Nettle: useful properties, application, recipes

The benefits and harms of nettle are actively used not only in home medicine, but also in beauty recipes, as well as in cooking. To evaluate all the properties of a plant, you need to carefully study the composition and characteristics.

The chemical composition of nettle

The health benefits and harms of nettle can be very varied. The unique properties of the plant are given by its chemical composition, which contains:

• vitamins C, K and E;
• carotene;
• B vitamins;
• formic and galusic acids;
• histamine and chlorophyll;
• calcium, iron, aluminum and sulfur;
• potassium and magnesium;
• carotenoids and phytoncides.

The plant contains a lot of manganese - from 100 g you can get 4 daily norms of this element.

Why nettle is useful

The benefits of nettle for the human body are very great, the plant helps to comprehensively strengthen the body and cope with individual ailments. When taken internally and externally, the plant:

• increases the body's defenses and improves resistance to colds;
• increases blood clotting and stops severe bleeding;
• has a beneficial effect on metabolic processes;
• lowers glucose levels, cleanses and strengthens blood vessels;
• improves appetite;
• starts the process of cell rejuvenation and allows you to delay the aging of the body;
• reduces muscle and joint pain;
• removes toxins and toxins from the body, promotes cleansing;
• has a calming effect on the nervous system and helps relieve sleep problems.

Consuming nettle is beneficial for the prevention of inflammatory and cancer diseases. Antioxidants in the plant reduce the likelihood of developing malignant processes in the body.

For men

The benefits of nettle for men are expressed in the beneficial effects of the plant on the reproductive and sexual spheres. Nettle protects the male body from inflammation of the prostate gland, enhances libido and improves the quality of the genetic material. It is useful to consume the plant during heavy physical exertion, since the products based on it help to restore the reserves of strength.

The benefits of a decoction of nettle for hair can be appreciated not only by women, but also by the stronger sex. Washing your hair with nettle infusion is useful for the early onset of baldness - the plant helps to maintain a thick head of hair. Nettle benefits the liver - it is useful to use it after hectic feasts in order to remove toxic substances from the body.

For women

The benefits of nettle for women are beneficial effects on the reproductive system. The plant helps to normalize the monthly cycle and reduces the amount of blood loss during heavy menstruation.

It is recommended to use the plant during menopause, and during breastfeeding, the herb can stimulate lactation. The benefits of nettle for a woman's body are in demand after childbirth, funds based on this herb contribute to the early contraction of the uterus.

For children

The healing properties of nettle can benefit children, the plant helps to strengthen the child's body and cure stomach ailments, soothes the nerves and helps with skin inflammation. But when using the herb, care must be taken to avoid harm.

So, for children under 1 year old, the plant can only be added to warm baths - to prevent skin irritations and to generally increase immunity. It is recommended to offer a useful plant to a child for internal use only after a year, when negative reactions become less likely, and decoctions and infusions must be diluted with water.

Is nettle possible during pregnancy and breastfeeding

The benefits of young nettle for pregnant women are controversial. The plant retains all its beneficial properties and can calm the nervous system, eliminate swelling and strengthen the heart. But at the same time, the herb is often harmful - it can cause migraines, dizziness and even provoke a miscarriage. Therefore, while carrying a child, it is better to refuse from using a useful plant and replace it with less dangerous herbs.

But the benefits of nettle when breastfeeding are quite large, decoctions based on the plant increase the production of breast milk. Therefore, it is possible to use the herb in case of insufficient lactation, its properties will be very valuable.

Is nettle good for weight loss

The diet will benefit from young nettle in the salad - the plant itself is very low in calories, but regulates metabolism effectively. If you eat a plant while losing weight, then the intestines and stomach will begin to work better, the appetite will improve and the stool will become regular.

The benefits and harms of nettle tea are also very much in demand in the diet. The drink has diuretic properties and helps to remove excess fluids and harmful substances from the body. If you drink a couple of cups of nettle tea a day, the plant will not only help you achieve harmony faster, but also normalize the emotional background.

Nettle-based traditional medicine recipes

The benefits of may nettle help to get rid of many unpleasant symptoms. On the basis of the plant, several medicinal agents are prepared and used for diseases in small quantities.

Nettle decoction

The benefits of a decoction of nettle inside are manifested in gastric disorders, inflammatory processes in the body and heavy bleeding. They make a healing agent like this - pour a couple of large tablespoons of dry grass with 500 ml of boiling water and leave to steam for 3 hours.

Then the broth is filtered. Drinking a decoction of nettle is useful for 5 sips on an empty stomach - the tool quickly brings results. Apply it externally, rinse hair with broth for better growth.

