Rosehip – superfruit with effects
Rosehip, also known as the fruit of the dog rose, offers a variety of health benefits and has been used in both naturopathy and cosmetics for centuries. Learn all about the versatile rosehip, its effect on health and how it boosts the immune system.
The key points
- The rosehip is a versatile fruit that is used both in naturopathy and in cosmetics.
- It contains lots of nutrients such as vitamin C, provitamin A and B vitamins.
- Rosehip has anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties that can also help to relieve pain for osteoarthritis patients.
- It can be used both fresh and dried.
- The flowers and seeds of rosehip can be used in cosmetics to soothe any skin irritation and moisturise.
How to use rosehip to benefit from its full effects
The aggregate fruits of the dog rose can be eaten both in their firm skin or in a soft form. However, rosehips only achieve their full aroma when the flesh is soft. But how can you tell the right time to pick them? As soon as you can gently push in the skin of the fruit, the flesh is soft enough for processing.
Before you eat them, make sure you take out the seeds inside. These are covered with fine, barbed hairs that cause itching on the skin And should not be eaten or used with the rest of the fruit. This means it’s a good idea to put on gloves when picking the fruits.
Above all, drying the fruit delivers benefits. That’s because the rosehip can also unfold its effect as a tea. In addition, the dried form of the fruit keeps much longer. The seeds should be carefully removed beforehand. To preserve the valuable nutrients of the rosehips, gentle drying at no more than 40 °C is best. After drying, you can also make the rosehips into powder if you have a powerful blender. Powdered rosehips are not only great on muesli, but are also a luxurious addition to smoothies or sauces.
The effect of rosehip on health and the skin
The effects of the flowers of rosehip make it ideal for producing rose vinegar. The delicate specimens also offer nutrients for your skin. The blossoms can be used, for example, to make a refreshing facial tonic with a delicate rose scent. Even the seeds are used in natural cosmetics. They contain unsaturated fatty acids such as alpha-linolenic acid for clear skin and protection against dryness.
Healthy rosehip contains vitamin C in particular. This makes it the perfect immune booster and it also contains provitamin A and the B vitamins thiamine (B1) and riboflavin (B2). The bright red of rosehips comes from a pigment and antioxidant called lycopene. In addition, the skin contains pectin, which is one of the water-insoluble dietary fibres. 100 g of rosehips contain a whole quarter of your recommended intake of calcium.
In addition to their immune-strengthening effect, rosehips are also considered to be diuretic and diaphoretic. They also have anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties. Scientific studies indicate that these characteristics can lead to pain relief in osteoarthritis patients.
