The Benefits of Rose Hips: Learn How the Uses for Rose Hips Can Boost Your Health

The Benefits of Rose Hips: Learn How the Uses for Rose Hips Can Boost Your Health
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Rose Hips

When it comes to roses, your health may not be the first thing that comes to mind but roses are filled with numerous nutrients that are beneficial to your health. The rose hips, which are basically the fruit of the rose, are often used as an herbal remedy or supplement. Rose hips are found on any kind of roses including wild roses that you can find growing all over the world. Unlike many other fruits that are closely related to them, rose hips do not contain a large amount of edible fruit but when opened you will instead find many seeds covered with tiny little hairs.

How To Find Rose Hips

You can buy rose hips as a supplement or you can gather your own from wild roses you find. If you have your own roses, you have to wait until after the rose blooms and the flower dies, although you would have to have a large number of roses to be able to harvest enough rose hips. Most people are not even aware of the rose hips because it has become so common to cut the flowers off as soon as they begin to die and the rose hips don’t begin to develop until this time. The hips won’t develop unless the roses are left on to wilt and die. They should be picked from mid September and into October when they are full and red.

Benefits of Rose Hips

One of the most beneficial things that you can get from rose hips is vitamin C which helps strengthen the immune system. One tablespoon of pulp has 60 mg of vitamin C so this makes them great for preventing and fighting off colds. Rose hips also offer vitamin A, iron, calcium, vitamin E, carotenoids, selenium, manganese, fruit acids, pectin, B-complex vitamins and smaller amounts of magnesium and potassium.

Carotenoids are yellow-orange pigments that have many antioxidant properties. The fruit acids and pectin have a slight laxative effect for gentle relief of mild cases of constipation. Rose hips also have mild diuretic and astringent properties which can help control chronic kidney disease or poor bladder control. It’s antibiotic and anti inflammatory properties make it a wonderful disinfectant.

Uses For Rose Hips

There are many uses for rose hips and they can be prepared in a variety of ways. One of the most common uses of rose hips is as a tea by pouring one cup boiling water over 1 tablespoon of dried crushed rose hips. Allow this to steep for 10 minutes and then strain.

Wine can be made by removing the seeds from 3½ oz. of dried rose hips and steeping the hulls in one quart of dry red wine for two weeks. Strain and drink one small glass per day to boost your immune system.

A liqueur can be made by placing seven ounces of dried rose hips and ½ cup sugar in 1¼ cups of 100 proof alcohol. Let this sit for four weeks. Dilute the strained liquid with ¾ cup of water. Drink one small liqueur glass per day.

Raw pulp can be made by blending the hulls of the freshly picked fruits into a purée and pressed through a sieve. This fresh fruit can be eaten raw or used to make jelly. You can also make cooked pulp by steeping the hulls of freshly picked fruits overnight in water. Then simmer for thirty minutes and then strain. Eat just like that or add to sauces for your favorite meals. The pulp can be stored by freezing into small portions.

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