Retinol, being a powerful antioxidant, prevents cancer and neutralizes dangerous free radicals. It is an important addition to the treatment of certain diseases of the digestive tract (damage to the mucous membrane and gastritis).
3. In addition to the main group of vitamins, the nettle contains vitamin E, which is required for protein synthesis and optimal cellular metabolism. It gives the skin elasticity, pleasant elasticity and reduces facial wrinkles.
4. A record amount of nettle and calcium - 481 mg per 100 grams. This makes it a worthy alternative to fermented milk products. Eating it regularly is useful for the prevention of osteoporosis, as well as for protecting the heart.
5. As with all green plants, nettle contains an enormous amount of chlorophyll. But its unique feature is that in it, unlike other herbs, there are no pigments. Therefore, it is considered an excellent prophylactic agent for intestinal disorders.It strengthens it and allows you to gently but effectively deal with constipation.
6. In 100 grams of nettle there is a high concentration of manganese - 779 mg. This mineral improves the nervous system, is necessary for the regulation of fat and carbohydrate metabolism, as well as for the formation of red blood cells and hemoglobin. Without it, the normal functioning of muscle tissue is impossible.

Proved the effectiveness of nettle in the treatment of seasonal allergies, problems with the digestive tract, manifested in the form of increased gas and nausea. It also favorably affects the work of the genitourinary system, reduces inflammation. Its use is especially important for men at an age, since its systematic use reduces the risk of prostatitis.

Nettle compresses can be applied to wounds to stop bleeding. Infusion on its basis for the same purpose can be used by women during painful menstruation. It will ease the pain and reduce the amount of discharge. Nettle perfectly enhances lactation, improving the quality and composition of milk.

Contraindications for nettle

Overdose of nettle is hardly possible, but in some cases, its use even in small quantities can lead to a negative result.She is banned by a woman in early pregnancy, as it can cause cramping pain, which can lead to miscarriage. Nettle must also be abandoned for people suffering from varicose veins, arthritis, hypertension and thrombophlebitis. It should be consumed in limited quantities and for elderly people with chronic kidney disease.

Use nettle

Noting the many beneficial properties of this plant, it is necessary to dwell on how to eat it properly. The easiest and at the same time the best way is to eat it raw. To do this, use only the young leaves of nettle, because they are more juicy, they do not bitter and do not accumulate nitrates. So that they do not burn the tongue and the oral cavity, they can be immersed for 1-2 seconds in boiling water or doused with them. If you plan to add nettles to a salad, then it is enough to simply chop it. If it is used as a filling for the cake, then it must first be boiled slightly or slightly stewed.

Today, nettle is actively used as a raw material for fabric production.It produces a high-quality and beautiful fabric, which by its uniqueness of appearance is not inferior to silk. Many modern manufacturers, producing clothing on an industrial scale, add nettle in wool products. As a result, they are durable, do not stretch and do not shed. Plus it is an environmentally friendly material that does not cause irritation on the skin.

Nettle in traditional medicine

The area in which women’s nettles are most commonly used is hair care. Her infusion strengthens the hair follicle and reduces sensitivity to the scalp. As a result, the hair looks well-groomed and has a natural, natural shine. Nettle is also effective in the fight against dandruff and increased secretion of the sebaceous glands. Therefore, trichologists recommend shampoos based on it to people suffering from oily hair.

How to remove a burn from nettle

Redness and pain from accidental contact with nettle can be removed by folk remedies:

1. Juice sorrel or plantain. Under natural conditions, sorrel often grows near the nettle. It is necessary to use clean and young leaves, rubbing them to such a state that the juice starts to come out of them.They need to lubricate the place of the burn.
2. Rinse the affected skin with ice water. Of fundamental importance is the low temperature of the water. It will slightly reduce swelling and relieve acute pain.
3. Wipe the burn with apple cider vinegar. It does not need to be diluted with water - it is enough to put a small amount on cotton wool and attach it to the skin.
4. Use regular baking soda. It is very effective in plant burns. It must be diluted in a very small amount of water to obtain a so-called gruel and treat the damaged area on the body with it.

The sting of a nettle is an unpleasant thing, but in some cases it may even be useful. Proven effectiveness of formic acid in the treatment of rheumatism and arthritis. The danger of burns occurs only in the case of a large lesion and an allergic reaction to nettle juice. Then the appearance of blisters, which must be shown to the doctor.

How to harvest nettles

In folk medicine, leaves, stem and nettle root are in demand. But more often - only the leaves. To do this, you need to carefully collect them, separating them from the stems, and spread out to dry in a well-ventilated room.But not in the open sun, because the ultraviolet rays destroy the chlorophyll present in the plant. Accordingly, it loses its beneficial properties. Leaves are considered fully dried if the cuttings and veinlets become hard and brittle. But at the same time, they should not be overdried (it crumbles even from minimal pressure on them), since there are practically no healing properties in them.

Store nettles in clothes or paper bags tied in a dry, dark and as cool place as possible. But before that, you need to sort it out, removing blackened leaves. Subject to the rules of the workpiece, it does not lose its healing properties for two years.

Nettle leaves can be stored in the freezer. To do this, they are pre-washed, dried, crushed, tamped into bags and put in the refrigerator. Some prefer to preserve them, putting the leaves in sterilized jars and tightly tamping (so they let the juice). Completely clogged jar should be closed with a lid and put in the fridge.

Nettle Infusion Recipes

To enrich the body with valuable minerals, nettles need to be brewed according to this scheme:

1. 2 tbsp. clean, dried nettle leaves pour half a liter of boiling water.Cover with a lid, leave to infuse for 120 minutes, then filter. The resulting infusion drink one-fourth cup for 20 minutes before eating 2 to 4 times a day.
2. For the same purpose, you can use the juice from the young leaves of nettle. The best tool for this is considered to be a screw juicer. It not only extracts maximum liquid from the leaves, but also saves all valuable components. In the absence of such technology, you can use a blender or meat grinder. Squeezed juice is necessary to drink for 1 tsp. before every meal. It can be safely mixed with other natural infusions and drink as a tonic drink.
3. For the prevention of colds and bacterial infections, you will need 2 tbsp. nettle roots and the same amount of chopped garlic. Mix them with 300 ml of vodka or alcohol. Leave the tool to infuse for two weeks. Use 1 tsp. several times a day.
4. To dissolve the old stones in the bladder, use the roots of nettle. They need to be thoroughly grind in a mortar to a state of powder and eat 1 tsp. per day, washed down with warm water or broth hips.
5. Nettle is also used in case of stomach cramps with nausea. To eliminate the symptoms you need to brew 1 tsp. dried nettle roots with one glass of hot milk and hold on low heat for several minutes. Immediately drink 250 ml of the resulting drink, cooling it slightly. To get rid of pain you need to drink 1 tbsp. means half an hour before meals.

Nettle is an affordable plant to combat multiple ailments: from beriberi to chronic gastrointestinal diseases. Its addition to food will not only make the taste of the usual dishes bright and interesting, but also diversify the diet with useful trace elements and antioxidants.

Video: the healing properties of nettle juice