Herbal Spotlight: Stinging Nettle, with my cordial & cocktail recipes

Absolutely one of THE most beneficial wild plants out there, nettles are more friend than foe! Their benefits far outweigh the chance of a sting! [don't be a hero, just wear gloves!]
  Join me as we explore their myriad uses & make up some on my delicious Nettle Cordial -- Suit up & let’s meet you new, favorite foraging friend!

Stinging nettle [Urtica dioica] is an herbaceous perennial flowering plant of the family Urticaceae. This is not to be confused with Purple Dead Nettle, which is actually part of the Lamiaceae or mint family -- although those are really useful as well. [Total side-note: Check out Herbal Academy’s post on them here]    Back to Stinging Nettles:  The plant boasts pretty, heart-shaped leaves & yellow or pink flowers, with stems covered in tiny, stiff hairs. These act like needles injecting histamine & other chemicals that create a stinging sensation when touched. While the threat of a sting may seem reason to leave them alone, you are truly missing out on a bevy of nutrients & benefits if you are giving them a pass. Once dried or boiled/soaked, they no longer sting. Nettles are also readily available from herb houses if you are nervous to collect & process them yourself, so don’t let that stop you!

Nettles have been known for centuries as a source of food, fiber & as a medicinal herb. The leaves, stems, seeds, & roots can be crushed & made into powders, tinctures, creams, teas, & more. Long appreciated for its nutritional value, nettles are rich in vitamins C, B2, K1, carotenoids & tocopherols, minerals such as calcium, potassium, magnesium, phosphorous, chlorine, manganese, copper & tons of iron, as well Linolenic acid, an essential fatty acid. Its stems & leaves are often boiled & served like spinach as a super-nutritious side dish due to these amazing nutrients.

Your cordial will be an amber color if made with dried nettles

Our Balance and Body SLS-Free Shampoo Bars are loaded with nettle.

In the world of cosmetics, nettle is beloved for its anti-aging properties, ability to treat acne, & its amazing support for hair. Nettle works as a natural astringent, tightening & firming skin, while helping to regulate oil production & encouraging healing. It is also loaded with pantothenic acid, strengthening hair, promoting growth, & helping to treat dandruff. I use nettle in many of our skin & hair products for just these reasons. 

find nettles in these popular products:

Exfoliating Willow Bark Herbal Tonic

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Sea-Clay & Nettle Balancing Facial Bars

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Blue Magic Dual-Phase Blemish Roller

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Balance & Body SLS-Free Shampoo Bars

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They have analgesic, anti inflammatory, antiallergenic, & antiviral properties, & have been traditionally used to treat kidney & urinary tract, & BPH issues. Nettles have long been used to help with arthritis pain. New promising studies show great benefit for diabetes patients, with nettles lowering blood sugar. They have strong adaptogenic properties, & have been shown to lower blood pressure. Nettles are often used in teas to deliver these benefits. You will find them on the Herbal Revolution Relax + Restore Tea we sell, & in Celestial Seasonings Sleepytime Sinus tea.

This delicious tea from Herbal Revolution contains nettle and large amounts of tulsi -- Extra delicious and relaxing

nettle tea please!

Another delicious way to reap these benefits is in using nettle to make syrups & cordials. You will find them to have an absolutely delicious & completely unique flavor when used this way. The flavor is quite impossible to describe-- rather vegetal & green with strong apricot-peach notes. It’s AMAZING!  Its adaptogenic properties make it a natural for relaxing, end-of-day drinks, both with or without alcohol. Fresh or dried nettle can be used, with fresh cordials often turning a pinkish shade [similar to how Queen Anne’s Lace turns color.] I like it best as a British-style, non-alcoholic cordial [similar to an herbal syrup with citric acid added] & will share my recipe for that here, as well as Zero-Alcohol & Craft-Cocktail recipes made using it.

Gather your ingredients and let's do this!

Nettle Cordial [non-alcoholic cordial]

​1 cup water  
1 cup sweetener of choice [sugar, honey, xylitol, monkfruit]  
1 cup fresh nettle leaves & stems [or ½ cup dried]  
2 slices fresh lemon [or LIME!] 
​½- 1 teaspoon citric acid

Add your sweetener & water to a good sized pot or coquette on med-hi heat. Stir to fully dissolve the sweetener & bring almost to a boil. Add your nettles, using long tongs to safely push fresh stems under the liquid. Stir well to incorporate completely. Add lemon slices. Keep on heat almost boiling/simmering for about 5 minutes. Try not to let it come to an actual boil, as that higher temperature will damage some of its beneficial properties & taste. Almost boiling is key here. Remove pot from heat & allow to steep for 10 minutes.

 Strain out plant material. To completely remove all of it you will need to double strain & run through a very fine mesh or jelly bag. I like to strain only once, leaving very tiny bits of leaf in my cordial-- they are pretty & nutritious. You can compost the spent nettles-- or pop them in your dehydrator to make candied nettles for snacking [seriously--try it!]
​Once strained to your liking, stir in the citric acid & stir to dissolve, adding between ½ teaspoon & a full teaspoon to your taste. The more you add, the sharper the flavor. I usually go lightly, adding only ½ tsp. ​

Allow it to steep off heat for 10 minutes before straining

Voila! Nettle cordial that will keep safely for about one month in your fridge.

Try a spoonful & marvel at that flavor! Add a bit to lemonade or simple soda water -- or try one of the following drink recipes.

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Now that we have our cordial-- Let's make some tasy drinks with it!

When using fresh instead of dried nettles, your cordial will be a stunning pale pink color like this!

Sparkling Prick Cocktail

2 oz Gin  
½ fresh lime juice  
​1 oz nettle cordial  
​Splash soda water

Add gin, lime & cordial to shaker. Add ice & shake briskly.
Strain into a stemmed glass [I like a Nick & Nora for these] & garnish with a lime wheel if desired.
These are particularly tasty with a botanically forward gin instead of a dry London gin.​

Nettle Refresher [Zero-Proof]

2 dashes Bitter Housewife Grapefruit Bitters  
1 oz nettle cordial  
Lime wedge  
​Soda water or sparkling water

Add bitters & nettle cordial to a Collins or other tall glass. Squeeze lime wedge into glass. Add ice to ⅔ full. 
Fill glass with sparkling water or club soda. Give a quick stir or 2 with a long bar spoon or straw. Garnish with lime wheel.
Enjoy!  These are wonderfully refreshing & quite relaxing.

That is it for this week!  I hope you enjoy these recipes & get some use of them. Nettles are a really wonderful herb to add to your diet, even simply enjoying them in tea.
​They are loaded with flavor & amazing benefits.
​Scoop them up in premade teas like we offer or dried at herb houses if you aren’t feeling brave enough to harvest them yourself -- just don’t pass them over for fear of a sting or you will truly miss out!
Take care until next time -- & don’t forget to  #StopAndEatTheFlowers