Alcohol tincture of nettle

Dried nettle is very beneficial in combination with alcohol, the properties of the tincture are excellent for colds, bleeding, loss of strength and inflammation of the joints. Prepare the tool like this:

• the dried grass is ground to obtain 2 cups of chopped raw materials;
• nettles are poured into a small glass vessel;
• pour a glass of alcohol and a similar amount of pure water.

Having mixed the useful tincture properly, it is removed to a dark place for 2 weeks, and then filtered and used as directed.

Nettle tea

For weight loss, normalization of appetite and for general recovery, nettle tea is beneficial. It is prepared from both freshly harvested and dry herbs - valuable properties are preserved in both cases. A typical cooking recipe looks like this:

• nettle leaves are poured with warm water in a saucepan;
• bring to a boil over low heat;
• then immediately turn off and leave for half an hour under the lid.

You can drink ready-made tea up to 3 times a day, in the volume of a glass, best of all shortly before eating.

Nettle juice

The benefits of nettle juice are especially pronounced when applied externally - the remedy promotes the healing of wounds and ulcers. It is also taken internally - the benefits of nettle juice helps to cope with a lack of vitamins and stomach ailments.

It is very easy to make healthy juice, you need to pass thoroughly washed fresh nettles through a blender, and then squeeze the gruel through cheesecloth. Since the juice has a rather high concentration of valuable substances, in order to avoid harm, you need to take it a little - three times a day, just a large spoonful.

Nettle powder

The benefits of nettle roots and leaves are manifested in a healing powder. To obtain it, you just need to grind dry raw materials as fine as possible, and then sift through a sieve several times until the powder becomes completely homogeneous.

They use a tea preparation agent, a useful powder is conveniently used to create homemade cosmetic masks.

How to use nettle for medicinal purposes

In order for the medicinal properties of nettle to bring maximum benefit and not cause harm, the herb must be used in accordance with proven recipes. Home medicine offers many uses for the plant.

With joint diseases

In case of joint pain, the properties of nettle tincture show themselves well - a remedy for alcohol has a warming effect, relieves inflammation and pain. The tincture can be used externally, as a rub, or you can take it three times a day orally in small quantities - no more than a teaspoon.

In addition, a nettle burn will benefit the joints, it will also help to warm up the tissue qualitatively. In the absence of contraindications, it is recommended to regularly take a steam bath with a fresh nettle broom. And if the bath is for some reason excluded and is harmful, you can apply the leaves of grass to the sore joints.

With anemia

The beneficial substances in the herb help get rid of anemia and vitamin deficiencies in the body. There will be benefits from the infusion of nettle - 2 large tablespoons of dry grass should be poured with boiling water and left for 20 minutes, and then strain.

Take half a glass twice or three times a day, if desired, the drink can be diluted with half a teaspoon of honey. In total, you need to continue treatment for a month.

With bleeding

In folk medicine, the healing properties of nettle during bleeding are widely known; this herb quickly reduces the volume of blood loss. In this case, nettle broth will benefit - pour a large spoonful of dry raw materials with a glass of water, boil, and then immediately remove from heat and insist for 2 hours. The finished product is taken on an empty stomach three times a day for several sips.

The benefits of nettle for blood are not only that the herb is able to quickly stop blood loss. When used internally, the plant removes the damage caused by bleeding, saturates the body with valuable substances and helps prevent anemia.

With diabetes

Nettles harvested in May are beneficial for diabetes.Its valuable substances contribute to the gradual cleansing of blood vessels from cholesterol and a decrease in glucose levels.

The medicinal properties of nettle leaves will have a beneficial effect on health if you regularly take an herbal infusion. Pour boiling water over about 3 large spoons of healthy raw materials and hold for 2 hours, and then use it before eating.

From cough

The properties of nettle root and leaves help to cope with lingering coughs. For a speedy recovery, you need to take a healing infusion three times a day - 200 g of dry raw materials are poured with hot water and insisted for half an hour.

In addition, simple inhalations are good for coughing. The steam of freshly brewed healthy herb can be breathed for 10 minutes - this will warm the airways.

For skin diseases

Fresh nettles are beneficial for dermatitis, skin inflammation and lesions. Pour about 100 g of fresh leaves with a glass of boiling water, insist a little and wipe the sore areas with infusion in the morning and evening.

Fresh grass juice can be used to treat the skin. Beforehand, it is recommended to slightly dilute it with water to reduce the concentration.

In gynecology

The properties of nettle in gynecology help to get rid of many ailments and unpleasant symptoms. Decoctions and infusions of this herb are used for painful or irregular menstruation, with too heavy bleeding and inflammatory processes.

