Nettle

Traditionally used for

• Support comfortable joints and ease seasonal allergies
• Support urinary tract and kidney wellness
• Support overall vitality and nutritive wellness

Quick facts

Pairs well with

Common questions

Does nettle tea help with seasonal allergies?

Nettle leaf is traditionally used to ease seasonal allergies, based on its antihistamine-like properties. It is also traditionally used to support joint comfort. Tea is the usual form, although nettle is available as a tincture, capsule, or infusion too. If you take blood pressure medication, a blood thinner, or a diuretic, ask your provider first because nettle may interact with all three.

Can you mix nettle and dandelion tea?

Their uses overlap more than their flavors might suggest. Both appear in our inflammation category, and both are traditionally used to support kidney function and fluid balance. Dandelion is the more bitter herb, especially the root rather than the leaf. Start with less and allow nettle's grassy base to carry the cup. Their cautions add up, though. Both are flagged for diuretics and blood sugar medication, while dandelion adds a daisy family allergy warning and gallbladder caution. Nettle should be avoided during pregnancy.

What herbs blend well with nettle?

Nettle's listed partners are dandelion, red clover, and oat straw. In the other direction, twelve herbs in the Yarrow library name nettle, including burdock, yellow dock, horsetail, cleavers, and borage. That is plenty of company for one plant, and it reflects how nettle is traditionally used to provide the nutritive base of a blend rather than the flavor you notice. Red clover layers over it with a mildly sweet, hay-like taste. Oat straw is mild and slightly sweet.

What does nettle tea taste like?

Green. The flavor is grassy, earthy, and mildly spinach-like, which may surprise anyone expecting a floral tea. Urtica dioica is a leaf tea, and it tastes like one. Plain nettle is just what it sounds like, a green leaf steeped in hot water. That may be exactly what you want from a nutritive tonic, or the reason you choose to blend it with something sweeter.

Can you drink nettle and red raspberry leaf tea during pregnancy?

Red raspberry leaf names nettle as a pairing partner, so this is an established blend. Even so, our safety data says to avoid nettle during pregnancy because it may stimulate the uterus. That advice applies to a blend just as it does to a plain cup. If you plan to drink anything daily while pregnant, ask your midwife or doctor and discuss each herb separately.

Who should avoid nettle?

Pregnancy is a clear reason to avoid nettle because it may stimulate the uterus. People with a kidney condition should also be cautious. The medication list is longer than most: blood pressure drugs, blood thinners, diuretics, and anything prescribed for blood sugar may all interact. That is considerable overlap for a plant many people see as a weed, so check with your provider if you take a prescription.

Can you grow nettle in containers?

Yes. Nettle grows well in a pot, which is especially useful because dried nettle is usually found in specialty stores rather than supermarkets. Wear gloves when harvesting it. The sting acts as its own identification check and exists only on the fresh plant. Once you dry or cook what you gather, nothing remains to sting when the nettle reaches the jar.

Safety

May interact with blood pressure medications, blood thinners, diabetes medications, and diuretics. Avoid during pregnancy (may stimulate uterus). Use caution with kidney conditions.

These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This information is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. Always consult a qualified healthcare provider before using herbs, especially if you are pregnant, nursing, taking medication, or have a medical condition.

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