Nettle Infusion

Stinging nettle infusions are highly nutritive tonics that nourish your body with trace minerals and vitamin K as well as many antioxidants and other plant compounds. They also help support cardiovascular health, blood sugar regulation and general wellness. Herbalists often use them as an adrenal and reproductive tonic and to ease seasonal allergies. They're also easy to make at home, and have a pleasantly mild flavor.

Jump to Recipe | What is it? | Infusion vs. Tea | Benefits | Dosage

What is nettle infusion?

A stinging nettle infusion is an herbal tonic that you make by steeping dried nettles in hot water for several hours. After steeping, you strain the liquid and drink it. Nettle infusions tend to be a good source of many micronutrients, like vitamins and minerals, as well as various medicinal plant compounds.

Nettle infusions taste faintly tea-like, inky with a soft herbal sweetness. Their flavor is rich and green.

Benefits of Stinging Nettle Infusions

Stinging nettle infusion is potent medicine, particularly for women whose bodies crave the plant’s rich minerals like chromium, magnesium and calcium (1).  And nettles are highly anti-inflammatory and rich in phytonutrients like rutin, which is also found in buckwheat. and astragalin which you can also find in the adaptogenic herb astragalus (2).

Traditionally, herbalists use nettle infusions to support general wellness, to ease growing pains in children and as a reproductive tonic for both men and women(3). Many herbalists also use nettle as an adrenal tonic, too.

Other benefits of nettle infusions:

• Nettles support blood sugar balance and regulation (4).
• Stinging nettles also support cardiovascular health (5).
• It also acts as an anti-inflammatory (6) which can be helpful during allergy season.
• Nettles are high in chlorophyll, antioxidants and other plant compounds that can gently support detoxification.
• As a source of trace minerals like iron, chromium and magnesium, they can also help remineralize the body.
• They're a good source of vitamin K which supports blood clotting, healing wounds as well as cardiovascular and bone health (7).

Where to find stinging nettles: Stinging nettles grow wild throughout Europe and North America. You can also grow them yourself from seed. Or you can purchase organic nettle online here.

Nettle Infusion vs. Nettle Tea

While teas and infusions may seem indistinct, there's a few key differences. Herbal teas use smaller amounts of herbs and they steep for a shorter period of time - about 5 minutes. By contrast, herbal infusions use a higher volume of herbs and often steep for several hours. Therefore, they're more nutrient-dense (9).

So when making a nettle infusion, you'll use about one ounce of herbs for every quart of water and steep it at least 4 and up to 12 hours. As a result, nettle infusions have a deeper flavor and a much higher micronutrient content than nettle teas.

How much should you drink?

Nettle infusions are, ultimately, nutritive foods. While they have many benefits, it's wise to drink the amount that feels right to you. Even as little as a cup of nettle infusion every few days still conveys many nutritive benefits.

Some sources recommends up to two liters a day(10), which is an awful lot to swallow. But a cup or two is likely sufficient and a little easier to manage.

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