Rose Hips – sources, health benefits, nutrients, uses and constituents at NaturalPedia.com

Rose hips are the round red and orange berry-like fruits that grow on rose bushes, consumed mostly for their medicinal properties. According to LiveStrong.com, rose hips when fresh contain 60 times more vitamin C than an orange, which explains why they have been long valued in traditional folk medicine — especially the roses from two particular varieties of rose plants: Rosa gallica, and Rosa canina, which originate from Asia, Northern Africa, and Europe. Rose hips can be eaten, or used on the body as oil.

List of known nutrients

According to StyleCraze.com:

• Calcium
• Carbohydrates
• Dietary fiber
• Iron
• Magnesium
• Niacin
• Phosphorus
• Potassium
• Protein
• Riboflavin
• Sodium
• Thiamin
• Vitamin A
• Vitamin B6
• Vitamin C
• Vitamin E
• Vitamin K
• Zinc

Medicinal uses for rose hips

Rose hips are high in antioxidants, which allow them to fight cell damage caused by free radicals, HealthBenefitsTimes.com said. This gives rose hips cancer prevention properties. Consuming rose hips may help fight the dreaded disease.

Rose hips have been used to manage diabetes, with compounds that create a hypoglycemic effect in diabetic individuals.

They can protect the skin from melanoma, which is an aggressive form of skin cancer, due to a flavonoid called quercetin which normally occurs in rose hips.

Rose hips have an anti-inflammatory effect that has been used traditionally as a treatment for osteoarthritis.

They are known to support heart health, decreasing blood pressure as well as LDL cholesterol levels to ensure smoother flow of blood through the arteries. In fact, they have been found to work better than prescription drugs often taken for high blood pressure and cholesterol.

Their high vitamin C content makes them an effective remedy for colds. The vitamin C also strengthens the immune system and helps the body fight off infections.

Rose hips are also useful for managing stomach spasms, irritations, and ulcers, as well as digestive problems like diarrhea. It has also been known to help with gall stones and gall bladder problems, gout, and urinary tract infections.

Rose hips are also commonly used for skin care, and when applied topically can reduce the appearance of spots and scars, as well as improve skin hydration.

Rose hips may also be efficient against:

• Allergies
• Asthma
• Bronchitis
• Stress

Body systems supported by rose hips

Here are the body systems that benefit from avocado, according to OrganicFacts.net:

• Cardiovascular system
• Digestive system
• Immune system
• Skin
• Urinary system

Ways to use rose hips

Various preparations of rose hips are available commercially, and many can be done at home as well. According to MotherEarthLiving.com, fresh rose hips can be eaten like berries, or cooked. Dishes that could work with rose hips include compote, pie, or muffins. More commonly, rose hips are taken as a tea. Dried rose hips can also be used to make jams or jellies. Oil made from rose hips is also sold commercially, and can be applied directly on to the skin to reap the skincare benefits of the fruit.

Where to learn more

• Rose hips provide vitamin C, relieve osteoarthritis, and may prevent diabetes
• Rose hips protects your heart: Research
• Rose hips: A gift from autumn hedgerows
• Rose hips can ease your rheumatoid arthritis: Research
• How to harvest and prepare rose hips for maximum health benefits

Summary

Rose hips may help prevent cancer and skin melanoma.

They can manage diabetes.

They can be used to treat osteoarthritis.

They can lower blood pressure and cholesterol levels.

Rose hips are effective against colds.

They strengthen the immune system.

Rose hips can be used to to alleviate stomach problems.

They can help with gall stones, gall bladder problems, and urinary tract infections.

They can improve the appearance of scars and dark spots on the skin.

Sources include:

LiveStrong.com

StyleCraze.com

HealthBenefitsTimes.com

OrganicFacts.net

MotherEarthLiving.com