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NOW Foods vs Pure Encapsulations Stinging Nettle (2026)
Disclosure: We earn commissions on purchases made through our links. This never influences our scores. Editorial policy
The Verdict
NOW Foods takes it on our rubric, 86 to 84 on our 0-100 execution score, and holds our Top Pick badge in the stinging nettle scorecard, almost entirely on value: 22 against Pure Encapsulations' 17. In our view it is the honest default, because the label explicitly names root rather than just nettle, names the species, and lands under $0.25 per day even at the upper trial dose. What it does not have is any independent certification; NOW runs an in-house testing program from an NPA A-rated facility, with no USP, NSF, or ISURA seal on this SKU. Pure Encapsulations scores higher on our dosing and form pillar (24 vs 23) and our transparency pillar (24 vs 23), quantifies every ingredient per serving, and adds a third-party laboratory verification program plus a hypoallergenic formulation.
It is also, by our own note, the most expensive per-day pick in our nettle lineup and hard to justify if you only want one ingredient. In our view: NOW if you want nettle root by itself at the lowest credible cost, Pure Encapsulations if you have already decided the multi-botanical approach is what you want.
Stinging Nettle Root Extract 250 mg, 90 Veg Capsules
NOW Foods
Saw Palmetto Plus with Nettle Root, 120 Softgels
Pure Encapsulations
Head-to-Head Comparison
| Category | Stinging Nettle Root Extract 250 mg, 90 Veg Capsules NOW Foods | Saw Palmetto Plus with Nettle Root, 120 Softgels Pure Encapsulations |
|---|---|---|
| Brand Score | 86/100Winner | 84/100 |
| Dosing & Form | 23/25 | 24/25Winner |
| Purity | 18/25 | 19/25Winner |
| Value | 22/25Winner | 17/25 |
| Transparency | 23/25 | 24/25Winner |
| Cost/Day | $0.19Winner | $0.85 |
| Dose/Serving | 250mg | 400mg |
| Form | Standardized nettle root extract (Urtica dioica) | Combination softgel (saw palmetto + nettle root + pumpkin seed oil + pygeum) |
| Third-Party Tested | No | ✓ Yes |
| Proprietary Blend | No | No |
Why This Comparison Matters
These are the two highest-scoring products in our stinging nettle review, and they are not the same kind of product. NOW Foods sells a single-ingredient 250mg Urtica dioica root extract, with the plant part and species both named on the panel. Pure Encapsulations sells a combination softgel whose two-softgel serving delivers 400mg of nettle root extract alongside 320mg saw palmetto extract, 640mg pumpkin seed oil, 40mg pygeum, and 13mg vitamin E.
So the real question is whether you want nettle root on its own or the full botanical stack for prostate and urinary comfort. Cost follows that choice: about $0.19 per day for NOW at two capsules, against about $0.85 per day for Pure Encapsulations at the two-softgel serving.
We scored both on dosing and form, purity verification, value, and label transparency.
Detailed Score Breakdown
Stinging Nettle Root Extract 250 mg, 90 Veg Capsules
NOW Foods
Standardized Urtica dioica ROOT extract at 250mg per veg capsule; label specifies the plant part (root, not leaf) and the species - 2 capsules daily lands in the Safarinejad and Ghorbanibirgani trial dose range
NOW operates an NPA A-rated GMP facility with in-house lab testing; species and plant part disclosed on the panel; no independent USP/NSF certification on this specific SKU
Around $0.18-0.22/day at 2 capsules to hit the trial dose; among the strongest per-day value for an explicitly root-labeled extract on Amazon
Label clearly states ROOT (not just 'nettle'), species (Urtica dioica), and extract form; no proprietary blend
The cleanest budget pick - explicitly root, explicit species, NOW's manufacturing reputation, and the cost-per-day stays under $0.25 even at the upper trial dose. The default recommendation for men trying nettle for BPH symptoms.
Saw Palmetto Plus with Nettle Root, 120 Softgels
Pure Encapsulations
2-softgel serving delivers 320mg saw palmetto extract + 400mg nettle root extract + 640mg pumpkin seed oil + 40mg pygeum + 13mg vitamin E; the Sabal + Urtica combination has the longest-running placebo-controlled BPH trial data (Lopatkin 2007, 96 weeks)
Pure Encapsulations is the hypoallergenic gold-standard practitioner brand - third-party laboratory verification, no excipients, GMP-certified; one of the most-trusted manufacturers in the category
Around $0.75-0.90/day at the 2-softgel serving; premium pricing reflects the combination formula and the brand's testing program - not the cheapest way to get any one ingredient
Every ingredient quantified per serving on the panel; no proprietary blend; plant part (root) explicitly named for the nettle; pygeum and pumpkin seed oil clearly listed
If you want one product that mirrors the Lopatkin-trial preparation philosophy with Pure Encapsulations' testing program on top, this is the pick. Better picked once you have decided botanical-BPH is the right approach and you want belt-and-suspenders coverage.
How We Compared These Products
Every product in our database is scored on four equally-weighted pillars: dosing accuracy and form quality, purity verification (third-party testing), cost per clinically effective dose (not cost per pill), and label transparency. Each pillar is worth 25 points for a total of 100.
Cost per effective dose is calculated using the clinically studied dose from published research, not the manufacturer's suggested serving. If a product requires multiple servings to reach the dose used in clinical trials, that cost is reflected in the value score.
For a full explanation of our scoring methodology, see our methodology page. Prices were last checked on the dates listed for each product and may have changed.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is the Pure Encapsulations product a pure nettle supplement?
No. Saw Palmetto Plus with Nettle Root is a combination formula. Its two-softgel serving delivers 400mg nettle root extract plus 320mg saw palmetto extract, 640mg pumpkin seed oil, 40mg pygeum, and 13mg vitamin E, with every amount quantified on the panel. If you want nettle root alone, the NOW Foods extract is the single-ingredient option here.
Does either product specify nettle root rather than leaf?
Both do, and it matters. NOW's label states ROOT explicitly along with the species (Urtica dioica) and the extract form. Pure Encapsulations also names the plant part as root on its panel. Products that list only nettle without a plant part are the ones to be careful with.
How many capsules per day does each one need?
NOW Foods is 250mg per capsule, so two capsules per day land in the trial dose range our data cites, at roughly $0.18 to $0.22 per day. Pure Encapsulations uses a two-softgel serving to deliver its full stack, at roughly $0.75 to $0.90 per day.
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