Nettle Tea Health Benefits

There are many nettle tea health benefits, the healing powers of this great herb has been dated back to the third century BC when it was used to remove venom from snake bites. Scientists today claim that it also has other positive effects in treating hay fever, prostate problems, as well as reducing the pain and inflammation of gout. The strange thing about nettle is that is was first thought that it could be used for medicinal purposes because it can irritate exposed skin.The nettle leaves are covered with tiny hairs and hollow needles that sting and burn on contact.This effect is believed to help manage joint pain and for years have been used to draw out toxins from the skin.

Nettle leaves are also considered as nutritious food and the leaves taste similar to spinach. They are very high in iron and other minerals, they are also rich in Vitamin C and carotenoids. When making a tea always look for the young shoots which have no stingers, if you have an older plant cook them first, they often grow to 1.5 meters high. Stinging yourself with nettle leaves will not help reduce joint pain, but nettle tea applied as a compress or taking nettle supplements can relieve inflamed joints, especially if you suffer from gout. Other nettle tea health benefits is that if it is taken internally it has diuretic and antihistamine properties.

As it is a diuretic it helps the body get rid of excess fluid and is useful in treating many disorders.People who suffer from urinary tract infections claim that it promotes urination which can help flush out infection causing bacteria out of your system. Women who get bloated before their period can also take nettle tea or supplements to get relief. It can also be used to help with high blood pressure, but consult your doctor first before starting.One of the most proven benefits is that it can help treat hay fever such as nasal congestion and watery eyes.

Nettle comes in many forms such as a capsule, tincture, liquid and dried herb and tea.For urinary tract infections drink one cup of nettle tea per day, add one teaspoon of the dried herb to a cup of boiling water. To treat allergies take 250 mg of standardized extract three times per day. When taking nettle supplements it is best to take it with food to minimize stomach upset. You can also eat the leaves as a vegetable, young leaves can be eaten raw but older leaves that have stinging hairs will need to be cooked ti inactivate the stingers.As you can see there are many nettle tea health benefits, when purchasing supplements choose capsules that contain the herb that is freeze dried or an extract that contains at least 1% standardized plant silica which is an active ingredient in nettle.