Benefits of Rosehip
The Beautiful Benefits of Rosehip
We love roses for their beauty and subtle perfume, with gardening enthusiasts sometimes growing dozens of color variations. There are over 10,000 varieties of rose now available, and up to 5,000 separate species. Roses have been symbols of love and beauty for centuries, and they are an expected gift on Valentine’s Day and, in Eastern Europe, International Women’s Day.
When their petals fall off, the benefits of roses becomes antioxidant-rich fruits (or seeds) known as rosehips. So, what can rosehips do for us?
The Story of Rosehip
The value of rosehips has been appreciated for 2,000 years; even the first rosary beads were made from them (hence the name). Roman scholar Pliny the Elder wrote of various ways to use rose products as medicine around this time, including their fruits. They have been traditional foods across many cultures, from rosehip jam in the Middle East to tea in Europe, and nyponsoppa (rosehip soup) in Sweden.
However, certain rose species stand out for the benefits and quality of their fruits. Rosa canina (the variety of rosehip that we offer) contains 10-50 times the vitamin C of an orange. During World War II rosehips were even grown as a way to prevent scurvy when citrus fruits were in short supply. The discovery of vitamin C’s anti-aging properties and the revival of herbal medicine as a science has now led to an even deeper understanding of how these little fruits can benefit our health.
5 Reasons to Enjoy the Benefits of Rosehip Tea
How do roses surprise us when they open and bear fruit? Here are our top five reasons to include rosehip tea in your everyday life.
Skin Anti-Aging Benefits
Aging as a biological process is now often known as “inflammaging” and has long been connected to oxidative stress. For this reason, many skincare products today contain rosehip extracts for their benefits in reducing the appearance of wrinkles, but is rosehip tea the better option?
The vitamin C content of rosehips may be the main benefit behind their anti-aging properties. As an antioxidant, vitamin C has direct benefits against oxidative free radicals. It even helps to recharge more powerful antioxidants, such as those our bodies produce themselves. We also need vitamin C to produce collagen, which is the most prevalent connective tissue protein in the body. Skin, tendons, ligaments, bones, and blood vessels all benefit from collagen. Even our organs contain connective tissue, including collagen.
Despite clever marketing campaigns, skin creams are unlikely to be the best source of vitamin C for wrinkles and sagging. Vitamin C is water-soluble, while skin cell membranes and protective secretions are fat- and wax-based. This makes the benefits of vitamin C hard to absorb as an ingredient in topical creams. As a result, it’s best to enjoy rosehips as a strong tea.
Weight Loss
Between aggressive marketing of junk foods, the encouragement of sedentary lifestyles (who wasn’t told to sit still as kids?), and hormone-disrupting chemicals that hammer energy levels and worsen cravings, obesity is a serious problem in today’s world. The metabolic benefits of rosehip can, however, break the cycle.
When 32 overweight volunteers were given either rosehip powder or placebo, they were instructed to take it for three months without changing their diets. The rosehip group saw small but significant benefits such as a drop in body weight, BMI, and total abdominal fat. Their most impressive change was in abdominal visceral fat, which fell from 88.67cm2 to 79.41cm2.
Visceral (between the organs) abdominal fat is far more dangerous to your health than fat lying just under your skin because of its inflammatory, insulin-dysregulating properties.
Osteoarthritis Relief
Osteoarthritis is a common age-related condition where “wear and tear” causes a loss of joint cartilage. It even affects some younger athletes with a history of injury or high-impact sport. Rosehips can thankfully act as an alternative to the eventually damaging conventional treatments such as corticosteroids.
When a clinical trial compared five grams of rosehip powder every day to a placebo, the volunteers’ average pain severity started to fall within three weeks. At three months, disability, stiffness, and overall severity also fell. Rosehips contain several anti-inflammatory components that can benefit connective tissue, and the vitamin C in rosehips may increase collagen production.
Chronic Pain Relief
Lower back pain, whether it is related to osteoarthritis or not, also increases with age. It can reduce physical activity and leave anyone feeling old, so why not give rosehip a try?
A year-long observational study in Germany found that rosehip extracts can significantly relieve pain and disability caused by lower back pain. In one study, researchers defined a responder as someone with an at least 50% improvement in pain or disability, or an at least 20% improvement in both. By 24 weeks, 60% were responders. People who started out with greater symptom severity enjoyed the most benefits.
Urinary Health
Urinary tract infections (UTIs) are more common among women, especially if you have had multiple sexual partners, are post-menopausal, or have just given birth. If you are having a Caesarean birth, the risk is even higher, but rosehip may significantly lower your risk of developing an UTI.
A clinical trial of 400 women compared two daily doses of 500mg of rosehip for 20 days after giving birth to a placebo. For the first 10 days, women taking rosehip were 78% less likely to contract a UTI, but on day 20 their risk reduction fell to 68%.
