Remedies Using Stinging Nettles

Even though stinging nettles or urtica dioica sting and cause rashes when the spines and hairs on the leaves and stems come in contact with your skin, the nettle extract is actually soothing. Nettle leaf extract is effective in treating skin problems and inflammations including acne, eczema, insect bites and rashes.

The shoots can be eaten. Be very careful when picking nettles. Use gloves to avoid getting stung. When cooked, the chemicals that cause the sting are eliminated. You can add it to risotto, make a nettle omelet or add it as an ingredient to your gnocchi or dumplings. Nettles are nutritious. They contain dietary fiber, vitamins A, C, D and K, calcium, iron, manganese and potassium.

Nettles have healing or therapeutic properties and have been used to treat various conditions and diseases for centuries and until today nettle herb is widely used as a home remedy to treat various ailments. One of the most active compounds in nettles is quercetin which is a flavonoid and a phytoestrogen and a very potent antioxidant. Quercetin provided anti histamine and anti inflammatory effects.

Another useful plant compound found in nettles is chlorophyll. Among its function is to protect your stomach, detoxify internal system, prevent toxin from entering the blood system and delivers magnesium to the cells. Nettles also have acetylcholine, beta carotene, glycosides, lignans, lectins, histamine, sitosterol, serotonin, tannins.

All those beneficial plant compounds are responsible for nettles healing effect. Here is a list of some of the benefits and medicinal uses of nettles.

1. Nettle extract is beneficial for eye health. The quercetin in nettles helps block the formation of cataracts.
   
   
   
2. Taking nettle herb or drinking nettle tea causes a diuretic effect. This is good especially if you have certain medical conditions such as heart problems, liver cirrhosis and high blood pressure.
   
   
3. Stinging nettles is also beneficial for respiratory health and may treat problems such as sinus infection, asthma and reduce bad cholesterol atherosclerosis which is the hardening of the arteries than can lead to a heart attack.
   
   
   
4. It is also used as a remedy to fight allergies and hay fever.
   
   
   
5. Another one of the benefits of stinging nettles is it has the potential to reduce inflammation of the gastrointestinal tract which is caused by Crohn's disease which is an inflammatory bowel disease.
   
   
   
6. Nettle extract may also increase bone density.
   
   
   
7. Stinging nettles are also used a natural remedy to treat depression.
   
   
   
8. Studies found that nettle root extract has the ability to treat benign prostatic hyperplasia or enlarged prostate. When nettle extract is combined with saw palmetto extract, the result is more effective.
   
   
   
9. Nettle herb is also used in the treatment of arthritis, gout, rheumatism, sore throat and urinary tract infection.

Nettle extract is available in many forms. You can get the cut, loose, sifted and dried nettle leaves and nettle roots. You can use them to make nettle tea or your own infusion. But if you prefer readymade, just get the tea bags. Other forms available are capsules, liquid extract, nettle oil, powdered nettle and tinctures. If you have oily hair or have problem with hair loss, you may want to try nettle shampoo. You can also buy nettle extract for eye health.

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