We all know the good old rosehip tea from childhood. Whether in a youth hostel, on a school trip, or at home – we could drink the fruity tea everywhere. But why is the rosehip so popular? It is considered a superfood and is packed with vitamins that are supposed to strengthen our immune system and protect us from diseases.
You can find out what this superfruit contains in this article.
Superfruit Rosehip - all its benefits
The rosehip is small but mighty, as it contains numerous phytochemicals, abundant vitamins, and fiber. The small, round fruit, which grows on bushes, is particularly popular in our region. We can harvest it ourselves and make delicious rosehip tea or jam from it. In doing so, we also do something good for our health.
The abundant secondary plant compounds, such as flavonoids, protect our cells from free radicals and are among the antioxidants that are particularly important for our body. Furthermore, the flavonoids in rosehips can have pain-relieving and anti-inflammatory effects in joint inflammation.
Fiber helps our digestion stay intact and supports intestinal activities. Especially the fiber pectin can bind cholesterol and toxins. In addition, fiber has a diuretic effect and helps us detoxify the body.
The superpowers of the rosehip
Here, we want to give you a small overview of what the individual vitamins and nutrients can do and what positive effects they can have on our body and health.
Lycopene
The secondary plant compound lycopene is an antioxidant and is partly responsible for the reddish color of the rosehip.
It can protect our cells from free radicals and thus strengthen the body's defenses against hostile attackers.
Pectin
Pectin is a fiber that has a laxative effect and can thus help our body detoxify. It keeps our digestive tract in balance and supports its natural function.
Vitamins and minerals
The rosehip has even more to offer, as it is rich in vitamins A, B1, B2, C, E, K, the minerals magnesium, iron, phosphorus, sodium, calcium, zinc, copper, and omega-3 fatty acids. All these nutrients have a positive effect on our health and contribute to our well-being. That is why it is not surprising that the rosehip is one of the native superfoods.
Vitamin C
The highlight of the rosehip, however, is clearly Vitamin C. On average, rosehips provide about 1250 mg of Vitamin C per 100 g. This varies from variety to variety and can therefore fluctuate significantly. Vitamin C is a particularly important vitamin for our health. It not only strengthens and supports our immune system, but also has other significant effects on our body.
Important functions of Vitamin C / Ascorbic Acid
- Combating free radicals
- Strengthening the immune system
- Formation of neurotransmitters and hormones
- Regenerates connective tissue, hair, nails, and skin
- Supports metabolism
- Better iron absorption in the body
- Helps against spring fatigue
- Helps in detoxifying the body
- Dehydrates the body
- Can alleviate colds
- Promotes cell formation
- Can help with urinary tract infections
Preparing rosehip as a remedy yourself
Of course, you can easily make your own rosehip tea or rosehip jam. However, the process is a bit laborious, because after harvesting, the fruits are first washed and pitted. Then they are dried for a few days so that they can be further processed. If you lightly grind them or process them into flakes, you can then brew your hot tea and enjoy it.
Additionally, you can also make other products from them or eat them directly as dried fruits. Jam, pulp, or rosehip oil for the skin are also particularly popular. They all have healing properties and one thing in common: unfortunately, important nutrients are lost when the fruits are processed. Some of them even disappear completely.
This article is a collaborative effort by the editorial team. It was carefully prepared based on current specialist literature and supplemented with great passion and expertise in naturopathy and healthy living. Our experts in specialized medicine approve all texts before publication.
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