Stinging Nettle - leafy greens for spring dining, anti-inflammatory herbal, year-around.

Anti-histamine power within the plant, and histamine in the stinging power of the mature leaves. Forage in early spring before the leaves grow the stinging hairs.

Stinging nettle contains phytonutrients within all parts of the plant which are potent anti-inflammatory agents. The NfKb pathway is inhibited because an inhibitory chemical is protected by the stinging nettle phytonutrients. Stinging nettle may help reduce inflammation and pain in Rheumatoid arthritis. (Riehemann, et al., 1999)

“Inhibition of NF-κB activation by IDS23 was not mediated by a direct modification of DNA binding, but rather by preventing degradation of its inhibitory subunit IκB-α. Our results suggests that part of the antiinflammatory effect of Urtica extract may be ascribed to its inhibitory effect on NF-κB activation.” (Riehemann, et al., 1999)

Stinging Nettle as a green leafy vegetable - wear gloves! (*leather, thick canvas, or waterproof gloves)

The young leaves of stinging nettle can be eaten as a leafy green vegetable in springtime, or dried for use in herbal medicine. In areas of the world with limited leafy greens, stinging nettle is commonly used as a vegetable. (Singh and Kali, 2019; cited by Bhusal, et al, 2022)

Wear gloves to gather the stinging leaves and prepare it in recipes for cooked greens or dry it for later use as a medicinal herb. Blanching of vegetables refers to dipping it in a pot of boiling water for three minutes and then promptly removing it to eat as a barely cooked veggie, or to rinse and drain for canning or freezing.

The stinging hair-like trichomes on the leaves contain histamine which would lead to the intense itching that can follow touching a stinging nettle plant. Other phytonutrients in the plant have anti-histamine benefits (Bhusal, et al, 2022) possibly due to the inhibition of the NfKb pathway. (Riehemann, et al., 1999)

“Some of the chemicals discovered in this plant include lignan, secolignan, norlignan, alkaloid, sesquiterpenoid, flavonoid, triterpenoid, sphingolipid, and sterol (Abdeltawab et al., 2012; Wang and Pantopoulos, 2011).

Formic acid, acetyl choline, serotonin, and histamine are thought to be present in the trichomes of the nettle (Singh and Kali, 2019).” (Bhusal, et al, 2022)

As a green leafy vegetable, stinging nettle is a very good source of vitamin A precursor carotenoids and K, providing 67% of our daily vitamin A need, (Vitamin A ​2011.0 IU), and 416% of our daily Vitamin K ​(498.6 μg) in a 100 gram/3 ounce serving of blanched stinging nettle leaves. (nutrientoptimiser.com, cited by Bhusal, et al, 2022) It provides some B vitamins including 12% of the vitamin B2 recommendation (0.2 mg) and 8% of the goal for vitamin B6 (0.1 mg). It is a very good source of calcium (481 mg, 37% daily goal) and magnesium (57 mg, 14% of daily goal) while also being low in phosphorus (71 mg, 7%). Stinging Nettle also provides 34% of our daily need for manganese (0.8 mg). Trace minerals are also present including: “Zinc (0.3 mg, 2 %), iron (1.6 mg, 9%), cobalt, potassium (334 mg, 9%) , nickel, and molybdenum.” (Table 1, Bhusal, et al, 2022) Vitamin C - 238 mg/100 grams.

Stinging nettle leaves are also relatively rich in protein for a vegetable. It contains 30% of the dry mass as proteins, and includes some of the essential amino acids for human diets. (Bhusal, et al, 2022)

“Medicinally, all plant components (seeds, leaves, and roots) are used (Jan and Singh, 2017). Flavonoids, tannins, volatile compounds, fatty acids, polysaccharides, isolectins, sterols, terpenes, protein, vitamins, and minerals are among the main chemical components of U. dioica L. (Joshi et al., 2014). Because of its balanced protein composition and relatively high mineral and vitamin content, nettle is becoming more well-known. It contains a lot of vitamin C and provitamin A (Guil-Guerrero et al., 2003). Protein accounts for about 30% of dry mass and contains numerous amino acids necessary by humans. Minerals account about 20% of the dry mass. Zinc, iron, cobalt, potassium, nickel, and molybdenum are all abundant (Said et al., 2015). Nutritional composition of Urtica dioica is given in Table 1.” (Bhusal, et al, 2022)

