SOUPED-UP FAT BURN

A seasonal bowl of stinging nettle soup can bring your metabolism to the boil

The stinging nettle was the scourge of everyone’s childhood adventures, but the bad boy of garden weeds has long been misunderstood. This nutrient-rich mainstay of the UK countryside has been linked to reductions in blood pressure and inflammation, higher testosterone and, in a recent study, even fat loss.

Researchers at the University of Maryland found that mice fed on a high-fat diet for 12 weeks gained less weight if they consumed nettle extract, too. Nettles activate a hormone in cells known as FIAF (fasting-induced adipocyte factor, in case you were wondering), which not only accelerates the conversion of fats into energy, but seems to protect your vital organs from absorbing too many fatty acids. The amount of nettles you’d need to consume to see these beneficial effects equates to around 100g per day in humans – which, conveniently, is about as much as you’d use in a bowl of nettle soup.

To prepare the soup, gather some nettles growing in a spot away from the road or other polluted areas. Put on some gloves and a long-sleeved top and collect 400g of the leaves (about as many as you can fit in a supermarket salad bag). Wash them before adding them to your soup stock, boiling away the plant’s stinging hairs.

The leaves will wilt just like spinach (they taste similar, too). Alternatively, you can put the plant through a juicer and add an antioxidant-packed shot to your morning smoothie. Either way, you’ll move the needle on your weight-loss progress.