Stinging Nettle – The Unsung Green Hero Weed

Urtica Dioica

Blood Cleanser & Multi-Vitamin & Mineral

Provides an abundance of minerals and vitamins, including Iron, Silica, Potassium and Vitamins A and C.

• Especially helpful for people who are weak and pale and suffer from Anaemia.
• Very helpful after an illness for convalescents to regain strength
• Cleanses and purifies the blood
• Helps for brittle bones (silica)
• Useful for cold rheumatism  with cramping pains and is worse in cold weather
• Strengthens lax tissues in intestines
• Stops diarrhoea
• Helpful in stemming excess urination
• Infusion good as a hair rinse

Can be used as a tea or decoction or cooked like spinach.

Makes a delicious nutritious soup.

Velvety Nettle Soup

1T Olive Oil

1 Onion  peeled and chopped

450g Potatoes  peeled and diced

225g tender Nettles

Sea Salt and freshly ground Black Pepper

Nutmeg  freshly grated

Cream (optional)

Heat oil in large saucepan, add onion and potatoes. Stir. Cover and cook over gentle heat for 5 minutes, stirring from time to time. Add nettles, cover and cook for a further 5 minutes. Pour in 1 litre of water, bring to the boil and simmer for about 15 minutes until vegetables are cooked. Liquidise. Season to taste with salt, pepper and nutmeg. Reheat and add a dollop of cream per serving. Serves 4.

From “Kitchen Pharmacy” by Rose Elliot and Carlo de Paoli