Healthy nettles are not weeds

Nettles: weed for gardeners, healthy food for gourmets

10.05.2011

Stinging nettles are considered by most garden owners to be weeds, but the wild plant is also popular as a food and nettles are also credited with several health benefits.

The aid infodienst - nutrition, agriculture, consumer protection e. V. has pointed in a recent press release on the merits of the currently sprouting stinging nettles. For example, according to the information service, especially the young leaves of the common weed can be used to create a variety of particularly healthy gourmet dishes.

Processing of nettles as a salad, vegetables or tea
The "aid infodienst" recommends, for example, the combination of the young fine-sour stinging nettle leaves with dandelion, sorrel or wild garlic to a delicious wild herb salad. But also for the processing to nettle soup and as an addition in pancakes, scrambled eggs or herb butter let the putative weed use, explained the aid experts. Also recommended is according to aid info service, the preparation as a vegetable. According to the information service, the leaves should first be blanched in boiling salted water similar to spinach, chopped finely after pouring and then briefly heated together with steamed onions. To taste the experts recommend nutmeg, salt and pepper and, if necessary, a splash of lemon juice. For the tasteful note, the vegetables can be refined with a little cream. In addition to recommended by the aid infodienst preparation as food, the dried nettle can be brewed as a tea, said to have many beneficial properties such as the promotion of metabolism and the alleviation of urinary tract disorders, constipation, diarrhea, gastric and renal failure, and rheumatism and gout become.

Stinging nettles healthy supplement of the diet
According to "aid infodienst", the current season is particularly suitable for gathering nettles, as the first 20 cm long plants develop their best taste in spring. Later, in the larger plants especially the shoot tips are suitable for processing as food. The nettles form a healthy supplement to the diet, mainly because of their high content of flavonoids, minerals (magnesium, calcium and silicon), vitamins (vitamin A, vitamin C), iron and protein (higher protein content than soybeans). In order to avoid the unpleasant burning of the nettle hairs, the experts recommend wrapping the stinging nettles in a cloth and wringing hard, thoroughly rinsing them under running water or blanching them as described. In addition to being used as food or tea, stinging nettles are also processed into tinctures and applied to the scalp, as they assume a hair loss reducing effect. (Fp)

Also read:
Health through herbs
Naturopathy: Swedish bitter with great effect

Image: magic bird