For many, the first encounter with the stinging nettle (Urtica dioica) is an unpleasant one—a sudden prickle followed by an itchy, red welt. However, beneath this defensive exterior lies one of nature’s most potent nutritional and therapeutic powerhouses. Long before the advent of modern supplements, ancestral cultures across Europe and Asia utilized the nettle as a spring tonic to revitalize the body after a long winter and as a topical remedy for various skin and hair ailments. Today, the resurgence of herbalism has brought stinging nettles back into the spotlight, particularly for their dual utility as a nutrient-dense tea and...