7 Excellent Nettle Leaf Tea Benefits

Last Updated on July 26, 2023

Do you know about the impressive benefits of nettle tea? Nettle leaf tea is delicious, healthy and worth adding to your rotation of beverages!

The more I learn about medicinal herbs, the more I’m drawn to add them to my daily routine. I’m a big tea drinker, and while black and green tea have some terrific health benefits of their own, too much caffeine isn’t a great idea.

When I want to skip the caffeine, it’s nice to have tasty and healthful alternatives. One I’d highly recommend is nettle leaf tea, made from a wild plant (you might be tempted to call it a weed) known for its stinging parts, hence the common name stinging nettle.

Nettle Leaf Tea Benefits

Don’t let nettle’s famous sting deter you from enjoying the fanstastic benefits of nettle tea! Like a lot of wild greens, nettle is known both as a nutritional powerhouse and medicinal star. My go-to source for foraging, “Wildman” Steve Brill, highlights nettles’

very high levels of minerals, especially calcium, magnesium, iron, potassium, phosphorous, manganese, silica, iodine, silicon, sodium, and sulfur. They also provide chlorophyll and tannin, and they’re a good source of vitamin C, beta-carotene, and B complex vitamins. Nettles also have high levels of easily absorbable amino acids. They’re ten percent protein, more than any other vegetable.  

Some of the health benefits of nettle leaf tea include

• Alleviating seasonal allergies 
• Reducing arthritis pain
• Improving urinary issues 
• Alleviating skin conditions like eczema

Nettle leaf is also believed to be an all-around immune booster and tonic. In The Green Pharmacy, James Duke mentions nettle’s historical use as an herbal cough remedy, among many other uses.

And nettle leaf tea tastes great! You’ll definitely want to include this amazing herb in your herbal tea blends. I often add it to the sleep blends I make and drink before bed.

If the flavor of stinging nettle is too strong for your tastes, some people find that Canadian wood nettle has a mellower, more palatable taste. You can also combine it with more mild tasting herbs like oatstraw or milky oats to improve the flavor.

Precautions Using Nettle Leaf Tea

As with most herbs, it makes sense to start with small amounts and be certain you don’t experience adverse effects. And of course if you have health conditions or are on medication, you’ll want to talk to your doctor before taking medicinal herbs. According to the University of Maryland Medical Center:

Occasional side effects include mild stomach upset, fluid retention, sweating, diarrhea, and hives or rash (mainly from topical use). It is important to be careful when handling the nettle plant because touching it can cause an allergic rash. Stinging nettle should never be applied to an open wound.

Because nettle can alter the menstrual cycle and may contribute to miscarriage, pregnant women should not use nettle.

Do not self treat with nettle for BPH [enlarged prostate]. See your doctor to receive a diagnosis and to rule out prostate cancer.

There is some evidence that stinging nettle may raise blood sugar and interfere with diabetes management. There is also evidence that it can lower blood sugar. Patients with diabetes should monitor their blood sugar closely when using stinging nettle.

Stinging nettle can have a diuretic effect. If you have kidney or bladder issues, speak with your health care provider.

Nettle leaf may also interfere with medications for conditions like blood pressure, diabetes, and blood thinning. Consult a drug interactions list and talk to your doctor before taking nettle.

Related: Benefits of Hibiscus Tea

Where to Find Nettle Leaf Tea

Though you can grow or forage for nettle, you don’t need to harvest your own in order to reap the benefits of nettle tea. It’s a very inexpensive herb to buy in bulk, and a pound bag should last you a very long time.

If you’re interested in growing your own natural remedies, there are dozens of medicinal plants you can grow in your garden. Here’s what to know about starting a medicinal herb garden.

One of the top sources for high-quality herbs is Mountain Rose Herbs, where you’ll find a stunning array of organic loose herbs and spices at very reasonable prices.

You can also buy smaller amounts at your local natural food store in the bulk section. You can also get it in pre-bagged form (get an extra discount with Subscribe and Save) if you think you won’t do loose nettle leaf tea.

But making loose nettle leaf tea will save you a lot of money over bagged tea, and if you keep one of these lovely infuser cups around, making loose tea is about as easy as using a bag, and you get to skip the extra waste of bagged tea.

You could also try a French press if you want to make more than one cup of nettle leaf tea at a time. You can share or put some in the fridge for another day.

Related: Zero Waste Living for Beginners

How to Get the Benefits of Nettle Leaf Tea

One of the easiest ways to consume nettle is in nettle leaf tea. It makes a tasty brew reminiscent of green tea. You can make it from freshly harvested leaves or from dried nettle, readily available in most natural food stores’ bulk bins or online. You can make with just nettle, or combine it with other herbs.

How to Make Nettle Leaf Tea:

Use 1-3 teaspoons dried herb per 8oz of boiling water. (I always recommend filtering your water to remove contaminants. Here’s what you need to know about choosing a quality water filter.)

I prefer to leave my herbal teas brewing for at least several hours or better still, overnight. This makes a stronger tea known as an infusion that extracts more of the beneficial compounds.

But if you want to brew it and drink it right away, by all means do. It’s still wonderful stuff. You might try rebrewing the leaves a second time to stretch out your supply.

The flavor is mild, so you can combine nettle with other herbs you enjoy, like hibiscus or peppermint, and gain additional nutrients. Or use with the relaxing herb lemon balm or pain-relieving yarrow. Here’s how to make lemon balm tea and blend it with other useful herbs like nettle leaf.

Here’s info on how to brew sun tea if you’d like to try this fun brewing method using free solar power.

Other Uses for Nettle Leaf

You can also make tea from freshly harvested nettle by simmering them briefly in a pan with water, and then you get both the nettle leaf tea and a tasty side dish.

An extremely nutritious vegetable, you can add steamed nettles just about anywhere you’d use spinach, in soups and stews, with eggs, or pasta dishes. Some folks like to make pestos from them. Check out some unusual recipe ideas from Little Owl Crunchy Mama.

You can also add cooked nettle leaf to smoothies. Here are more than 50 delicious and healthy smoothie recipes.

Or, if you’d like to incorporate nettles into your beauty routine, try this strengthening nettle vinegar hair rinse from the Pistachio Project.

One other easy way to get the benefits of nettle leaf is to make an easy stinging nettle tincture.

Other delicious, health-supporting teas to try:

• Elderberry Tea
• Spruce Tea
• Dandelion Tea (from roots, flowers, or leaves)
• Elderflower Tea
• Goldenrod Tea
• Mulberry Tree Leaf Tea
• Pine Needle Tea

Do you drink nettle leaf tea? Have you enjoyed nettle leaf tea benefits for yourself? Share in the comments!

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Disclaimer: I’m a health enthusiast, not a medical professional. Content on this website is intended for informational purposes only and is not meant to provide personalized medical advice. I draw on numerous health sources, some of which are linked above. Please consult them for more information and a licensed professional for personalized recommendations.

Nettle leaf tea benefits photo credits: image party, congerdesign