Did you like to make itch powder from inside rose hips as a child? But the dog’s rose red fruits can do far more than that. You ‘re probably familiar with the red rose hip tea and know it’s rich in vitamin C and a good home remedy for colds. But do you know all the other forms of rose hip preparation too? You know how much good there is in the little fruits and that rose hip still plays an important role in folk medicine and homeopathy today?
Rosehip: medicinal plant with a long tradition
The rose hip (botanical Rosa canina) belongs to the rose family of plants, and is also known as wild rose, dog rose, or apple rose. The shrub often grows wild at the edges of paths and forests, on nutrient-rich soils. The red power fruits have not only been discovered by the animals in nature as food for themselves; rose hip has also been used by humans for medical and cosmetic purposes since the Mid Ages . Greek mythology says that Aphrodite, the goddess of love, owes her beauty to the rose hip. The thorny rose family grows up to 3 meters high and has unpaired pinnate leaves. The flowering period is between June and July. In October the fruits are ripe and ready to be harvested.
The wild rose is widespread worldwide and is now mostly sourced from Chile and Denmark for cosmetic and medical purposes. Their fruits contain valuable minerals , plenty of vitamin C, flavonoids, B vitamins as well as various fruit acids and essential oils. In summer we enjoy the wild dog roses with their pink flowers and in autumn they give us the fruits with the bright red rose hips, which add a splash of color to the garden all winter.
More than just itch powder!
In total there are over 200 types of rose hip that are used all over the world. It prefers nutrient-rich soil and a sunny location. If these conditions are met, the rose family is able to store the power of the sun and develop its valuable ingredients . But the gods put work before healthy enjoyment. Because when raw, the fruits of the wild rose are inedible. For consumption, they have to be washed, cored, cut into small pieces and dried.
The wild rose tastes fruity and slightly tart and is included in many culinary delights. Rose hip powder has a strong anti-inflammatory effect. It is taken and, above all, helps osteoarthritis patients to improve their mobility and to alleviate the joint pain typical of the disease. Rosehip tea is slightly diuretic and laxative. Of course, the fresh fruits contain the most vitamins, so why not just plant a dog rose in the garden ? So you can look forward to the beautiful flowers and regularly have the small vitamin C bombs at hand.
The main ingredients
- vitamin C
- Vitamins B1 and B2
- Beta-carotene
- Vitamin K.
- Nicotinic acid (niacin)
- Lycopene, flavonoids, fruit acids, pectins
Lycopene in particular (bound to the red color of the fruit) has become interesting since it is known that it can help prevent cancer and heart attack. Depending on the type of rose and degree of maturity, rose hips contain between 0.4 and 5 grams of vitamin C per 100 grams.
Ideal for winter and spring
Rose hips in any form are good for fighting infection. They bring digestion back to order (both constipation and diarrhea), help with stomach cramps or nausea, have diuretic effects (good for kidney problems) and are ideal for detoxification in spring. If you take the trouble to dry the peels of the fruit, you can use it to make an infusion that is helpful for bladder and kidney problems. The reason for this is the high content of plant acids and pectides . Good results should also be used in the treatment of arthrosisbe achieved with rosehip powder. Unfortunately, many of the teas or instant powders available on the market only contain traces of the active substances of rose hip. It is better to order dried fruits from pharmacies, which are legally obliged to regularly renew their stocks.
It is best to collect the rose hips yourself, in late autumn, after the first ripening. The wild fruit is ripe when the peel gives way a little at your light finger pressure and the fruits are easy to pick. To dry, lay the rose hips flat in an airy place for a day or two and dry them in the oven at 35 degrees. The rose hips should not tan. Well-dried fruits keep carefully closed for about a year. The aromatic taste of rosehip makes it easy to use it in a variety of ways in the kitchen : as tea, as a syrup, jam, compote or in liqueur. At the same time, you are doing something good for yourself: A rosehip sauce, for example, has an expelling effect and can combat gout and rheumatismbe used. Jam promotes appetite and is rich in vitamin C. This way, the effect and appearance of the dog rose combine to create a perfect whole.
