The
rose hip and
rose haw, is the
pomaceousIn botany, a pome is a specialty type of fruit produced by flowering plants in the subfamily Maloideae of the family Rosaceae....
fruitThe term fruit has different meanings dependent on context, and the term is not synonymous in food preparation and biology. Fruits are the means by which flowering plants disseminate seeds, and the presence of seeds indicates that a structure is most likely a fruit, though not all seeds come from...
of the
roseA rose is a perennial flower shrub or vine of the genus Rosa, within the family Rosaceae, that contains over 100 species and comes in a variety of colours. The species form a group of erect shrubs, and climbing or trailing plants, with stems that are often armed with sharp prickles...
plant, that typically is red-to-orange, but might be dark purple-to-black in some species. Contrary to the fairly common myth , rosehips are not poisonous.
Health benefits
- Particularly high in Vitamin C
Vitamin C or L-ascorbic acid is an essential nutrient for humans, in which it functions as a vitamin. Ascorbate is required for a range of essential metabolic reactions in all animals and plants...
, with about 1700–2000 mg per 100 g in the dried product, one of the richest plant sources.
- RP-HPLC assays of fresh rose hips and several commercially available products revealed a wide range of L-ascorbic acid content, ranging from 0.03 to 1.3%.
- Rose hips contain vitamins C, D and E, essential fatty acids and antioxidant
An antioxidant is a molecule capable of slowing or preventing the oxidation of other molecules. Oxidation is a chemical reaction that transfers electrons from a substance to an oxidizing agent. Oxidation reactions can produce free radicals, which start chain reactions that damage cells...
flavonoidFlavonoids , also collectively known as Vitamin P and citrin, are a class of plant secondary metabolites. According to the IUPAC nomenclature, they can be classified into:...
s.
- Rose hip powder is touted as a remedy for rheumatoid arthritis
Rheumatoid arthritis is a chronic, systemic inflammatory disorder that may affect many tissues and organs, but principally attacks the joints producing an inflammatory synovitis that often progresses to destruction of the articular cartilage and ankylosis of the joints...
(the article cited seems unclear on the distinction between osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis, and is in other ways scientifically unspecific).
Usage
Rose hips are used for herbal tea, jam, jelly,
syrupIn cooking, a syrup is a thick, viscous liquid, containing a large amount of dissolved sugars, but showing little tendency to deposit crystals. The viscosity arises from the multiple hydrogen bonds between the dissolved sugar, which has many hydroxyl groups, and the water...
, beverages,
pieA pie is a baked dish which is usually made of a pastry dough shell that covers or completely contains a filling of various sweet or savoury ingredients...
s,
breadBread is a staple food prepared by cooking a dough of flour and water and possibly more ingredients. Doughs are usually baked in the Western world , but in some cuisines breads are steamed, fried, or baked on a hot skillet. It may be leavened or unleavened...
, and
marmaladeMarmalade is a fruit preserve, made of orange or other citrus fruit, sugar, and water. Recipes include some amount of peel and zest, which imparts a sharp, bitter taste from the bitter citrus oil....
.
A few rose species are sometimes grown for the ornamental value of their hips, such as
Rosa moyesiiRosa moyesii is a large shrub rose, originating in West China. It has red flowers in summer, followed by prominent bottle-shaped rose-hips. It is sometimes grown as a specimen ornamental shrub, and has been used in rose breeding....
, which has prominent large red bottle-shaped fruits.
Rose hips have recently become popular as a healthy treat for pet chinchillas. Chinchillas are unable to manufacture their own Vitamin C, but lack the proper internal organs to process many vitamin-C rich foods. Rose Hips provide a sugarless, safe way to increase the Vitamin C intake of chinchillas and guinea pigs.
Rose hips are also fed to horses. The dried and powdered form can be fed at a maximum of 1 tablespoon per day to improve coat condition and new hoof growth.
The fine hairs found inside rose hips are used as
itching powderItching powder refers to a group of powders or powder-like substances that induce itching when applied onto human skin. This is usually done as a practical joke or prank to an unsuspecting victim....
. Dried rosehips are also sold for primitive crafts and home fragrance purposes. Rosehips are scented with essential oils and can be used as a potpourri room air freshener.
Roses are propagated from hips by removing the seeds from the aril (the outer coating) and sowing just beneath the surface of the soil. Placed in a cold frame or a greenhouse, the seeds take at least three months to germinate.
In World War II, the people of England gathered wild-grown rose hips and made a Vitamin C syrup for children. This was because German submarines were sinking many commercial ships: citrus fruits from the tropics were very difficult to import.
Rose hips were used in many food preparations by the
indigenous peoples of the AmericasThe indigenous peoples of the Americas are the pre-Columbian inhabitants of the Americas, their descendants, and many ethnic groups who identify with those peoples...
.
Rose hips are used for
coldsAcute viral rhinopharyngitis, or acute coryza, known as an upper respiratory virus, or commonly called a cold, is a contagious, viral infectious disease of the upper respiratory system, primarily caused by rhinoviruses, or coronaviruses...
and
influenzaInfluenza, commonly referred to as the flu, is an infectious disease caused by RNA viruses of the family Orthomyxoviridae , that affects birds and mammals. The name influenza is Italian and means "influence"...
.
Rose hips can be used to make
PalinkaPalinka is a traditional Hungarian and Romanian double-distilled fruit brandy that is produced in Hungary and in Transylvania. It is most often made from various kinds of fruit; the most common varieties are made from plums, pears, or apricots...
, a traditional Hungarian alcoholic beverage.
Rose hips of some species, especially
Rosa canina (Dog Rose) and
R. majalisRosa majalis J. Herrm. is a species of deciduous shrubs in the genus Rosa, native to forests of Europe and Siberia. It grows to 2 m. and yields edible hip fruits rich in vitamin C, which are used in medicine and to produce rose hip syrup....
, have been used as a source of
Vitamin CVitamin C or L-ascorbic acid is an essential nutrient for humans, in which it functions as a vitamin. Ascorbate is required for a range of essential metabolic reactions in all animals and plants...
. Rose hips are commonly used as a herbal tea, often blended with
hibiscusHibiscus is a genus of plants with member species often noted for their showy flowers and commonly known as hibiscus or less widely as rosemallow or flor de Jamaica. This large genus includes about 200–220 species of flowering plants in the family Malvaceae native to warm, temperate,...
and as an oil. They can also be used to make jam, jelly,
marmaladeMarmalade is a fruit preserve, made of orange or other citrus fruit, sugar, and water. Recipes include some amount of peel and zest, which imparts a sharp, bitter taste from the bitter citrus oil....
and wine. Rose hip
soupSoup is a food that is made by combining ingredients, such as meat and vegetables with stock, juice, water or another liquid. Hot soups are additionally characterized by boiling solid ingredients in liquids until the flavor is extracted, forming a broth....
, "nyponsoppa," is especially popular in
SwedenSweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe...
.
Rhodomel, a type of
meadMead is an alcoholic beverage, made from honey and water via fermentation with yeast. Its alcoholic content may range from that of a mild ale to that of a strong wine. It may be still, carbonated, or sparkling. It may be dry, semi-sweet, or sweet...
, is made with rose hips.
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