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Nowadays, people have more time for their computers than to look after their health requirements. So, if you want to get health benefits with the least effort, Nettle Tea1 would do the work for you!
China has been pretty famous for using tea for its medicinal properties since time immortal. But, presently, tea is used for a variety of reasons. Its soothing effects on health are something that cannot be missed out.
What Do You Mean by Nettle?
Also known as stinging nettle2, these nettle leaves are procured from a shrub called Urtica dioica or the Nettle shrub. The plant has beautifully designed leaves that look like little hearts with spikey edges.
Note: But, skin irritations could be caused by certain chemicals like Histamine released by this plant when it interacts with the skin. So, look out for that!
Keeping the chemical part aside, nettle leaves, roots, and stems are beneficial. These can be crushed into powders in many products, including teas. You can buy nettle tea bags. But, growing the leaves yourself would also be a great job. You’ll then be at an advantage to have this tea whenever you feel like it.
So, why delay knowing more about nettle tea leaves? Stay tuned to know about the excellent properties of the nettle leaves.3
Health Benefits:
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A Bucket of Nutrients
The nutritional list of nettle tea is quite lengthy. These are the magic materials that provide the leaves with the tag of having health benefits. Ranging from vitamins to polyphenols,4 nettle tea has it all.
Vitamin C, vitamin A, and vitamin K are some popular anti-oxidants that the tea consists of. These shield your oxygen-carrying cells from the harm caused by free radicals. These anti-oxidants play a huge part in protecting your system against chronic diseases like cancer.
A study mentioned in the National Library of Medicine also states the benefits of nettle leaf extract. This extract assists in raising the anti-oxidant functions in the blood.5
Polyphenols have their share of benefits as well. These phytochemicals present in nettle tea are prevalent for their anti-oxidant properties. These components protect against diseases like Alzheimer’s disease, type 2 diabetes, and cancer. The Scientific world journal found that polyphenols manage chronic diseases of various kinds.
The herbal tea could act as a Tryptophan supplement.6 Tryptophan leads to the production of serotonin. So, having a cup of nettle tea per day would help you keep a fresh mood! The amino acids present in the tea aid in maintaining serotonin levels.
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Anti Inflammatory Properties
The nettle tea is embedded with anti-inflammatory properties. Even though inflammation is a sign of the body’s defence against infections, severe inflammation would only lead to harm.
Tea from stinging nettle leaves contributes significantly to reducing the issue of inflammation. Research presented in the National Library of Medicine stated that the tea interfered with cytokine production, a substance that aids inflammation. So, having this herbal tea would greatly help one suffering from arthritis pain.
Pharmaceutical research suggests that when the cream of stinging nettle is applied to the arthritis-affected spots, it significantly decreases the pain. Nettle leaves have a better effect than placebo treatments. The anti-inflammatory properties serve as a natural remedy.
Having brewed dried nettle leaves or fresh leaves every day might help one suffering from these problems. This would act as a natural anti-inflammatory beverage with potential health benefits.
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Reduce Benign prostatic hyperplasia(BHP)
Nettle tea has uncountable benefits. This is one of the benefits that can be added to the long list. Benign prostatic hyperplasia7 is one of the old age issues that people face. Pubmed Central states that nearly 50% of men suffer from this problem. But, don’t worry. The enlarged prostate can be treated well with the home remedy of nettle tea.
BHP causes great difficulty during urination. Molecular medicine reports state that the stinging nettle leaves prevent the transformation of testosterone to dihydr8otestosterone.
This would help in decreasing the size of the prostate. Drinking nettle tea would also help treat short and long-term problems related to urination.
Nettle tea also serves to be a natural diuretic. This accelerates the flow of fluids in the bladder and kidneys and prevents the formation of kidney stones.
Drink nettle tea to reap its unique benefits! Nettle tea can also help in preventing the surge of urinary tract infections. This helps to promote healthy urination by flushing out harmful bacteria. So, a cup of nettle tea every day can treat urinary tract infections.
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Protection from Hay Fever
How? Hay Fever is an issue related to inflammation. Nettle tea is popular for its anti-inflammatory properties. So, it can be treated as a great natural medication for this. If there is any alleviation of pain, nettle tea will help reduce it.
The anti-inflammatory functions of Urtica dioica greatly help to reduce muscle pain, headache, and joint pain. A 2018 research paper presented in the journal Molecules proved this fact right.
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Reduces Allergies
The nettle tea and nettle extract also help prevent specific enzymes like prostaglandin that trigger allergic rhinitis. Sniffles and sneezes can also be dealt with well by drinking nettle tea every day.
The leaf tea blocks histamine receptors and soothes allergies. Allergic reactions can also be soothed by applying medicines with extracts of stinging nettle tea.
