Nettles & Ginger Tea
Making a nettle infusion or tea adds absorbable stress reducing nutrients into your diet. It easily provides natural, health promoting nourishment. Ginger is great for your digestion and improves circulation and blood flow. Together they are a winner. The grassiness of the nettles is offset by the spicy ginger.
Stinging nettles are a power house of gentle natural nutrition. A stinging nettle infusion is very high in calcium, and magnesium which can help calm frazzled nerves. Although it is not a sedative, nettle infusion can also help with relaxation and deep sleep.
Nettles are a gentle source of iron. Nettles are wonderful for anyone with a tendency to anemia and anyone needing more absorbable iron in their diet.
A nourishing nettle infusion also contains beta carotene, chlorophyll, potassium, phosphorous, zinc, chromium, B vitamins and other trace minerals including selenium, silicon and manganese.
Makes 1 quart
1” piece of ginger
¼ cup dried nettles or 6 tea bags
1 quart water
Stevia or raw honey to taste
- Finely chop a 1” piece of piece of ginger.
- Place in 1 quart of water and bring to the boil.
- Reduce the heat, cover and leave to simmer for 10 to 15 minutes.
- Turn off the heat put the dried nettles into the pot of ginger water.
- Stir the leaves thoroughly with a clean spoon.
- Cover the pot
- Let it steep for 30 minutes or you can leave it for 12 hours it will get more intense.
- Pour the ginger/nettle infusion through a fine mesh kitchen strainer or cheese cloth into a jar. It will be a nice green color.
- Take a spoon and press the leaves into the strainer to extract as much of the good nourishing liquid as possible.
- Enjoy for a great nutritional boost and soothing of your digestive system.
- Drink throughout the day or store in the refrigerator for the next day.
- Add sweetener if you like.
Benefits of Nettles
Stinging nettle herb naturally promotes radiant health. Regular use of a strong brew of nettle tea can:
- help to nourish the kidneys and adrenals,
- reduce fatigue and exhaustion,
- promote natural energy,
- stabilize blood sugar,
- reduce allergies,
- promote the health of bones and joints,
- promote healthy hair, skin and nails,
- encourage normal immune function,
- clear sinus congestion,
- reduce chronic headaches and
- assist the body in responding to environmental stressors such as pollution and poor nutrition.
Nettles provide natural absorbable nutrition that really promotes health. In the European herbal traditions stinging nettle was often used as a whole body tonic since it so effectively nourishes and supports many of our body’s systems.
Fresh Nettles
Stinging nettle is a mild tasting common herb. It is often found growing in moist areas of fields and roadsides in the North America and Europe. If you don’t specifically look for it you are likely to over look it.
The sting is not in the taste.
The “sting” comes from the formic acid in the almost invisible tiny projections on the stems and leaves. Yes… the fresh herb stings on contact. So…
If you are going to harvest or cook fresh nettle leaves, please wear gloves.
Once nettles are either dried or cooked the sting goes away.
This makes it much easier to enjoy their rich nutritional bounty.
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