How did rosehips work? Some antioxidants in rosehips are also antibacterial, including quercetin. Quercetin can impair the growth of bacteria including E. coli, which is the most common cause of UTIs. Its antioxidant properties in general may boost the immune system too, giving you more power to fight off infections before they become a problem.
Overall, rosehips are a great helping hand when it comes to looking and feeling younger. Rosehips are best enjoyed as a strong tea, or you can grind or blend the seeds to drink them straight or as part of a juice or smoothie. To try rosehip tea for yourself, click here.
Benefits of Rosehip FAQ
Q: What is rosehip tea and how does it benefit health?
A: Rosehip tea is made from the fruit of the rose plant. Its health benefits include high vitamin C content for immune support, antioxidants for cellular protection, anti-inflammatory properties that can alleviate joint pain, and promoting skin health through vitamins that support collagen production.
Q: Does rosehip tea have benefits for skin?
A: Rosehip tea can improve skin appearance. It is rich in vitamins C and E, both of which are essential for maintaining healthy, youthful skin. Vitamin C aids in collagen synthesis, which can help reduce wrinkles, while Vitamin E protects the skin against damage from the environment. Its antioxidant properties also mean it can help reduce signs of aging.
Q: Does rosehip tea have immune system benefits?
A: Yes, rosehip tea is an excellent beverage for immune system support. Its high vitamin C content is crucial for strengthening the immune system, and the antioxidants help protect cells from damage by toxins or infectious agents.
Q: Does rosehip tea have weight loss benefits?
A: Rosehip tea can be a beneficial addition to a weight loss diet. The tea is naturally low in calories and can be a satisfying, hydrating beverage with a flavor that may curb sweet cravings. Moreover, the compounds in rosehips could help with fat metabolism and reduce abdominal fat.
Q: Does rosehip tea have joint pain relief benefits?
A: Rosehip tea is known to have anti-inflammatory benefits, which can help with joint pain relief. If rosehip is used for joint pain, it is often in combination with more traditional pain relief herbs.
Q: How often should you drink rosehip tea for its benefits?
A: Enjoying rosehip tea 1-3 times daily can offer health benefits. However, as with any supplement, moderation is key, and it is important to balance your intake with a varied diet. If you have any specific health concerns, consult with a healthcare provider before introducing rosehip tea into your routine regularly.
Related Articles
10 Yarrow Herbal Tea Recipes That You Can Make at Home
References
This blog post has been compiled from reliable sources to ensure the veracity of the mentioned details. Any reference to scientific studies, historical data, or culinary information has been thoroughly cross verified.
Ayati, Z., Amiri, M. S., Ramezani, M., Delshad, E., Sahebkar, A., & Emami, S. A. (2018). Phytochemistry, traditional uses and pharmacological profile of rose hip: A review. Current pharmaceutical design, 24(35), 4101-4124.
Patel, S. (2017). Rose hip as an underutilized functional food: Evidence-based review. Trends in Food Science & Technology, 63, 29-38.
Pullar, J. M., Carr, A. C., & Vissers, M. (2017). The roles of vitamin C in skin health. Nutrients, 9(8), 866.
Nagatomo, A., Nishida, N., Fukuhara, I., Noro, A., Kozai, Y., Sato, H., & Matsuura, Y. (2015). Daily intake of rosehip extract decreases abdominal visceral fat in preobese subjects: a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial. Diabetes, metabolic syndrome and obesity: targets and therapy, 147-156.
Winther, K., Apel, K., & Thamsborg, G. (2005). A powder made from seeds and shells of a rose‐hip subspecies (Rosa canina) reduces symptoms of knee and hip osteoarthritis: a randomized, double‐blind, placebo‐controlled clinical trial. Scandinavian journal of rheumatology, 34(4), 302-308.
Chrubasik, C., Wiesner, L., Black, A., Müller‐Ladner, U., & Chrubasik, S. (2008). A one‐year survey on the use of a powder from Rosa canina lito in acute exacerbations of chronic pain. Phytotherapy research, 22(9), 1141-1148.
Seifi, M., Abbasalizadeh, S., Mohammad‐Alizadeh‐Charandabi, S., Khodaie, L., & Mirghafourvand, M. (2018). The effect of Rosa (L. Rosa canina) on the incidence of urinary tract infection in the puerperium: A randomized placebo‐controlled trial. Phytotherapy research, 32(1), 76-83.
Pekacar, S., Bulut, S., Özüpek, B., & Orhan, D. D. (2021). Anti-Inflammatory and Analgesic Effects of Rosehip in Inflammatory Musculoskeletal Disorders and Its Active Molecules. Current Molecular Pharmacology, 14(5), 731-745.
Winther, K., Warholm, L., Campbell-Tofte, J., & Marstrand, K. (2018). Effect of Rosa canina L.(Rose-hip) on cold during winter season in a middle-class population: A randomized, double-blinded, placebo-controlled trial. Journal of herbal medicine, 13, 34-41.