nettles?

[JudithSil]

I have heard/read (in NE class & handbook) that nettle tea or infusion is an excellent source of minerals, especially calcium. Herbalist Susun Weed recommends quite a strong daily infusion for menopausal and perimenopausal women. Yet elsewhere (various herbal sites on the Web) I have seen it described as a strong diuretic.

If it's a diuretic, that would seem to mitigate against its use as a source of minerals, since it would cause their excretion, and against daily use in general, since it would eventually cause electrolyte imbalances - imbalances of the very minerals one would take it for.

Question: If nettles are a diuretic, can they really be safe and effective for daily/frequent as a dietary mineral source and women's tonic?

[jodi f.]

The diuretic qualities and abilities of a whole food will differ remarkably from those of a drug or even from those of a powerful herbal extract. When you think of all the women you've ever heard complaining about being bloated before their periods, and of all the perimenopausal and menopausal women who feel this way continuously, it's easy to see that a small amount of diuresis would be welcome. Excreting excess fluids that we're holding onto can be beneficial and would not negatively affect mineral balance in the presence of an otherwise healthful, nutrient dense diet, and in the absence of digestive issues. When this effect is obtained through nourishing herbal teas, I imagine that the effect would not only not be detrimental, but could add to the nutrient bank account.