Areas of application and healing effects
The natural medicine is extremely popular and is becoming increasingly popular. There is great trust in Mother Nature’s numerous gifts. Only recently have studies again confirmed the effectiveness of the ingredients of rose hip. The positive properties from the fruits of the wild rose can be used as tea and powder as well as in the form of oils, ointments, creams and capsules.
Healing powers against various ailments
There is more vitamin C in rose hip than in lemons and it also contains the cancer-inhibiting lycopene. The secondary plant substance galactolopid consists of sugar and fatty acids. It forms new collagen and ensures better functioning of the cartilage on joints such as the hips, knees and shoulders. The natural breakdown of the cartilage is significantly delayed. The galactolopid has an anti-inflammatory effect . Recent studies show that after a three-month treatment with rose hip powder, there was significantly greater mobility of the shoulder, hip and knee joints and less morning stiffness in osteoarthritis . This cure significantly reduced the pain medication intake.
The rosehip is often used in addition to conventional medicine or as an alternative. The red fruits are even effective against chronic pain , as new studies have shown. With its high vitamin C content, rose hip strengthens the body’s defenses and thus protects the body against colds and flu . The immune defense is mobilized against cough , hoarseness and other infections. The tannins of the beautiful wild rose also develop their positive properties in the stomach and intestines. The rose hip also has a diuretic and blood cleansing effect and supports the functions of bile, kidney and bladder.
How to use the valuable ingredients
Rose hips have a subtly sour aroma and taste not only in tea. You use the pulp as an ingredient in soups, savory sauces with game, muffins, cakes and desserts. Use the wild fruits from the wayside when preparing your jams. Combinations with apples and oranges are ideal . An autumnal delicacy is rosehip chutney with figs and quinces.
For rosehip vinegar , lightly toast the fruit. Then put them in a bottle with herbs such as thyme or rosemary and pour wine vinegar over the fruit. Close the bottles and store the vinegar batch in a bright place for four to six weeks (shake every two to three days). Then filter the vinegar through a fine cloth and enjoy it in fruity salads or give it away for the festive season.
Various preparation options
Of course there is the rosehip tea made from all the wild rose fruits that everyone knows. This tea is considered a tasty drink at any time of the day. The tea can be used both internally and externally in the form of infusions, envelopes and as a wrap against the inflammation of the joints and arthrosis . The Kernlestee is known, which exerts its effect especially in states of exhaustion.
For long-term success and for general stabilization of health, it is advisable to take a 14-day course with the tea from rose hips. The standardized rose hip extract, which is offered in the form of capsules, also contains all the positive properties of rose hip. The whole healing power of wild rose is found in it. The rosehip kernels are often processed into the skin-caring rosehip kernel oil . This oil is a popular ingredient in many creams, ointments and lotions. The rose hip powder is easy to dose and can be easily stirred in water or juice and in dishes such as curd cheese or yoghurt.
Rosehip Jam
All kinds of rose hips can be used to make rose hip jam. The sweet pleasure is created by removing the seeds of the red fruits as well as the skin, the stems and the flowers before cooking. With a passing mill , the otherwise very tedious work can be done in one operation. To do this, the rosehips are boiled for a few minutes before they are easier to pass. Then the pasted mass is cooked with the appropriate amount of sugar or gelling sugar. A little grated lemon peel, orange juice, honey and vanilla pulp give the jam a wonderful aroma. This creates a healthy spread, which despite its processing still contains many vitamins and minerals.
The rose hip jelly is made from the sugared juice of the cooked and passed fruits. A slightly sour taste brings a little lemon juice or a little white wine into the jelly. Sugar, vanilla, lemon, cloves and allspice are just a few of the flavors that give rose hip jelly its wonderful taste.
Rosehip soup
The rosehip soup is considered a traditional Swedish specialty. The boiled and passed rose hips are used for this, which are mixed with potato flour and sugar to make a sweet soup. The same can be made from rose hip powder. The soup is served cold or warm as a dessert or starter.
