Brennnessel im Trend
The stinging nettle – Urtica dioica in Latin – is actually an everyday plant. And yet she has achieved some fame. A number of books have been published about her recently. A test by our Austrian partners shows the quality of nettle tea.
Nettle tea in the test
In a study of the Austrian Association for Consumer Information 6 out of 15 teas performed very well overall. Three received an overall grade of good and six as average. The teas were tested for pesticides and liver-damaging pyrrolizidine alkaloids, among other things.
Tipp: Two of the very good products are also available in Germany – stinging nettle herb from Herbaria and wild nettle from Allos.
Contain enough active ingredients
Whether from the supermarket, the drugstore or the pharmacy: all the teas in the test contained a lot of the active ingredients caffeoylmalic acid and chlorogenic acid. They met the standards of the European Pharmacopoeia. Only teas that advertise with pharmacopoeial quality are obliged to do so.
Should have a draining effect
Naturopathy recommends nettle tea, among other things, to relieve inflammation, stimulate the metabolism and drain the body. In fact, a human study indicates dehydrating effects.
Limited suitability for urinary tract infections
The drug experts at Stiftung Warentest see nettle tea as being of limited suitability for supporting treatment of urinary tract infections. There are no studies on the therapeutic effectiveness. But the tea can promote the flow of urine. In our Drugs in Test database you will find reviews for some products.
Support for joint problems
Leaf extracts are said to relieve joint pain. According to our experts, hard capsules with extracts can support the treatment of rheumatic diseases, but the therapeutic effectiveness has not been proven. As the sole means of treatment, they are not very suitable. Reviews for some nettle leaf dry extracts are in our database.
Who should be careful
As a precaution, pregnant women should not use teas or extracts from stinging nettles, because there is not enough knowledge about possible risks of use during pregnancy and breastfeeding.
In addition, people with advanced heart failure should not perform flushing therapies, as would be conceivable with this tea for urinary tract infections. The same applies to people with significantly impaired kidney function.