Addition:

“The fresh leaves contain high concentrations of vitamins A, C, D, E, F, K and P, as well as of vitamin B-complexes [23]. The leaves are also known to contain particularly large amounts of the metals selenium, zinc, iron and magnesium.” (Kregiel, et al., 2018)

And that reference mentions that stinging nettle can help improve soil with heavy metal toxins - it accumulates in the leaves, so then remove the plants at the end of the growing season to destroy elsewhere, and heavy metals will have been removed with the plant biomass. The stinging nettle is nutritious for insects too. It aids biodiversity of an ecosystem by supporting ~ 40 species of insects. (Kregiel, et al., 2018)

“Heavy metals are poorly processed by the plant and tend to accumulate in the leaves. […] U. dioica can reduce heavy metal content in soil [9].” (Kregiel, et al., 2018)

How to pick stinging nettle without getting stung - wear gloves or forage in the spring.

If you forgot your gloves and found a nice patch of young stinging nettle, then grasp the stem from below the leaves and pluck it in an upward direction. The stinging hairs cover the leaves and point upward. Stings are most likely when they are brushed downward from above.

The living dangerously foraging video by UK Wildcrafts:

• How to pick nettles without getting stung, UK Wildcrafts, (Youtube).

This second video, by Learn Your Land Youtube channel, further explains that the little plants in early spring do not have the stinging power yet. Watch out for the lower leaves if foraging in July or August - they have stinging power. The smaller leaves at the top of the plant would taste better and be more tender for use as a vegetable. The larger leaves can be useful for tea or tasty soup broth. Use stinging nettle where you might use spinach leaves.

Stinging nettle likes sunny but wet areas and can grow to be over six feet tall by summer’s end. The plant grows in clusters or a colony and will spread underground along horizontal rhizomes. It has numerous tiny flowers that grow on an upright stalk. The rhizome can also be used for medicinal purposes.

• Stinging nettle - the most nutritious plant on Earth?, Learn Your Land, (Youtube)

Addition: a foraging resource shared in the comments by Vonu, thanks! Linda Runyan has lived off the land in a few places and later wrote books with what she learned while taking care of her parents. Her product line includes foragable plant card sets for soldiers to use in the field or to give away to people in poor areas. She would get frustrated watching the news and hearing about starvation while seeing a screen full of edible wild plants in the background. (ofthefield.com)

Stinging Nettle has been used medicinally for over 2000 years for many types of conditions:

“Some of [stinging nettle’s] qualities include anti-proliferative, anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, analgesic, immunological stimulatory, anti-infectious, hypotensive, anti-ulcer, and cardiovascular disease prevention (Said et al., 2015).” (Bhusal, et al, 2022)

• Stinging nettle reduces the generation of oxidative stress chemicals (ROS):

“According to various studies, the stinging nettle plant contains biologically active chemicals such as phenols and flavonoids that can help reduce free radical generation produced by modern lifestyle conditions (Singh and Kali, 2019).” (Bhusal, et al, 2022)

• Stinging nettle reduces allergy symptoms and skin irritations:

“Nettle tea has a number of health benefits, including reducing skin irritation and alleviating allergy symptoms.” (Bhusal, et al, 2022)

“The chemical compounds in stinging nettle have a variety of health benefits for women.”

Stinging nettle may help reduce symptom of PMS symptoms and reduce excessive menstrual bleeding; it also aids menopausal symptoms; and is used to promote milk production and to support lactation.

• “Because of its astringent characteristics, it can relieve unpleasant premenstrual symptoms including cramping and bloating, as well as reduce blood flow during menstruation.

• Stinging nettle can ease the transition and act as a restorative for women going through menopause, lowering the intensity of the hormonal shift in the body.

• Acting as a coagulant, stinging nettle can help prevent excessive bleeding.

