mid summer edition

not just for masochists and pretty glazes

i sit here this scorching...er...lovely... 90something degree evening after another bout of yoga to classic jazz tunes...man that is addicting!
sipping on one of my all time favorite infusions: stinging nettle and south african honeybush.
ok the honeybush is mostly for flavor though it is supposed to be high in calcium, potassium, and magnesium....but it's not all about you, honeybush!
this is nettle's time! have some class, lady!
but why drink nettle infusions? i mean it's that scary dark green color and it smells kinda...well...*green*.
well fear not the green! love the green nettlyness of it all.
and over ice it is both light and refreshing and a tiny bit sweet. i promise. :)
and here's the good part; when considered for traditional medicinal uses it is highly beneficial to the liver, kidneys, heart, and lungs. this is good news for your body in hot weather where you tend to sweat and pant a lot...or all day every day if you live in arizona.

this is another way of showing what nettles can bring to you:
calcium, chromium, cobalt, fiber, magnesium, manganese, niacin (B3), phosphorus, potassium, protein, riboflavin (B2), selenium, silica, thiamine (B1), vitamin A, and zinc and a whole host of other nutrients which may or may not survive the infusion process...the jury is still out on that one i think.
i have been told that if you're going for straight mineral content nettles may be decocted.

for infusions, decoctions, and tisanes (especially if none of these words make any sense to you) this might help you.