Facts about Stinging nettle

We found 21 facts about Stinging nettle

An underrated source of health

It is often thought of as a weed that causes an unpleasant burning sensation when touched. However, it is treated with respect by many for its nutritional value and medicinal properties. This is because it contains many vitamins, minerals, and other organic compounds that can be a source of deficiencies in the human body.

Stinging nettle gets its name from the fine hairs on its leaves and stems, which contain chemicals such as histamine and formic acid. These hairs can cause stinging, itching, and a mild rash when they come in contact with the skin. However, this unpleasant aspect can be avoided by wearing gloves or using heat to neutralize the stinging hairs.

1
Stinging nettle is a synanthropic plant, which means that it is associated with man.

It grows in areas whose character has been largely shaped by humans, such as farmland, but it also grows in forests, meadows, on the banks of lakes and rivers, in parks, gardens, roadsides, near human settlements, buildings, garbage dumps and severely degraded areas.

2
Nettle is a perennial plant that grows up to 2 meters tall.

The entire plant is covered with short, bristly hairs and longer hairs that end in a bubble containing formic acid. When the nettle is touched, the hairs break, the bubble bursts, and the acid flows onto the skin, scalding it. The discomfort can be relieved by rubbing the burned areas with crushed ribleaf.

3
Nettle flowers from June to September. The flowers are gathered in hanging clusters and are small, greenish in color.

4
Nettle seeds are called nuts and appear at the top of the plant in mid-summer. They are the size of a pinhead and there can be several thousand of them on a single plant.

They are harvested between August and October. They contain vitamins A, B, C, potassium, iron, calcium, carotenoids and chlorophyll. They generally give energy and put you in a good mood.

5
Stinging nettle leaves and stems contain flavonoids, organic acids including formic and acetic acids, beta-carotene, vitamins A, B, B5, C, K, mineral salts - especially iron, calcium, potassium, phosphorus and magnesium, chlorophyll, acetylcholine, tannins, beta-sitosterol, enzymes, silicon and calcium compounds, acids: linoleic, linolenic, stearic, palmitic and oleic, almost all known amino acids.

6
For medicinal purposes, nettle leaves are harvested before flowering, roots are dug up in fall or early spring, and the whole plant is used.

Juice squeezed from fresh nettle stalks is also often used, and folk medicine recommends drinking it daily to strengthen during spring fatigue.

7
Stinging nettle reduces excess water in the body.

It causes flushing of the kidneys and lower urinary tract. It is used for kidney stones and bladder infections. Because it cleanses the body of uric acid deposits, it is helpful in the treatment of gout.

8
The European Commission recommends the use of nettle root to treat the first and second stages of prostatic hyperplasia.

9
Nettle improves overall metabolism.

It stimulates the production of pancreatic enzymes, drains bile from the bile ducts, improves liver function, and strengthens the stomach.

10
It is used in the treatment of dermatological diseases - for scalp seborrhea and dandruff, hair loss, aphthous stomatitis and dermatophytosis.

It is used in the production of creams, masks and tonics.

11
It has antioxidant properties, probably due to its high content of phenolic compounds.

Nettle extract causes an increase in the total number of antioxidants, which inhibit the formation of free radicals that cause cancer.

12
Nettle restores elasticity to blood vessels, lowers blood pressure and cholesterol, and is a good dietary supplement for diabetics.

It is used as an adjunct in the treatment of type 2 diabetes.

13
Nettle has analgesic properties. In folk medicine, nettle leaves were used to relieve pain. Its pain-relieving properties have been scientifically proven.

Researchers at the University of Plymouth studied a group of 18 people suffering from joint and bone inflammation, disc pain, and pain caused by injuries such as sprains and tendinopathy, including "tennis elbow". The studies conducted showed the analgesic effect of nettle with no serious side effects other than a transient rash.

14
Nettle can be added to many dishes.

You can add it to scrambled eggs, omelets, soups, stuffing for pancakes. You can make a salad from it by adding cream or yogurt.

15
Nettle is high in protein - 24% dry weight, which is why it is recommended in vegetarian diets.

16
In Germany, an estimated 500 tons of nettle are consumed annually. This puts it in third place after chamomile and linseed.

17
Roman soldiers carried nettle seeds to rub into their skin to counteract the effects of numbness in the limbs caused by fatigue and weather conditions.

18
In the Arabic countries, nettle seeds were added to the horse's feed to make the horse's coat shine.

19
The Slavs attributed magical properties to the nettle.

Fabrics made with nettle were said to protect against disease and ward off evil forces. In Hans Christian Andersen's fairy tale "The Wild Swans," the main character had to sew nettle shirts for her 11 brothers to break a spell.

According to a Danish legend, stinging nettles grow in places where elves are buried.

20
There are at least 68 species of nettles around the world.

Stinging nettles don't just grow in Antarctica.

21
There are about 40 calories in 100 grams of stinging nettle.

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