Nettle tea is better than a placebo in treating Hay fever. So, add some nettle leaves to boiling water and help the immune system thrive! Even though the nettle plant seems to be a promising remedy against this issue, deep research is required to prove its beneficial effects in this regard.
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Controller of Blood Pressure Levels
High Blood Pressure is something that a vast population suffers from. This problem increases the chances of diseases related to the heart.
Nettle tea is not a new remedy to treat this issue. PubMed states that it has been traditionally in for lowering blood pressure. The nettle tea might also help in stimulating nitric oxide formation.
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A Vasodilator
This acts as a vasodilator that widens the vessels carrying blood. The relaxation of blood vessels leads to a healthy amount of blood flow, leading to lower blood pressure.
Stinging nettle also assists in blocking calcium channels in your system. This helps in relaxing the heart by preventing contractions. This way, the risk of cardiovascular diseases is reduced.
Another interesting fact is that nettle stimulates T cells. And so helps to improve the immune system further.
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Diabetes? Drink Nettle Tea
One of the significant benefits of nettle tea is that it helps in reducing blood sugar levels. So, tea made from the stinging nettle plant helps to control diabetes too.
Researches presented in the National Library of Medicine depict that nettle leaf tea is greatly responsible for lowering blood sugar amounts. The strong tea made from the perennial flowering plant consists of compounds that perform the functions of insulin.
Insulin helps to transfer glucose in body cells. This helps in providing energy to work more. If insulin is not sufficiently produced, one might suffer from the ill effects of obesity.
Research states that drinking nettle tea three times per day would lead to a lower blood sugar rate. Tea made from nettle plants is proven better than a placebo or prescribed medicine. So, nettle is one of the ordinary plants with extraordinary properties, which is worth a try!
A Nettle Close-Up: Precautions
Now that we know about the several benefits of nettle tea9, it will not be difficult for us to make the best use of it. But, it is important to consider certain precautions.
- People who suffer from problems related to blood sugar should avoid nettle tea.
- Ingesting nettle tea along with medications would lead to side effects of nettle. This might lead to dizziness and even fainting.
- It is also advised to avoid this tea during pregnancy.
- Avoid taking nettle tea at the time of uterine contractions as it might lead to premature childbirth or miscarriage.
- Allergic reactions can also take place. So, before having the tea, it is always advisable to consult a doctor.
Otherwise, considering the multiple benefits of the tea, there is no harm in drinking this flavourful tea with a dash of honey! Interestingly, nettle tea has a flavor that is pretty similar to green tea. Also, Its benefits match to a great extent with it. So, don’t delay and get your health journey started as soon as possible with this excellent tea.
Frequently Asked Questions:
Q. Can I drink nettle tea every day?
- Nettle tea is a wonderful choice as daily support for your overall health and wellness.
- Nettle is a herb that is a great source of vitamins B and C along with iron, all of which play a key role in raising hemoglobin levels. Add about two teaspoons of dried nettle leaves to a cup of hot water and allow it to steep for about 10 minutes
- We now know it will promote weight loss, relieve hayfever, increase hair growth, lower blood pressure, support the immune system, prevent gout and mimic insulin for diabetes.
- Hodroj, Mohammad Hassan, et al. “Nettle tea inhibits growth of acute myeloid leukemia cells in vitro by promoting apoptosis.” Nutrients 12.9 (2020): 2629. ↩︎
- Grauso, Laura, et al. “Stinging nettle, Urtica dioica L.: Botanical, phytochemical and pharmacological overview.” Phytochemistry Reviews 19 (2020): 1341-1377. ↩︎
- Flórez, María, Patricia Cazón, and Manuel Vázquez. “Antioxidant extracts of nettle (Urtica dioica) leaves: evaluation of extraction techniques and solvents.” Molecules 27.18 (2022): 6015. ↩︎
- Abbas, Munawar, et al. “Natural polyphenols: An overview.” International Journal of Food Properties 20.8 (2017): 1689-1699. ↩︎
- Podrez, Eugene A. “Anti‐oxidant properties of high‐density lipoprotein and atherosclerosis.” Clinical and Experimental Pharmacology and Physiology 37.7 (2010): 719-725. ↩︎
- Steenbergen, Laura, et al. “Tryptophan supplementation modulates social behavior: a review.” Neuroscience & Biobehavioral Reviews 64 (2016): 346-358. ↩︎
- Thorpe, A., and D. Neal. “Benign prostatic hyperplasia.” The Lancet 361.9366 (2003): 1359-1367. ↩︎
- Sulcova, J., J. E. Jirasek, and L. Starka. “Transformation of testosterone into dihydrotestosterone by the primordia of human genitalia and by the fetal suprascapular skin.” Steroids and lipids research 4.3 (1973): 129-134. ↩︎
- Bhusal, Khuma Kumari, et al. “Nutritional and pharmacological importance of stinging nettle (Urtica dioica L.): A review.” Heliyon 8.6 (2022). ↩︎
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