Nettle Tea: The Himalayan Herb Your Body Will Thank You For
Stinging nettle has a reputation problem. Brush against it on a mountain trail and you’ll remember it for hours. But steeped in hot water, the same plant that stings becomes one of the gentlest, most grounding cups you can drink — and one of the most quietly important herbs in Ladakhi tradition.
A Plant That Grows Where Little Else Does
Nettle thrives in the high-altitude terrain around Ladakh, in the same remote stretches near Martselang and the Shang valley where our team forages by hand. It’s a hardy plant, suited to thin air and cold nights, and it’s been part of local diets and remedies for generations — long before it had a name on a tea packet.
Our Chief Product Officer, Padma Angmo, has spent years trekking these areas to find the best growth of nettle, wild rhubarb, and other native herbs — work that comes from a genuine love of farm life in the Himalayas, not a supply chain built at a desk.
What Nettle Tisane Tastes Like
Nettle tisane has an earthy, slightly grassy character — closer to a mild green infusion than anything sweet or floral. It’s not trying to be exciting; it’s the kind of tea that becomes a quiet daily habit rather than an occasional treat. Many people find it easiest to enjoy plain, though a little honey rounds it out nicely if you prefer something softer.
Why People Reach for It
Nettle has long been used in traditional practices across many cultures, often as a general tonic herb woven into everyday routines rather than reserved for anything specific. In Ladakh, it’s simply part of how people have eaten and drunk for generations — a plant from the land, prepared simply.
Because it’s naturally caffeine-free, it also works at times of day other teas can’t — including in the evening, when you want warmth without anything that might keep you up.
As with any herbal infusion, if you’re pregnant, breastfeeding, or managing a health condition, it’s worth checking with a doctor before making it a regular habit.
How We Prepare It
Every batch is:
- Hand-plucked from remote, high-altitude regions
- Dried naturally, with no added flavour or preservatives
- 100% herbal — no tea leaf, no caffeine
- Vegan and free from artificial additives
Nothing is added to make it taste like something else. What you get in the packet is what grew on the hillside.
How to Brew It
- Use one heaped teaspoon of dried nettle per cup.
- Pour water just off the boil over it.
- Steep for 6–8 minutes — nettle benefits from a slightly longer steep than delicate florals.
- Strain and drink warm, with honey if you like.
It also holds up well as a base for a warm evening ritual — steep a larger pot and let it sit while you wind down for the night.
A Small Cup With a Long History
Nettle tisane isn’t flashy, and it doesn’t need to be. It’s a plant that’s fed and cared for people in the Himalayas for a very long time, picked the same way it always has been — by hand, from the mountainside, by people who know exactly where to look.
You can find our small-batch Nettle Tisane here.
