Despite the painful "stings" inflicted by its live leaves, nettles cooked and transformed into herbal tea are completely safe to consume, not to mention that they are absolutely nutritious. If you are taking any medications or suffer from any medical condition, ask your doctor for advice before drinking nettle tea.
Steps
Part 1 of 2: Collect the Nettles
Step 1. Pick up the newly sprouted young plants
Organize the harvest in the spring, before the nettles bloom. Some people find that flowering plants have a bitter and unpleasant taste. Others think that cystoliths (microscopic pebbles) present in adult plants can irritate the urinary tract. Both of these beliefs are the subject of debate among some nettle pickers, but most prefer young plants.
Some sub-varieties bloom in late autumn
Step 2. Protect yourself from "stings"
Wear gloves, long-sleeved shirts, and long pants to avoid contact with the stinging hairs of the plant. Bring a pair of scissors or garden shears with you to make harvesting easier.
Many experienced collectors work with their bare hands, but it is also true that they often contradict each other when it comes time to give advice. This could be due to the differences between the various nettle species. The "trick" consists in observing the plant carefully to identify the hairs; these stinging elements are often all tilted in the same direction, so you can avoid them by approaching the plant from the opposite direction or by grabbing the stem just above or below the hairs
Step 3. Recognize the nettle
It is a worldwide weed and should grow mainly in partially shaded areas, such as near a fence or on the edge of a wood. The plants are dark green, with pairs of leaves growing in opposite directions. The leaves have a heart shape or are lanceolate, with a serrated edge along the entire perimeter.
There are other less common edible plants that are called "nettles" because they cause a similar skin reaction; however, they look different
Step 4. Collect healthy leaves
The sprouts are edible, but there is no reason to use them in the preparation of an herbal tea. Check buds and top leaves for holes, black spots, or signs of pests. If they are healthy, remove the leaves and place them in a bag. Grab the stem with your gloved hands and slide your fingers upward to remove all the leaves in one motion.
- To allow the plant to continue living, remove only the first two or three pairs of leaves. Nettles in any case are hardy herbaceous plants and you shouldn't worry excessively.
- A very young seedling that has the tip removed tends to grow into a bush, which becomes perfect for future harvests.
Step 5. Dry the leaves (optional)
You can use both fresh and dried nettle leaves to make herbal tea - both offer a distinctive flavor. To proceed, leave them in a paper bag in a well-ventilated room until they have lost their moisture, but not the green color. Dry leaves generally don't sting, but hairs can get stuck in the skin and cause mild irritation.
Part 2 of 2: Prepare the herbal tea
Step 1. Be aware of the medical risks
Nettle tea is safe for most people, but can interact dangerously with some medications and conditions. Although more studies are needed, most medical organizations provide the following advice:
- Do not drink nettle tea when you are pregnant, as it can trigger contractions or cause a miscarriage.
- Babies and breastfeeding women should not consume it, as the effects on babies are unknown.
- If you suffer from problems related to blood sugar (including diabetes), blood pressure, blood circulation or are undergoing drug therapy (even with over-the-counter medicines), you must first ask your doctor for advice.
- Start with small amounts, especially if you have any ailments or are allergic-prone.
Step 2. Wash the nettles
Check the crop and eliminate any insects present. Wash the leaves in a sieve, under running water, rubbing them with your fingers (protected by gloves) to remove dust and other contaminants.
Step 3. Boil the leaves
Put them in boiling water for 10-15 minutes or until the water turns slightly green. With 20 g of leaves you can prepare two glasses of herbal tea, although you can decide to make it stronger or lighter.
If you don't want to dirty the kettle, you can just pour boiling water over the leaves and let them steep
Step 4. Drink the herbal tea plain or with a sweetener
The "cooked" leaves are no longer stinging. However, it is advisable to filter the herbal tea through a colander, in order to enjoy it more comfortably.
Step 5. Make it pink by adding some lemon juice
The juice of this citrus fruit (or another acidic liquid) makes the nettle tea pink. This reaction is even more intense if you have also infused the stems in addition to the leaves, as they contain larger amounts of pigments.
- Some folk medicine traditions exploit this change for several beneficial purposes, although there are no scientific studies on it.
- The chemicals responsible for the color change are anthocyanins and associated glycosides.
