Did you know that nettles were introduced by the Romans in the countries (like the UK) with colder weather because the stings of the leaves on their legs kept them warm! (I try to remember this when I get stung… it doesn’t hurt, it’s just warm).

But that’s not the reason why nettle is good for you.

Nettle leaves are a treasure of vitamins and minerals (vitamins A, B1, B5, C, D, E and K, iron, potassium, copper, zinc, magnesium, calcium), which gives them many health properties.

Nettle Is Good For Your Skin And Your Overall Wellbeing

Nettle tea has been found to:

• help cure skin problems (mouth ulcers, rashes, eczema, hair loss, dandruff)
• be good for your blood (improves blood circulation, fights anemia, lowers blood sugar, lowers blood pressure)
• fight cystitis (nettle is diuretic, meaning it helps the body pass water, exactly what you need if you suffer from cystitis; nettle is also excellent against bladder infection)
• help in the treatment of arthritis and rheumatism
• help respiratory problems (coughs, asthma)

The best thing about Nettles is that they are free!

The best thing about nettle is that it is free and you should easily find it in woods around you from Spring to Autumn. Here’s how to make your nettle infusion from scratch:

1. Pick the nettle – If you’re anything like me, you’ll find the process daunting but it’s actually easier than you might think. Here’s what I do: I wear long sleeves, I use gloves and a pair of scissors to cut the stems. Then, holding the stem, I wash the leaves and cut out each leaf with scissors directly into the pan.
   Tip 1: Avoid nettles dogs could have peed on
   Tip 2: Did you know that if you touch the nettle leaves underneath you won’t get stung? Only the top of the nettle leaves stings.
2. Boil – Boil the leaves for 5 mins. Once boiled, the leaves won’t sting anymore.
3. Filter – Filter out the leaves and save the infusion.

Nettle Soup And Quiche Recipes

If you’ve picked too much nettle… why not treat yourself to a nice soup?

On top of its healing properties, nettle is nutritious (it contains proteins, chlorophyl, vitamin C, A, fibers, potassium, iron).

To make nettle soup:

• boil the nettle leaves with 2 potatoes (peeled and diced)
• mix it all
• add a spoonful of cream
• pepper and salt to taste

If you like the taste, why not make a quiche (boil the nettle leaves and potatoes as above, get rid of a bit of water, mix, add a raw egg, pour the mix on your pastry, cook in the oven for 20 minutes).

I love these grand-mother recipes and remedies. They’re cheap and organic.

If, however, you don’t feel like going through the nettle picking process, you’ll find nettle tea in your supermarket. If you don’t like the pure nettle taste, try the more sophisticated Twinings flavours like Nettle and Peppermint or Nettle and Fennel.