Delicious drinks from rose hips
The rose hip juice is considered to be very rich in vitamins and has a particularly attractive red color. Rosehip juice tastes pure as well as mixed with other drinks. The production of wine from rose hips is complex. It is important that the fruits have some night frosts.
For a rose hip liqueur , the sweetened fruits have to run through the night well. They are then placed in a larger container with the appropriate amount of brandy for two months. Then you can filter the liqueur and pour it into smaller bottles.
Rose hip powder: Ideal for the first aid kit
When the rosehip is made into a powder, careful processing of the fruit is important. Only perfect and fully ripe fruits are used for the powder. First of all, the fruit is freed from the flower base, stem and irritant hairs. Then the kernels and the husk are gently dried before they are ground to the highly effective rose hip powder.
The rose hip powder is easy to take with you when you are traveling and can be easily stirred into water, juice or milk on the way . The vitamin-rich powder also dissolves quickly in curd cheese, yoghurt or other dairy products. To support health , it is recommended to take two heaped teaspoons of rose hip powder daily with meals.
Naturally beautiful with rosehip seed oil
Pure nature has been in vogue for a long time. And that is precisely why natural products are in great demand both in cosmetics and in alternative medicine. One of the most popular natural products is the oil from the rosehip seeds. The medicinal rose hip seed oil is obtained from the seeds of the red fruits of various wild roses. It is usually cold pressed, so that its valuable ingredientsremain. Depending on the variety, the rosehip oil has a light yellow to orange-red color and contains fruit and oleic acids, plenty of minerals and vitamins as well as secondary plant substances. Rosehip seed oil is processed into various products in cosmetics and medicine, such as creams, soaps and ointments. You can also use the valuable natural oil unprocessed as a care oil.
The oil from the kernels of the red fruits stimulates the healing process for injuries and eczema. It is often used for skin that is cracked, dry and flaky. The oil has a healing effect particularly well on the mucous membranes in the mouth. It is beneficial for all injuries in this area. The gums also regenerate quickly after illnesses and after medical interventions by the healing powers of rosehip seed oil. The transretinoic acid of rosehip seed oil stimulates the skin to regenerate and at the same time new collagen is built up. This improves the skin’s ability to store more moisture and makes the skin noticeably smoother. With regular use, the oil has a regulating effect on the function of the sebaceous glands of the skinout. The care products with rosehip seed oil best develop their positive properties at night, because during this time the whole body and thus the skin regenerates. Many lotions and creams for the night therefore often contain the oil from the seeds of the wild rose.
Interesting facts about rose hips
Rose hips can lower your cholesterol levels. © LianeM – Fotolia
- The children’s song “A little man stands in the forest” does not refer to the toadstool, as is often assumed, but to the rose hip.
- Rosehip tea, the beautiful red tea that was always available for breakfast in the youth hostel, is in most cases recoloured with mallow or other coloring plant extracts. Pure rosehip tea is far less bright red.
- The name “rose hip” or “dog rose” is composed as follows: a “hag” is a thorn bush or a thick bush, while “butte” is related to “butze”, ie the core casing. Another interpretation refers to the fact that the dog rose grows everywhere, so it is “dog common”, whereby “common” is used here in the sense of “usual”.
- Rosehip fruits are actually dummy fruits because the real fruits are inside the rosehip. This is where the nuts grow, which are often mistaken for the seeds.
- The fine hairs on the nuts inside the rose hip are often used by children (and children’s heads) as itch powder. Caution: you can trigger allergies.
- Rosehip jam promotes appetite.
- Other popular names of rose hips include: Hagen, Hiefe, Hiffen, Hift, Rosenäpfel, Hetschhiven, Hetscherl, Hiven, Hetschepetsche, Mehlbeere.
- Rose hips are effective cholesterol lowerers.
- Rose hips can be eaten raw from the shrub by removing the nuts inside.