Hailey Ward-Maldonado is a Knoxville-native Folk Herbalist with Wabi Sabi Herbs + Lifestyle. She is also the Marketing Manager at Balanced You Clinic! In this guest post, we invite Hailey to share about the benefits of drinking stinging nettle leaf infusions.
Stinging Nettle Leaf, (AKA nettle leaf AKA nettles) comes from the Stinging Nettle plant. This wholesome herb can be utilized to increase minerals and boost iron. The benefits of increasing our nutrient intake in this way are multi-faceted. As you drink nettle leaf infusions, you may notice increased energy, clarity of thoughts, better sleep, and reduced allergic reactions. The nutrients in nettles are best extracted via water, and an infusion is recommended.
Find Dried Nettle Leaf Tea at Balanced You Clinic ~ this item is sourced from local herbalist Liz Popp of SumLove
Nettle Leaf Infusion Recipe
1/4 to 1/2 cup dried nettle leaf
1 quart boiling water
Follow these steps to create your own stinging nettle infusion:
– Add 1/4 to 1/2 cup dried nettle leaves to a mason jar
– Cover tea leaves with boiling water to fill the jar
– Allow leaves to steep 2-8 hours or overnight. Refrigerate the liquid when it has cooled (or before you go to bed). This long-steeping method is called an infusion.
– After the leaves have steeped for the desired duration, strain and enjoy throughout the day.
I have found that I enjoy my nettles best at room temperature, you may prefer yours cold or iced! I even enjoy making a fancy beverage with my nettle tea by adding fizzy water and/or kombucha. It’s so delicious with fresh lemon juice added! I’ve noticed that the color of the infusion becomes a dark brilliant green when I allow it to cool, then move the jar to the fridge to steep overnight. You can also make up multiple jars of infusion at a time and draw from them throughout the week. Make sure to refrigerate the infusion to prevent spoilage.
Some sources recommend a larger amount of nettle be used in the infusion, some even suggest using up to 1 cup per infusion. I have personally found 1⁄4 cup to be sufficient. Nettles can be especially drying, and this may be helpful during allergy season. Experiment with a larger or smaller dose of nettles if you like, find out what works best for your body! ~ notice how you feel.
The article “Energize and Enjoy with Nettle” by Susan Weed states that nettle infusions can taste a little funny when sweetened with honey, and I’ve found that I agree. If this tea is left at room temp for over 1 hours it can spoil, so if this happens, I water my plants with the tea! They enjoy the mineral-rich beverage as well 🙂
Hailey Ward-Maldonado ☼ wabi sabi herbs + lifestyle
wabi sabi ~ find beauty in the imperfection
www.wabisabiherbs.com