• It will also help increase milk production and make breastfeeding more comfortable.” (Bhusal, et al, 2022)

Moringa leaf also may help with histamine issues. (Ross, 1999)

• Stinging nettle is a strong antimicrobial:

Addition - Stinging nettle is a strong antimicrobial against Gram-negative and Gram-positive bacteria and has shown benefit against Candida albicans yeast infections. Benefits varied in some research studies based on type of solvent used and what part of the plant was used. (Kregiel, et al., 2018)

“A study by Kukrić et al. revealed that nettle extracts had inhibitory effects on various Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria including Bacillus subtilis, Lactobacillus plantarum, Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Escherichia coli [16]. Mahmoudi et al. reported that all microorganisms tested in their research, Gram-negative and Gram-positive bacteria, as well as Candida albicans yeast, were sensitive to alcoholic extract from the nettle stem [62].” (Kregiel, et al., 2018)

• Stinging nettle helps pain from osteoarthritis (Kregiel, et al., 2018) or autoimmune Rheumatoid arthritis (Riehemann, et al., 1999); and can reduce need for NSAID pain relievers which have adverse risks.

A 50 gram serving of nettle greens was used in one study. That would be about two ounces of cooked greens which would be a generous couple of handfuls of fresh leaves. Leaves applied topically, in a poultice I would think, also reduced pain from osteoarthritis. (Kregiel, et al., 2018)

“Nettles can help alleviate the symptoms of osteoarthritis and joint pain, typically in the case of hands, knees, hips and spine.” (Kregiel, et al., 2018)

The article by Kregiel, et al., 2018, ‘Urtica spp.: Ordinary Plants with Extraordinary Properties’ includes a fairly extensive section on how nettle leaves are used in cooking with specific dishes like pesto being mentioned. Some people may have an allergic reaction to the raw leaves so cooking or blanching is typically recommended though use in a green salad was also mentioned. (Kregiel, et al., 2018)

• Stinging nettle is used in Turkey in a well known traditional herbal blend used to stop bleeding.

“The combination of U. dioica with common thyme (Thymus vulgaris), liquorice (Glycyrrhiza glabra), common grape (Vitis vinifera) and lesser galangal (Alpinia officinarum) has been known in Turkey as an Ankaferd Blood Stopper (ABS). This traditional medicine works on endothelium, blood cells, angiogenesis, cellular proliferation, vascular dynamics and cell mediators to stop bleeding [81].” (Kregiel, et al., 2018)

• Stinging nettle may promote acetylcholine production.

“Moreover U. dioica is considered the only plant that contains choline acetyl-transferase, an acetylcholine-synthesizing enzyme [42].” (Kregiel, et al., 2018)

Stinging nettle may help improve gout conditions which involve too much uric acid. It may be helpful for diabetes. Stinging nettle is commonly used in herbal supplements for “Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia (BPH), also known as an enlarged prostate, as well as urinary tract infections,” along with saw palmetto (Serenoa repens). (Kregiel, et al., 2018)

Disclaimer: This information is being provided for educational purposes within the guidelines of Fair Use and is not intended to provide individual health care guidance.

Reference List

(Bhusal, et al, 2022) Bhusal KK, Magar SK, Thapa R, Lamsal A, Bhandari S, Maharjan R, Shrestha S, Shrestha J. Nutritional and pharmacological importance of stinging nettle (Urtica dioica L.): A review. Heliyon. 2022 Jun 22;8(6):e09717. doi: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2022.e09717. PMID: 35800714; PMCID: PMC9253158. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9253158/ Research links via Nattering Naybob, thanks!

(Kregiel, et al., 2018) Kregiel D, Pawlikowska E, Antolak H. Urtica spp.: Ordinary Plants with Extraordinary Properties. Molecules. 2018 Jul 9;23(7):1664. doi: 10.3390/molecules23071664. PMID: 29987208; PMCID: PMC6100552. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6100552/

(Riehemann, et al., 1999) Riehemann, K., Behnke, B., Schulze-Osthoff, K., (1999). Plant extracts from stinging nettle (Urtica dioica), an antirheumatic remedy, inhibit the proinflammatory transcription factor NF-κB, FEBS Letters, 442(1);89-94, ISSN 0014-5793, https://doi.org/10.1016/S0014-5793(98)01622-6. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0014579398016226

(Ross, 1999) Ivan A. Ross, Medicinal Plants of the World - Chemical Constituents, Traditional and Modern Medicinal Uses, Humana Press, 1999, https://link.springer.com/book/10.1007/978-1-59259-237-1 < This textbook has retained its value. I feel lucky now, I picked it up for $1 at a St. Vincent de Paul.