- Nettle characteristics
- Chemical composition of nettle leaves and herb
- He alth benefits of nettle and nettle juice
- How to drink nettle juice?
- Recipe for homemade nettle juice
Nettle juice has numerous he alth benefits. It is worth drinking it regularly, as it helps with many diseases. It is used, among others, for anemia, ulcers, weak immunity and many other ailments. Find out what the chemical composition of nettle leaves is. How to make nettle juice and in what amounts?
Nettle juiceis one of the easiest ways to take advantage of the he alth-promoting properties of nettle.Common nettle(Urtica dioica L.) is a very common plant throughout the Northern Hemisphere - North America, Europe, North Africa and Asia. It is considered a weed because it spreads very easily, adapts to the conditions and can grow virtually anywhere. It is classified as ruderal plants, i.e. plants that easily grow on substrates changed by man.
Nettle characteristics
Common nettle is very rich in bioactive phytochemicals, and the ancients knew about its healing properties. It was described by Hippocrates, and in the Middle Ages by Paracelsus, Matthioli and St. Hildegard. The nettle was often used by naturalists and medics, and for the Slavs it had a magical meaning - protecting against evil charms.
Nettle is best recognized by stinging hairs on the leaves and strongly serrated edges of the leaves. The plant comes in different sizes. It grows up to a height of 30 cm to even 1 meter.
The period of its flowering and fruiting falls in the summer and early autumn , from June to October. During this time, the leaves and young shoots are collected to be processed into juice or dried for later use in infusions.
Chemical composition of nettle leaves and herb
The main raw material for nettle juice is its leaves. Sometimes young shoots are also used. These parts of the nettle provide a lot of vitamin C, even over 600 mg / 100 g, which makes the nettle one of the plants richest in vitamin C.
In addition, it is a valuable source of compounds with antioxidant properties (flavonoids), organic acids and dozens of other substances, which in combination are responsible for the healing properties of nettle.
Chemical composition of leaves and nettle herb
| Group of bioactive compounds | Components identified in the nettle leaves | Ingredientsidentified in the nettle herb |
| Vitamins | B2, C, K, B5 | B5, C |
| Organic acids | protocatechic, hydroxybenzoic, gentisinic, quinoic, coumaric, coffee, ferulic, 5-O-caffeoylquinic | carbonic, formic, silicic, lemon, fumaric, glycerin, apple, oxalic, phosphoric, chin, amber, buttery, coffee, coumaric, palmitic, neochlorogenic, acetic, caffeoyl-apple, glycol, folic, protocatech, hydroxybenzoic , Gentisine, Ferulic, 5-O-Caffeoylquinone |
| Flavonoids | isoramnetin, quercetin, kaempferol, rutin, glycosides, amentoflavone, quercetin glycoside | quercetin, rutin, glycosides, isoramnetin, kaempferol, amentoflavone, quercetin glycoside |
| Carotenoids | carotene, xanthophyll, lycopene, lutein | carotene, xanthophyll |
| Garbniki | tannins | tannins |
| Other organic compounds | chlorophyll, 2-methylheptane, scopoletin, esculetin, leukotrienes | scopoletin (coumarin), esculetin, lecithins, secretins, serotonin, tryptamines, betaine |
| Saccharides | no data | fructose, galactose, glucose, m altose, raffinose |
| Fatty acids | no data | linoleic, linolenic |
| Sterols | no data | sitosterols, beta-sitosterols (3-O-glucoside) |
| Minerals | manganese, iron, copper, zinc, molybdenum, cob alt, nickel, selenium, aluminum, tin | no data |
He alth benefits of nettle and nettle juice
Young nettle leaves, preferably harvested before flowering, and the whole herb are used as a medicinal raw material. In medicine, standardized extracts from leaves and shoots are used. They are primarily concerned with research. On the other hand, folk medicine is based on nettle juices and infusions.
It is difficult to find scientific confirmation of the effectiveness of nettle juice in clinical trials, but observations of people using the juice regularly prove the positive effects of nettle. You should be aware that extracts have a stronger effect than juice, but even nettle juice is a valuable auxiliary product in many diseases.
