So today, instead of writing loads about a topic that I want to share with you, but have not the expertise on, I will link to the blog post that was written by an expert in such matters. So this year I learned from Monica Wilde that eating nettle seeds is a thing, a thing that increases neurotransmitters and can help boost mood. This is especially useful information now as we head into the shorter days here in Northern Europe. Soon enough we will be into Winter and Seasonal Affective Disorder. I realised that I struggle with SADs, but mostly in the years in which I have not been outside for extended periods of time during the winter. This Winter I am armed with knowledge and solutions. Loads of outdoor time and a couple of teaspoons of nettle seeds with breakfast. So without further ado, I am going to link to Monica Wilde’s blog post about nettle seeds. There you can learn about the science behind why they help to boost mood and energy levels and how to use them properly.
How I harvest and process them.
- Gather nettles with loads of seeds on by cutting or breaking the stem, put them loosely into a cotton bag and hang this in a sunny window to air dry, or I use the dehydrator.
- Once the seeds are dry, mush them around in the bag to dislodge them from the stems
- Sieve seeds out using first a colander, then a coarse sieve then a fine mesh sieve to get rid of the irritating hairs
- Bottle up and enjoy, a friend of mine covers hers in honey and adds it to porridge, I sprinkle it on my breakfast egg.
So today, instead of writing loads about a topic that I want to share with you, but have not the expertise on, I will link to the blog post that was written by an expert in such matters. So this year I learned from Monica Wilde that eating nettle seeds is a thing, a thing that increases neurotransmitters and can help boost mood. This is especially useful information now as we head into the shorter days here in Northern Europe. Soon enough we will be into Winter and Seasonal Affective Disorder. I realised that I struggle with SADs, but mostly in the years in which I have not been outside for extended periods of time during the winter. This Winter I am armed with knowledge and solutions. Loads of outdoor time and a couple of teaspoons of nettle seeds with breakfast. So without further ado, I am going to link to Monica Wilde’s blog post about nettle seeds. There you can learn about the science behind why they help to boost mood and energy levels and how to use them properly.
How I harvest and process them.
- Gather nettles with loads of seeds on by cutting or breaking the stem, put them loosely into a cotton bag and hang this in a sunny window to air dry, or I use the dehydrator.
- Once the seeds are dry, mush them around in the bag to dislodge them from the stems
- Sieve seeds out using first a colander, then a coarse sieve then a fine mesh sieve to get rid of the irritating hairs
- Bottle up and enjoy, a friend of mine covers hers in honey and adds it to porridge, I sprinkle it on my breakfast egg.
There are still plenty of seeds to be harvested in the hedgerows, so get them while the getting is still good.