Stinging Nettle Root Tincture offers many potent health benefits. Learn to safely and sustainably harvest stinging nettle root, how to make your own Stinging Nettle Root Tincture, and how to utilize this home remedy to its fullest.
Keyword Tincture, Nettle Tincture
Prep Time 1 hourhour
Servings 1Jar
Equipment
1 Pair sharp scissors or snips
1 Jar of choice
1 Lid (leakproof)
1 Alcohol of choice (100 proof is recommended, vodka imparts little to no flavor)
1 Cutting board
1 Label & marker
Ingredients
Prepared Stinging Nettle Root
Instructions
Prepare the stinging nettle roots which have been washed and dried by cutting them into smallish sized pieces. As a general rule of thumb, the smaller in diameter the root the larger the length cut, the larger in diameter the root, the shorter in length cut.
Using a rough ratio of 2:1, prepared stinging nettle root to alcohol, place the roots into a jar of choice. That being said, the amount of prepared nettle root you use is up to you. I prefer to use a bit more and will often fill the jar to almost 3/4 way full and cover with alcohol. I prefer mason jars for all my tincturing, but recycled jars work well too
Cover the roots with the alcohol, sticking to the 2:1 ratio (or until plant material is covered by at least 2 inches
Cover tightly as described above, using a metal cap with parchment paper between the cap & jar or use a reusable, leak-proof cap
Using a waterproof marker, label & date the jar
Place the jar into a cool, dark cupboard, and allow it to sit for a minimum of 6 weeks (I prefer a much longer sit time of 6 months). Plan on giving the tincture a shake every 2 to 3 days during the extraction time
Once your preferred infusion time is up, through a fine mesh sieve, strain the plant material from the liquid giving the plant material a hard squeeze to remove as much of the beneficial properties and reserving as much of the liquid as possible. Utilizing a potato ricer or press works wonders for this.As there may be some degree of debris missed through the washing period, lining the fine mesh sieve with a layer or two of cheesecloth may be warranted
Store the tincture in a dark amber colored jar. I prefer to use tincture bottles with dropper for ease of use. Make sure to label the contents and store the tincture in a cool dark cupboard or apothecary cabinet
Notes
When prepared and stored properly, the stinging nettle tincture will remain viable for years