Nettle Seeds Are a Health Miracle: How To Recognize Them and How To Eat Them?

🍵 Our mothers and grandmothers already knew nettle shampoo or tea.

Believe or not this unpleasant weed hides even more secrets that you should know of. The universal healer that nettles are, without a doubt, has another trump card up its sleeve!

The omnipresent medicinal weed

🌿 Who wouldn't know nettles? Nettles, of course, are known primarily for their stinging. It's definitely one of the few plants that will stick also in the memory of children.

It is an important medicinal plant whose leaves can also be used in the kitchen. I'm sure you've also heard that it's possible to use nettles as spinach.

But it is not only the food of the poor. Nettles are indeed a great addition to your diet, and their medicinal properties have been used by mankind for thousands of years. Moreover, its effects help with ailments that are of very different origins and involve completely different organs or bodily functions.

It helps healing and counteracts hair loss, is used for anaemia, asthma, to stimulate and purify the body.

Usually the leaves are collected and used from nettles. The simplest is to prepare a tea and infusion, which is used for rinses.

However, have you heard of using nettle seeds??? 

🧤 Whenever I forage stinging nettles I always wear rubber gloves.

Nettle seeds as a superfood

🌱 The most nutritious part of the nettle is hidden in its seeds. While the whole plant contains vitamins (A and C) and minerals ( iron, magnesium, calcium, and silicon), nettle seeds are also rich in fatty acids and vitamin E. Therefore very beneficial for our skin and nervous system.

Inconspicuous tiny nettle seeds that can be collected from female plants. They are best harvested green and when the threads that hold them droop towards the stem; they are ready. Basically they are hanging down and look like sort of grapes.

Nettle seeds are even considered a superfood and a full substitute for foreign seeds such as the popular chia seeds.

They are are great for skin, hair, your brain, supporting the kidneys, strengthening the adrenals.

The dried option is often favoured for preservation. After drying put through a sieve to get rid of any tiny hairs that can still sting. Hey presto - dried nettle seeds!

🥗 It can be used in a variety of ways. Sprinkle them on salads, porridge, granola, yoghurt, smoothies, other dishes and drinks. You can make honey infused option for winter boost. Bake with them, as you would poppy or sesame seeds. The list is endless!

They are known as a nourishing stimulant, so will perk you up without giving you the crash found with caffeine products. 

💑 Apparently, they are also used as an aphrodisiac that helps enhance libido. Hmmm....

How and When to Harvest Them?

Harvest the seeds in their unripe green stage when they contain the most oils and alkaloids. 

This is usually during the summer months of July and August to early September, depending on the climate.

🌞 This year we had quite a few sunny days in UK, therefore I managed to found ready seeds in late June already.

And how can you strip off the goodies?

• Either you can gather each seed cluster individually, holding the whole plant in one hand and using the other hand to remove the clusters one by one - obviously wearing gloves.

• The second technique is to remove the leaves and then strip the entire stem with seed clusters into a cardboard box or bowl. This method is faster.

🍯 I'll definitely make honey with nettle seeds. Last year I was sprinkling them all over my food. This year I'll do the same, and I can't wait to make the honey too. It will be a nice addition.

🥕 I'm also making my first seasoning from left over vegetable peels with some nettle leaves powder and I think I'll add nettle seeds and turmeric too.

👨‍🌾 I was inspired by Charles Dowding's post below. What a Gardening Guru! The beauty of this, you don't have to follow exactly what he did, you can chose whatever you like and have in your garden.

I recently read two of his books. I'm full of inspiration and I'll definitely need to write another article about this.

I follow him on Facebook and Instagram to get great tips. Are you going to join me? He's been doing his jobs for decades.

However now, I have a bit of dilemma. If I process all my vegetable peels what will the hungry beast - my compost heap eat??? 😂😂😂

❓ I'm curious to know, are you going to get some stinging nettle seeds this year?

🥰 I hope it inspires you.

💋 Happy Summer To You! Enjoy This Wonderful Season.

From my heart ❤️ to your heart.❤️