I love finding and foraging for wild plants that can be used for food or for medicinal purposes. I found these beauties on one of my recent hikes. Rich in antioxidants, rose hips are touted as a natural boost to strengthen the immune system, promote circulation, reduce inflammation and pain, to aid digestive issues, help with diabetes, ulcers, gallstones, gout, and urinary tract infections.
With all this goodness, why not grow and harvest rose hips for yourself? While any type of rose will yield rose hips, the rosa rugosa is the most common for medicinal purposes and is thought to have the best flavor with a tinge of tartness.. The later in the season the better for nutritional quality, however one wants to pick them while they are still plump before they begin to shrivel.
Once harvested, wash thoroughly to rinse off any environmental contaminants or pesticide residue. Always remove the seeds. Rose hips have versatile uses and can be frozen and stored for later usage as well. Frequently used for jelly, jam syrup, fruit leather or tea, rose hips are an invaluable high quality natural source of vitamin C.
If you prefer to buy your vitamin C in a bottle, be sure to check it is sourced from nature. If in the ingredient list, it says ascorbic acid, the product is synthetic and is sourced from fermented corn, hydrochloric acid and acetone. Other high sources of natural vitamin C are derived from citrus, blackberries and acerola (a small cherry-like fruit from the West Indies).
Sources:
Iannotti, Marie How to Harvest and Use Rose Hips The Spruce Make Your Best Home October 2021
Wong, Cathy. What is Rose Hip? Very Well Health https://www.verywellhealth.com/the-benefits-of-rose-hip-89506
TouchStone Essnetials: The 5 Problems with Vitamins https://halaihealingplace.com/wp-content/uploads/5-Problems-With-Vitamins.pdf
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