Nettle tea against hay fever

Nettles are your best friend. In times past, people believed that they purified the blood, got rid of rheumatism, helped with long and airway problems, and much more. It depends on the specific area of what type of other ailments people believed it cured, but they all believed that it was an all-round good herb. But people have now figured out that there is actually merit to some uses of nettle, namely hay fever.

There are many different nettle species, but most famous of all is the Urtica dioca. But since most people can’t see the difference between U. dioca or U. urens and those being the two most common here in Europe. And them also having the same properties, people tend to treat them as one and the same.

When the plant is young it is a lovely green shade and the leaves are still tender. Halfway through the year, it starts to form flowers, they are tiny and green in a long row that tends to point downwards. Unlike the white dead-nettle whose flowers are white with a most distinctive shape, almost like an open mouth. Until these two flower, they tend to look very similar and their only big difference is the sting from the stinging nettle. But through the year, the stem darkens and hardens till it’s an almost purple colour.

Why do nettles help against hay fever?

Nettles work as a natural antihistamine, which is rather handy when you don’t want a histamine overload. When your body senses allergens in or on your body, the release histamines to get rid of those allergens. Which is a good thing, in moderation, but in the case of hay fever, they act more like an overly concerned parent. Fussing over something that isn’t a danger to your body.

That’s where nettles come in with their antihistamine properties, they act as a distracter. Therefore, your body is unable to focus on the pollen and won’t make you sneeze and wheeze while your eyes are leaking. Nettles also contain some enzymes that further help against all those annoying hay fever symptoms. Therefore, no more fear of opening the windows or going outside.

When and how much

Traditionally it is recommended to start drinking tea or consuming nettles in some other form as soon as they start to grow. This means that from early spring onwards till about the start of autumn, you will want to regularly consume nettles. Personally, I drink about 1 or 2 cups a day to keep my symptoms at bay. I don’t worry about missing a day or two but do try to drink it as often as I remember to drink a cup of nettle tea. And I have to say it has helped a lot with my hay fever, it also really helped my daughter with her hay fever although she prefers a bit of honey in hers.

How you can eat or drink nettles

Far out the easiest way to consume nettles is by brewing a tea from them. It is quick and easy and some health stores even sell nettle tea, in the Netherlands you can buy it in most stores. But other ways you would be able to drink nettles is by making wine from them, which might just be the most enjoyable way to drink nettles.

But if you prefer to eat your nettles, then you can make soups from them or throw them in your omelettes. You can quite easily replace them for most tender leafy greens. Although I wouldn’t add them to a salad since without cooking or drying, the hairs will still sting you. Personally, I love them added to my potato soup, it gives the hearty and warming potato soup refreshing taste of spring.

How to harvest nettles

When you want to harvest your nettles, regardless if you’ve grown them or want to forage them. You need either a pair of gloves that are either leather or have a coating on them to stop the hairs from pricking you through the fabric. To be quite honest, I’ve more than once forgotten my gloves when I wanted to pick some nettles and just used my coat sleeve. Ideally though, you want scissors and a pair of gloves for easier harvesting.

Tradition states and I have to say I agree, that you only pick the young leaves. These are tastier since they are nice and tender, it is also important to note that it is said that nettles soak up pollutants from the air. Therefore, you want to eat the young leaves and not the older leaves that have higher amounts of these pollutants.

Try to not crush the leaves inside a bag while harvesting and choose nice clean leaves as much as possible. When you get some rinse the nettles, and use directly for some tea, pesto, soup, or in some bread. Or you can dry them in the oven or if it’s particularly dry and sunny in a window sill. Dry them until they are nice and crisp, they shouldn’t sting anymore at this point. Then you can store them away until you wish to use them, ideally in a paper bag or an open container. So that any moisture that might still reside won’t cause mould.