Rosehips--This Bud's for You!

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Rosehips--This Bud's for You!

Sep 09, 2002 11:14 PDT

 

Rosehips

This Bud's for You!

 

In England during World War II, there was a shortage of citrus

fruit,

among other things. The Brits needed vitamin C to prevent scurvy and

contagious diseases. When it was discovered that rosehips were

loaded

with vitamin C, the government advised everyone from the local youth

groups to the happy homemakers to go out into the fields and pick

those

hips.

 

Rosehips are the seed-filled fruit of the rose after the petals fall

away. They range in length from ¼ to ½ inch and are oblong in shape.

Within months, thousands of tons of rosehips were picked, eaten and

made

into syrups, preserves and teas.

Many of those Brits would tell you today that the natural vitamin C

found in the rosehips was the magic bullet that kept them healthy!

 

A Difference of Opinion

Today, scientists tend to debunk that statement. They argue that one

would have to eat or drink " a dangerously high volume " of rosehips

to

get the amount of vitamin C that is recommended for prevention.

 

But herbalists, nutritionists and holistic health practitioners

aren't

usually in agreement with scientists, especially about matters of

health. People who take the natural road of healing choose to look

at

different statistics.

And those numbers tell us that fresh rosehips straight off the bush

have

60 TIMES more vitamin C than citrus fruits.

 

A generous handful of fresh hips equals as many as 10 or 12 oranges!

 

The syrups, preserves, extracts and teas don't pack the same punch

as

the fresh fruit due to the drying process needed to make them. But

they

still retain around 30 to 40 percent of the initial levels of

natural

vitamin C found in the fresh fruit.

That is still a fair amount of C compared to what you might be

getting

in the dried tablet vitamins.

 

Several Beneficial Varieties

The variety of rosehips usually associated with medicinal value is

Rosa Canina, more commonly known as dog rose,

wild rose, brier rose and wild brier. The varieties known as Rosa

Rugosa and Rosa Centifolia are also winners in the rosehips field.

 

In order for vitamin C to really be effective, it must be combined

with

bio-flavonoids.

 

When bio-flavonoids and vitamin C are in combination, they enhance

the

body's ability to absorb vitamin C and use it more effectively.

 

In plants and berries that are known for their vitamin C count,

bio-flavonoids naturally occur together with no synthetic, lab-

created

middle man.

 

Bio-flavonoids are considered essential nutrients when it comes to

building and sustaining a strong vascular system.

This, in turn, helps those who suffer from problems associated with

the

veins and capillaries.

 

 

 

What Are the Hips Good For?

 

The obvious benefits of rosehips' vitamin C are an ability to treat

an

infection, stimulate the immune system and prevent contagious

disease.

 

Rosehips also have a healthy dose of vitamins A, B, E, and K, as

well as

iron, selenium, manganese, calcium and B-complex.

 

Rosehips act as a gentle blood purifier, cleansing the body of

toxins

that are eliminated through the kidneys.

This kidney connection is important, since rosehips have been used

to

prevent and treat kidney stones and bladder infections by breaking

up

uric acid deposits, commonly called " gravel " .

They do this without irritating the kidneys as many diuretics have

been

known to do.

 

If you suffer from migraines, there has been great success stopping

the

attacks by taking 3 100 mg vitamin C tablets that include natural

rosehips. The secret to this cure is that you take the 3 100 mg

tablets

at the very beginning of the migraine attack.

 

When you're suffering from a cold and/or fever, rosehip tea can be a

gentle drink that both replenishes the system with much-needed

vitamins

and supports the immune system response as it soothes the body.

 

Rosehips tea taken 3 times a day is a wonderful tonic when you have

that

running-on-empty, exhausted feeling.

Furthermore, I cup taken before bedtime is said to ensure a restful

night's sleep. You can thank rosehips' high vitamin C content for

this

feat,since it works directly to soothe the nerves.

 

Tea-Brewing Tips

When making a tea from the hips, NEVER boil them! This destroys

their

medicinal value.

Pour 8 ounces of very hot, but not boiling, water over 2 or 3

teaspoons

of dried hips. Cover and let steep for 20 minutes.

 

To paraphrase the old saying,

" A rose is a rose is a rose " —a rosehip is a healer is a healer is a

healer.

 

 

 

By Laurel Dewey

Laurel Dewey's column, " The Humorous Herbalist "

Appears in newspapers and magazines nationwide.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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