The beneficial properties of nettle broth prevent the development of oncology and help well with uterine erosion. Home medicine is used not only internally, but also externally, for rubbing and douching. Drinking a decoction up to 3 times a day is useful soon after a difficult birth - the medicinal plant is not harmful, but it helps to stop the blood.

The use of nettle in home cosmetology

Spring nettle is beneficial in the composition of cosmetic products. The plant quickly improves the condition of hair and skin, so the herb is often added to home masks or herbal rinses.

Facial masks

The benefits of nettle for the skin of the face is that it moisturizes the epidermis, makes the skin more elastic and smooth, quickly copes with irritations. The plant has anti-aging properties, so, to eliminate the first wrinkles, it is recommended to make the following mask:

• fresh or dry leaves of grass are thoroughly crushed;
• mixed in equal amounts with slightly warmed honey;
• spread over clean skin for half an hour.

You need to carry out a useful procedure at least twice a week, then the result will appear quickly.

Hair care

Rinsing your hair with nettle is of great benefit, if you use an herbal decoction after each shampooing, the hair will get dirty more slowly, acquire shine and silkiness.

To prepare the product, you just need to add 10 large spoons of a fresh or dry plant to 2 liters of boiling water, and then leave the product under the lid for an hour. It is enough to carry out useful rinsing twice a week.

Nettle bath

There will be benefits from a nettle bath - water procedures using the plant improve the condition of the skin of the whole body, relieve joint pain and relax muscles. It is enough to add a whole liter of nettle broth to a full bath of water.

Nettle broom for a bath

A regular visit to the steam room is a useful procedure for everyone who does not have serious problems with the lungs, blood vessels and heart. And even more benefit from the bath can be obtained if you use nettle brooms - after the first session of light patting of the skin, a noticeable positive effect will appear.

Nettle brooms for a sauna accelerate blood circulation, increase immune resistance and improve skin condition.They will benefit from a tendency to colds and joint ailments, treating the body with brooms will improve the condition of the skin.

Healthy and delicious recipes with nettles

Medicine and cosmetology are not the only uses of the herb. Benefits of nettle in food, it gives dishes an interesting refreshing taste and increases their valuable properties.

Nettle and egg soup

The benefits and harms of nettle soup are known to many connoisseurs of simple recipes using natural herbs. The medicinal plant in combination with other ingredients can delight you with excellent taste and, moreover, will have a positive effect on the stomach.

In order for the benefits of nettle soup to manifest fully, you need to cook it as follows:

• peel and finely chop 6 potatoes and carrots, send to simmer in a large saucepan;
• wash and chop 300 g of fresh herbs and a bunch of green onions, add to the pan to the vegetables;
• add salt to taste, cook until the vegetables are soft;
• 5 minutes before removing from the stove, pour your favorite spices into the pan;
• turn off the heat, cover the pan with a lid and leave for a quarter of an hour.

Before serving, add 5-6 pre-boiled and chopped chicken eggs and a large spoonful of sour cream to the ready-made healthy soup.

Nettle salad

Nettle salad will benefit your diet, help improve digestion and promote wellness. The simplest recipe looks like this:

• 3-4 fresh cucumbers are washed, peeled and cut into strips or squares;
• fresh nettle grass is washed with cold water, scalded with boiling water, then rinsed again with cold water and thoroughly crushed;
• the ingredients are mixed in a common container, sprinkled with salt if desired and seasoned with sour cream.

The fresh herb can be added to almost any vegetable salad, but when combined with cucumber, it tastes particularly light and delicious and brings maximum benefits.

Nettle harm and contraindications

Despite all the benefits, sometimes the plant can do serious harm. It is not recommended to use it:

• with thrombophlebitis and varicose veins;
• with atherosclerosis and hypertension;
• with individual plant intolerance;
• during pregnancy.

The plant is good for bleeding, but reasonable care must be taken here. To avoid harm, see your doctor if bleeding is accompanied by severe discomfort or inflammation.

Collecting and storing nettles

Grass harvested in spring or early summer brings the greatest benefits - this applies to both the roots and leaves. It is permissible to use a plant harvested in July or August, but the valuable properties will be much less.

The collection should be carried out in dry and clear weather, in an ecologically clean area, away from industrial facilities and roads. Once harvested, the nettle should be used immediately or dried outdoors in the shade. After the leaves, stems and roots are dry, they will need to be arranged in paper bags or dry glass jars.

Dried nettles can retain their beneficial properties for up to 2 years. After that, it is better to carry out a new collection of medicinal raw materials.

Conclusion

The benefits and harms of nettles depend on following proven recipes. If you use the plant in the absence of contraindications and adhere to small dosages, nettle will help with ailments and generally improve health.

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