Nettle Soup Recipe - How to Make Nasselsoppa or Nettle Soup (2024)

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Nettle Soup Recipe - How to Make Nasselsoppa or Nettle Soup? ›

Historically, one of the easy ways of consuming nettles is either through a soup or a tea because the boiling water deactivates the nettle from stinging.

Historically, one of the easy ways of consuming nettles is either through a soup or a tea because the boiling water deactivates the nettle from stinging.

Stinging nettle is generally considered safe when used as directed. Occasional side effects include mild stomach upset, fluid retention, sweating, diarrhea, and hives or rash (mainly from topical use).

Boil nettles in water (blanch) for 2-3 minutes to remove the sting.

Nettle vinegar

Nettle is a mineral-dense plant, which means its amazing constituents are best pulled out through vinegar. You can infuse fresh or dried nettle leaves in apple cider vinegar to add to salads or to have as a functional vinegar to support your health. With fresh nettle leaves, pick enough to fill a jar.

Roots, seeds, stems and young, tender leaves are all edible. Native Indigenous people use stinging nettle for medicine, ceremony and as a food source. Mature fibrous stems have been used to make rope, cloth and fishing net.

Older nettle leaves can contain oxalate, which can irritate the kidneys. In one case, a woman developed atropine poisoning after drinking stinging nettle tea that was contaminated with belladonna. One source reports that nettles may raise blood sugar levels.

Avoid stinging nettle if you're allergic or sensitive to nettle or plants in the same family. Avoid if you're pregnant or breastfeeding because there isn't enough information on its safety. Use with caution if you're elderly because of the potential of causing low blood pressure.

The only “difference” is that the leaf is merely a part of the whole plant. Stinging nettle can be divided into six subspecies, and five of them have stinging hairs called trichomes, which will inject chemicals that produce a stinging sensation upon contact.

The chemical compounds in stinging nettle have a variety of health benefits for women. Because of its astringent characteristics, it can relieve unpleasant premenstrual symptoms including cramping and bloating, as well as reduce blood flow during menstruation.

Is nettle hard on the kidneys? ›

Nettle tea benefits the kidneys by increasing urine output and uric acid removal. Because of its anti-inflammatory properties, it improves kidney function and urinary flow. Nettle tea is a natural diuretic that promotes proper fluid flow in the kidneys and bladder, preventing kidney stones from forming.

Avoid taking nettle with other herbal/health supplements that contain vitamin K. This includes alfalfa, parsley, nettle leaves, plantain, and others.

Harvest the nettles by cutting off only the upper leaves (no larger than about 3” wide). Check the undersides of the leaves to make sure there is no white spittle present. Since you want only the leaves, you'll save yourself a lot of effort later by cutting the leaves from the stems as you go.

There's no one recommended portion size for nettle leaf or nettle leaf products, though the Arthritis Foundation suggests these amounts for arthritis benefits: 1 cup of tea three times a day. Up to 1,300 milligrams a day in capsule form. As a tincture (a solution in alcohol), 1-4 milliliters, three times a day.

When wilted, strip the leaves off the tough stems. Always cook nettles to destroy the stinging acid. Nettles are not suitable for raw salads! Collect the biggest leaves, then wash them in very hot water, neutralising the stinging chemicals and making them safe to eat.

Taste: Once cooked, nettles taste like a mix between spinach and cucumber; fresh and wholesome. They make a great addition to dishes, adding a zing of flavour and a splash of colour. Nettle is great in sauces, risottos and soups.

Stinging nettle can substitute for spinach in any cooked recipe (they lose their sting when cooked). You can add them to lasagna, make pasta with them, throw them in soups or stews, etc.

Natural Sources of Stinging Nettle

Stinging nettle can be eaten on its own or as an ingredient in foods. Nettle leaves must first be cooked or steamed to destroy the hairs on them, which contain a number of irritating chemicals. Most medicinal uses of stinging nettle use more of the plant than you would typically eat.