Nettle juice for allergies
Nettle contains tyrosine derivatives that have an antihistamine effect and inhibit the enzymes of several inflammatory reactions. Drinking the juice can be helpful with seasonal pollen allergies and with reliefallergic rhinitis, as demonstrated by in vitro tests.
Nettle juice as an antioxidant
Nettle leaves in various forms (dried, water and ethanol extracts) show a strong antioxidant effect. They reduce the level of oxidative stress in tissues including the brain, liver, kidneys and red blood cells, and lower levels of inflammatory markers.
These results were obtained in human and animal studies.
Nettle also reduces lipid peroxidation, protecting cell membranes from damage. The antioxidant effect of nettle is due to the presence of flavonoids, vitamin C and metals, which are essential components of the antioxidant enzymes - copper, zinc and selenium.
Nettle juice is worth drinking as a means of protecting against oxidative changes - damage to proteins and genetic material, and oxidation of fats - which can lead to serious diseases.
Nettle juice for immunity
Flavonoids contained in nettle leaves have an immunomodulatory effect, which means that thanks to them the immune system performs its protective work better. They particularly affect T cells, macrophages and enzymes associated with inflammation.
Nettle juice for ulcers
In studies on rats, it has been proven that water extracts of nettle leaves and shoots protect against the formation of stomach ulcers and relieve stomach pain.
Nettle juice has antibacterial and antiviral properties
Nettle juice inhibits the multiplication of at least a dozen pathogenic bacteria and viruses. The juice is recommended for drinking in the case of light food poisoning, as a rinse of the throat and mouth in the case of inflammation of the throat and gums, canker sores and similar changes.
Nettle juice for anemia
Due to the high iron content, nettle juice is recommended as an aid in the treatment of anemia.
Nettle juice and diuretic effect
Nettle infusions and juices are known diuretics - substances that cause increased urine output. Nettle juice is recommended for swelling of the legs and hands, often swelling and the so-called water retention before menstruation. It also helps with the occurrence of kidney stones.
Nettle has many other he alth-promoting properties, but activities such as lowering glucose and restoring the pancreas, reducing the prostate gland, lowering blood pressure and LDL cholesterol levels are associated with taking nettle root extracts.
Therefore, it is impossible to ascribe an analogous effect to nettle juice, because the composition of the substancebioactive leaves and shoots from which the juice is produced and the composition of the roots is not the same.
How to drink nettle juice?
Juices from nettle leaves can be purchased in pharmacies, stores with dietary supplements and the so-called he althy food. Usually their compositions are very good, because they contain only pure nettle juice and the addition of vitamin C.
However, you should always check the ingredients before buying to make sure you are not buying any product diluted or sweetened with sugar.
Do not exceed a daily dose of 50 ml of nettle juice . This amount is most often recommended for pharmacy juices. It also appears in scientific publications.
Nettle juice can be taken50 ml once a day, 25 ml twice a day or 15 ml 3 times a day30 minutes before a meal.
If you have problems drinking pure nettle juice, you can mix it with water or fruit juice.
Recipe for homemade nettle juice
It is best to collect nettle before flowering and pick only its young leaves from the upper parts of the plant. The place where we collect nettle is important - away from roads, car traffic, sprayed fields. Remember to pick up the nettles with gloves!
Nettle juice can be prepared very easily in a juicer. Washed, drained of excess water and chopped nettle leaves, just squeeze through a juicer and strain. If necessary, pour into dark bottles.
Unpasteurized juice must be kept in the refrigerator. You can also pour the nettle juice into jars, pasteurize and store in a dark, cool place.
How to make nettle juice without a juicer?
The washed nettle should be placed on a sieve, poured with boiling water, and then immediately with cold water. Put the leaves into a blender, pour water evenly with the surface of the nettle and blend.
The next step is straining through a fine sieve. This way you get a clear juice that can be stored in the refrigerator.
A very interesting solution that allows you to keep the he alth benefits of nettle juice for a long time is freezing it in ice containers. One cube equals approximately 15 ml.
Juice should be drunk after defrosting or thrown into a glass with water or fruit juice.
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