First we need to talk about the culinary properties of nettles. It is this burning beauty used in the food, and it can be carried almost to the very early vitamin herbs. It is used for healthy food, when the garden is still not at any green, except sorrel somewhere breaks.
From nettle leaves prepare early cabbage and vitamin salads. However, used in food can only young leaves, as they are rich in vitamin C. In addition, it leaves contain a lot of sugar, starch, tannins and organic acids. I accumulate a lot of nitrates in the older leaves, so their use in food is not desirable.
Leaves of young shoots zasushivat the winter. To do this, they are tied in bunches and hung ventilated areas, where the plant does not get direct sunlight. This is very important, otherwise, some vitamins may be lost.
It can be cut off as the tops, and most of the plants. However, drying it is necessary to maintain the rules as strictly to all the vitamins are preserved. In late autumn or winter, chopped into pieces and steamed in boiling water nettle added to cattle feed, poultry, goats, and fur-bearing animals.
It is known that widely used nettles and medicinal purposes. From the leaves of this herb stinging prepare decoctions, diuretic and haemostatic properties. They are indicated in diseases of the digestive tract, liver, tuberculosis, rheumatoid arthritis and many other diseases. The nettle leaves contain a lot of iron salts, which increases hemoglobin in the blood.
Helpful young nettle teas in diabetes as it reduces blood sugar. And yet their folk medicine recommends drinking a nursing mother.
Another long-nettle did a great yarn (can remember the tale by Andersen "The Wild Swans"). And in the cosmetic and the plant is now used very widely.
You should definitely remember that you can only harvest nettles in ecologically clean place, away from the city and highways. Many gardeners grow this valuable herb in their beds.