Have you ever brushed up against a stinging
nettle plant? I hear it’s quite painful. So why would anybody grow, much less
consume, this plant? A plant that can deliver its own chemical cocktail via its
trichomes into your body? Apparently, it has some rather interesting potential
medicinal benefits.
According to Penn State Hershey Medical Center,
stinging nettle (Urtica dioica and U. urens) “has been used for hundreds of
years to treat painful muscles and joints, eczema, arthritis, gout, and
anemia”. For other general uses and precautions: http://pennstatehershey.adam.com/content.aspx?productId=107&pid=33&gid=000275.
Dr. Andrew Weil tells us stinging nettle may
also help with hay fever – something many of us seem to be battling lately. Dr.
Weil says it is also used orally and topically for sprains, tendonitis, and
insect bites. The latter of which seems odd to me since the plant delivers a
bit of a bite itself. You can find other drug interactions and warnings from
his site: https://www.drweil.com/vitamins-supplements-herbs/herbs/stinging-nettle/.
In an article by Cornell University, the author
claims to “gladly eat it every day it is available”, even though he does
mention that rabbits and deer won’t go near it. He thinks the cooked greens are
the best of all the greens and goes on to state “it tastes like chicken.
Kidding – it tastes a lot like spinach, except sweeter”. You can boil, steam or
stir fry the greens. Very entertaining article: https://smallfarms.cornell.edu/2018/04/06/stinging-nettles-not-just-for-breakfast-anymore/.
Well known herbalist, Susun Weed, recommends
stinging nettle to “restore mood, replenish energy, and guarantee sound sleep”.
She also says “there is no denser nutrition found in any plant, not even
bluegreen algae”. It is rich in protein, vitamins and minerals and packs a lot
of calcium. http://www.susunweed.com/herbal_ezine/October08/healingwise.htm.
If you get a sting from nettle, Healthine.com recommends
not touching the area for the first ten minutes. They state the chemicals are
easier to remove, if they are allowed to dry on top of the skin. After cleaning
the area, you can apply tape to remove “any remaining fibers” or use a “wax strip
hair removal product”. Read this article for more information and potentially
life threatening allergic reactions to this plant. https://www.healthline.com/health/stinging-nettle-rash#homeremedies
Since I have never been a fan of hypodermic
needles, I think this is one plant I will leave to the farmers to grow,
harvest, dry and bag for me. I do love the taste of a stinging nettle infusion though
and drink it regularly. My sister asked me recently what it tasted like. My
husband says it tastes like dirt! I’m guessing I must like the taste of dirt,
because I told my sister it tastes like “a cup of sunshine and Mother Earth
mixed together”.
Kelley
Rawlsky has an M.S. in horticulture and is the director of Bringing People and
Plants Together, an organization dedicated to bringing horticulture education
and therapy to the community. For more information: PeopleAndPlantsTogether@gmail.com or follow us on
Facebook.
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