Comments on: Friendly Stinging Nettles

By: BJ_BOBBI_JO

BJ_BOBBI_JO — Sun, 29 Jun 2008 03:34:05 +0000

Do stinging nettles lose their ability to sting?
I ask because this year I have been going to the same old yearly patch of stinging needles in my woods. I wanted to pick them to make my own homemade hair rinse but they seem to have lost their stinging abilities this year so I figure something is wrong with them so I leave them be.

By: siberianwolf

siberianwolf — Tue, 03 Jun 2008 21:43:57 +0000

Hi Kenny from a chilly but sunny wintery (straight off Antarctica!) morning. Many thanks for your reply! No! I have not noticed any internal irritation at all. I just rinse the nettles and throw them in with whatever else I am smoothying! They are delicious with pineapple and or pear….whatever takes your fancy. I use a very big hanful of nettles. I must say that I love the nettles steamed with mushrooms, steamed chestnuts and mandarins… its to die for. In fact you have just talked me into making that for lunch today! Come on Kenny…I challenge you to down a nettle smoothie and I’d like to hear your comments! Are you up for it???????

By: Kenny Point

Kenny Point — Mon, 02 Jun 2008 08:02:10 +0000

Hmmm, that’s a good question… never heard that one before and I never would have considered eating stinging nettles in their raw state. Sounds like you haven’t noticed any irritation from consuming your nettle smoothies, so it could be that the blending and crushing of the plant fibers breaks down the stinging properties just like cooking does… but that’s just a guess on my part, I can’t say for certain! Anyone else with any information regarding consuming raw stinging nettles? I think I’ll stick with cooking this wild edible plant!

By: siberianwolf

siberianwolf — Mon, 02 Jun 2008 06:57:33 +0000

This is siberianwolf again! I forgot to tick the box allowing me to be notified when there is a comment posted.

By: siberianwolf

siberianwolf — Mon, 02 Jun 2008 06:48:50 +0000

Hello from New Zealand, I have just read the article on stinging nettles. I love them to bits for eating… I have to have a big helping every day. I also love them in smoothies, but I do wonder… will they be stinging my insides as they are taken in the raw state???!! Can anyone tell me???!!!

By: Kenny Point

Kenny Point — Thu, 28 Feb 2008 17:19:56 +0000

Jasmine, it’s not easy to say how common these plants such as stinging nettles, watercress, asparagus, horsetail, etc. are, and how often they can be found growing wild. It partly depends on where you live but once you develop an eye for spotting them and become familiar with wild plants and edible weeds you will find them popping up in places that you never would have expected.

By: Jasmine

Jasmine — Thu, 28 Feb 2008 14:52:27 +0000

Wow that is amazing, I have never read about such interesting plants. I have seen some fairly interesting plants at fumigate.ca but nothing like I have seen here. How common are those plants?

By: Thomas Brook

Thomas Brook — Sun, 17 Feb 2008 19:51:07 +0000

According to books I’ve read, Nettles are beneficial to the liver. As the liver has multiple effects the whole body, one might use this plant for a wide variety of ailments. I used a different variant of nettles while in the caribbean. I found them useful for my health.