The humble nettle, hated by my sister and I as we roamed the woods and wild pastures near our home, as we were stung almost every day!
Originally a native to Europe, Asia and western North Africa this flowering perennial plant has 6 subspecies, five of which have stinging hairs which act like needles injecting histamine and other chemicals to produce that annoying stinging sensation.
However, this incredible plant has a long history of use as a source of food, tea, textiles and of course traditional medicine. For centuries it has been used to treat painful muscles and joints, eczema, arthritis, gout and anaemia.
Traditionally Nettle is a tonic herb, that is it’s considered to stimulate well-being, invigorate and restore. Indeed Nettle is a superfood like no other, the leaf is incredibly rich in hundreds of plant constituents like vitamins A, B, C, D, E & K, minerals such as iron, calcium, zinc, and magnesium, antioxidants including polyphenols (quercitin, kaempferol, coumarins and flavonoids) as well as carotenoids and lutein, its rich in fatty acids and amino acids.
This means Netlle is invaluable for skin health with the ability to nourish cells with every possible building block to support each aspect of healthy skin functioning. The plentiful antioxidants help defend cells against free radical damage, to slow the signs of ageing.
Studies show that nettle has the ability to reduce inflammation and support wound healing, including burns. Its astringent properties have shown to be incredibly useful for supporting a variety of skin issues from acne to eczema.
We use a ‘Fair Wild’ harvested, organic certified Nettle leaf, which we infuse in-house for 6 weeks.
