13 Amazing Benefits of Stinging Nettle

Stinging Nettle health benefits includes fighting inflammation, alleviating allergic reaction, aids UTI infections, promotes radiant look, act as face cleanser, fight skin diseases, increase circulation and reduce the risk of prostate cancer. Other benefits includes providing good bone health, detoxifying the body, preventing DNA mutation, combating hair loss and promoting hair growth.

What is Stinging Nettle?

Stinging nettle is the flowering plant that belongs to the family of Urticaceae. It is mainly grown in northern Europe, North America, and North Africa.  It is also referred to as the common nettle and Urtica dioica. Six species of stinging nettle are available in different parts of the world. This plant is not able to grow on a wide spectrum that’s why its length only reaches up to five feet. It has fluffy texture produces different chemicals when touched such as formic acid, serotonin, histamine, and acetylcholine. The resultant compound sometimes causes an allergic reaction and irritating effect on the skin. That’s the reason people called some of the species as burn nettle and burn weed.

Nutrition fact of Stinging Nettle

• Calories (42)
• Sodium (4 mg)
• Potassium (334mg)
• Dietary fiber (7g)
• Total carbohydrates (7g)
• Vitamin A (40%)
• Calcium (48%)
• Iron (8%)
• Magnesium (14%)
• Sugar (0.3)
• Vitamin B6 (5%)
• Protein (2.7 g)

Uses

Though it has strong physiochemical characteristics its powerful nature can be reduced if you boil this vegetable or use it as another ingredient. Some people use this ingredient to prepare cheese and soup. Its leaves are commonly used to prepare tea which is proven to put a beneficial effect on your health. Nettle extract has been used as oil for topical application to treat many skin disorders. But due to its strong nature, it is usually mixed with other oil to lessen its potent effect and to get more benefits from this herb.

13 Amazing Benefits of Stinging Nettle

1. Anti-inflammatory Response

Stinging nestle works as an anti-inflammatory agent and provides relief from muscle and joint pain.  Its relieving effect is also used for arthritis pain alleviation and joint related illnesses like bursitis, tendonitis, and rheumatism. If you have severe joint pain, then use nettle oil and massage it on your infected area to get rid of painful arthritis.

2. Alleviates Allergic Reaction

It contains a potent chemical that helps you with a frequent allergic problem. Various analytic researchers show that its leaves are useful for treating anaphylaxis which occurs in hypersensitive people. It has antihistamine properties which act on H1- receptor to suppress the occurrence of pollen allergies such as a cough, sneezing, hay fever asthma and hives.

3. Aids UTI infections

Stinging nettle has some medicinal properties that mean we can even call this vegetable a natural diuretic as it can help you with some health issues including uterus infection. If you have kidney stones than using this plant as a natural home remedy can help you minimize the symptoms and treat your condition. The compounds on the plant can help gradually break down the stones into smaller sizes – which you then flush out of your body through urination. It is also used to treat digestive issues such as dysentery and diarrhea.

4. For Radiant Look

You can also use nettle for your skin as its astringent property not only helps you to treat dermal diseases, but it also provides a bright and glossy glow to your skin by eliminating the free-radicals form skin.

5. Use it as Face Cleanser

The mixture of nettle leaves works well in face conditioning. Its anti-inflammatory property also uses to treat skin burn. Consumption of nettle tea regularly is useful for removing toxins from the body that pose an adverse effect on your skin such as scar and blemishes.

6. Fight Skin Diseases

Its property not only restricted to facial treatment but it also helps you to fight skin diseases such as chicken pox, insect bites and eczema.

7. Increases Circulation

It contains enough iron and vitamin C which makes this vegetable best for producing hemoglobin. Stinging nettle gradually increases the level of blood count in your body which means it also helps you to deal with the injury as it speeds up the process of healing. Due to its iron production capability, you can also use this ingredient to treat anemia and other acute mental diseases.

8. Reduce Risk of Prostate Cancer

About 1.1 million men have been affected by the symptoms of prostate cancer which is quite alarming. Researchers have developed different medicines and techniques to treat many painful diseases. By doing so, they also figured out the effectiveness of stinging nettle against prostate cancer. Stinging nestle nutritious leaves are proven to suppress the growth of prostate cancer in men.

9. Provide Good Bone Health

Its nutritional profile also holds some other beneficial substance called boron. The nutrient carrying in stinging nettle provides a building block to bones and also helps the bone to metabolize essential components which are required for the healthy development of your bones. Regular consumption of stinging nettle also reduces the prevalence of osteoporosis in post menstrual women.

10. Act as Detoxifier

The amount of nutrients makes this nettle herb a versatile ingredient. As it also acts as a natural purifier and it effectively removes toxins and harmful substances from the body. Sufficient amount of consumption can also lead to neutralization of toxic chemicals in the body. It also plays a crucial role in digestion process by facilitating your body to excrete harmful substances.

11. Prevent DNA Mutation

We sometimes intentionally or unintentionally expose ourselves to environmental toxins which pose harmful effects on health. These toxins may cause mutation – which can then lead to the development of cancer. But you can combat these issues even after the exposure of these toxic substances if you add nettle tea in daily diet as it is proven to prevent cellular membrane and DNA.

12. Combat Hair Loss

Stinging nettle also helps you with damaged hair. Its oil has been wildly used to treat hair-loss issues. Nettle oil and capsules are also available in the market which you can use it for massaging your scalp.

13. Promotes Hair Growth

Being rich is sulfur and silica it expedites hair-growth and also makes your hair healthier and shinier. You can also use it as hair cosmetic product for your patchy scalp as it promotes re-growth of hair too!

Bottom line

It has remarkable benefits on health, but it may also put you in danger if you are suffering from hypertension as it is known to increase the level of blood pressure. It is recommended to consult a doctor before consuming it orally however its topical application is safe only if you use it with other cosmetic products.