10 Health Benefits of Stinging Nettle 

Guest Blog by Emily Pham

Stinging nettle is a flowering plant which belongs to the Urticaceae family. Because of the rich content of vitamin C, calcium, iron, protein, and more, this plant is widely used in health and beauty applications. It can be boiled and consumed as a vegetable or used to make tea. Its extracted oil is helpful in treating skin diseases and promoting health. Here are some health benefits of nettle that may surprise you.

1. Relieve Arthritis And Joint Pain

This herb, with anti-inflammatory properties, is especially useful for arthritis and joint pain treatment. Also, it contains potassium, magnesium, and calcium, which can help to soothe pain and strengthen the bones. In 2000, research on the uses of stinging nettle was conducted on people with osteoarthritis pain by the Journal of the Royal Study of Medicine. Its results showed that the intensity of pain on the thumb and finger of those people was significantly reduced. This natural herb is also helpful for diseases such as bursitis, rheumatism, and tendonitis. If severe joint pain is your problem, massage your joints with stinging nettle oil or drink nettle tea once or twice per day to get rid of painful joints as soon as possible.

2. Treat Seasonal Allergies And Hay Fever

Stinging nettle is considered a natural antihistamine, which can reduce allergies. In 2009, Phytotherapy Research claimed that stinging nettle contains bioactive compounds, which are useful in inhibiting the pro-inflammatory pathways – one of the causes of allergic rhinitis. Having antihistamine properties, this natural ingredient can also ease symptoms such as coughing, itching, sneezing, hay fever, and even hives. The potent chemical in this plant makes it a powerful treatment for anaphylaxis in hypersensitive people. Drinking stinging nettle tea twice per day is an excellent way for you to relieve the allergic symptoms. Also, you can consult your healthcare doctor about taking stinging nettle supplement one month before the allergic season.

3. Treat Eczema And Other Skin Diseases

This magic herb can help you to fight skin diseases such as rash and chicken pox effectively. It is also beneficial for eczema, a chronic skin disorder that causes dry skin, swelling, flaking, blisters, cracking, crusted sores and constant itching. Thanks to the existence of anti-inflammatory and antihistamine properties, this plant is also beneficial for nourishing dry and cracking skin. Skin problems such as swelling, redness, sores or itchiness can also be solved by applying stinging nettle oil once or twice daily. To treat these issues thoroughly, drink 1 or 2 cups of stinging nettle tea every day to remove the toxins in your blood and prevent allergies.

4. Works As A Natural Diuretic

The medicinal properties of stinging nettle make this plant or vegetable an incredible health booster. Primarily, it is helpful in treating urinary tract infection and kidney stone. The active compounds in this plant work as a natural diuretic, which helps break down the stones in your kidneys and flush them out through urination. Also, if you urinate more, harmful bacteria in your body will also be washed out, thereby reducing the inflammation caused by viruses. In this way, it helps to release symptoms and effectively treat kidney-related diseases. Stinging nettle can also assist your digestion, and manage some digestive problems such as diarrhea and dysentery. The simplest way is to drink stinging nettle tea 2 or 3 times per day to increase the amount of potassium in your body and prevent the bacteria from growing, while promoting urination.

5. Detoxify Your Body

We all know that the toxins accumulated in the body can damage our organs. Therefore, it is necessary to have a powerful detoxifier to ensure your health. To detoxify your body, using stinging nettle is never a wrong choice. The diuretic properties and a wide range of nutrient in the nettle herb are potent tools to boost the elimination of harmful substances and toxins in the blood and organs. It also increases the activities of the lymphatic system, which plays an essential role in excreting the waste in your kidney. Also, stinging nettle contains vitamin C and magnesium, which make the detoxification faster and more effective. To achieve the result, you are advised to drink several cups of stinging nettle per day. You can also add some stinging nettle leaves to your smoothies to increase your health naturally.

6. Treat Hair Loss And Promote Hair Growth

Stinging nettle has been used as a hair loss treatment for a long time. Containing sulfur and silica, this incredible plant is a useful ingredient to prevent your hair from being damaged and to keep it healthy and shiny. Also, it is good at promoting the growth of your hair. You can boost your hair’s health naturally by massaging your scalp with stinging nettle oil. Your hair will grow strong and smooth soon.

7. Boost Bones’ Health

As recommended above, stinging nettle is rich in calcium and magnesium, which are essential nutrients for healthy bones. Vitamin C and D in stinging nettle can increase the penetration of calcium in your body. Also, this herb contains boron, which is a beneficial substance and building block to bones. If you consume a large amount of stinging nettle, your bones will be nourished with vital nutrients. The osteoporosis prevalence in post menstrual women will also be reduced if they drink nettle herbal tea regularly.

8. Lower The Risk Of Prostate Cancer

There is an alarming fact that more than one million men are being affected by prostate cancer’s symptoms. During the process of developing therapeutic and technical treatments for this disease, scientists also found out the benefits of stinging nettle. They claimed that it could help to prevent or stop the growth of prostate cancer cells in men. Therefore, try to drink stinging nettle tea every day to boost your health and prevent the formation of prostate cancer.

9. Increase Hemoglobin Level To Treat Anemia

Stinging nettle contributes to increasing the hemoglobin level and improving  low iron levels in the body – a cause of anemia. The iron available in stinging nettle plays a vital role in the formation of hemoglobin, which is in charge of carrying oxygen to all of the cells in the body. People, who lack iron are often at high risk of anemia. Therefore, consuming stinging nettle is an excellent way to provide the iron to your body needs to prevent anemia. Also, vitamin C and B vitamins in this herb help to raise hemoglobin levels and promote the production of red blood cells.

10. Cleanse Kidneys

Being considered as a detoxifier and diuretic, stinging nettle contributes to removing the impurities and toxins from your body and kidneys. The Journal of Ethnopharmacology (2000) claimed that stinging nettle had a particular renal function. It helps to lower the creatinine levels and remove stones from your kidneys. Any forms of this herb, such as extracts, tea, green leaves or juices, are beneficial to the kidney’s health.

Note: How To Make Stinging Nettle Tea At Home

Directions:

• First, add one tablespoon of nettle leaves or root to a cup of hot water
• Second, cover the cup and wait for 5 minutes
• Finally, strain to make the tea, add some honey according to your taste and enjoy it.

These are ten fantastic health benefits of stinging nettle you might have never known. All content provided is for informational and educational purposes. We recommend you consult a healthcare professional to determine which treatments are appropriate for you.

Author Bio:

This guest post is by Emily Pham, a blogger with many years of experience in searching the best natural & effective home remedies for health and beauty issues.