Rose hips have many benefits for your health. People also call them the fruit of the rose, because they are found underneath rose petals. Rose hips have a round shape and are filled with seeds. However, they do not blossom at the same time as roses do (in the spring and summer months).  Rose hips start growing after the petals of the flower have already bloomed and started falling off (early to mid-fall). Furthermore, many people say that these fruits of the rose flower are actually sweeter if you pick them after the first frost of the season. Today we are going to tell you more about this packed with nutrients and disease-fighting fruity herb.

What are Rose Hips?

This fruit contains many small, edible seeds, which are a good source of various nutrients. Wild rose hips have a red-orange color, which they get from carotenoid pigments known as lycopene and beta carotene. According to some studies, these pigments can help promote skin and eye health. Furthermore, Rosehips are also abundant in disease-fighting antioxidants, including vitamin C, quercetin, catechins, and ellagic acid. This exact mix is able to fight inflammation and oxidative stress in your body. Not to mention the fact that vitamin C is essential for collagen synthesis and developing a strong immune system.

What are the benefits of Rose hips?

People have used Rose hips for hundreds of years in traditional and folk medicine because they possess anti-inflammatory and pain-relieving properties.

Helps you keep looking young 

In the beauty community, Rosehip oil is very known and well used for promoting skin beauty and slowing down aging. This product is typically made by cold-pressed rose hips, in which way professionals extract their natural oils. The popularity of Rosehip oil is due to the fact that its’ seeds contain high amounts of polyunsaturated fats. They are known to promote a healthy skin membrane and help protect your skin from inflammatory compounds (like ultraviolet (cigarette smoke, UV) rays, and pollution). This is why using Rosehip oil is a great way to help protect and replenish your skin barrier in a natural way.

Rose hips could promote a healthy heart

According to some limited research, consuming rose hips, as a form of tea may help you keep your heart healthy. This is due to its’ ability to lower the bad cholesterol in your blood and normalize blood pressure. Keep in mind that rose hips are also rich in fiber, which is associated with better heart health. Another reason why Rose hips could promote heart health is due to the fact that they contain high amounts of antioxidants.

Supporting a strong immune system 

As we mentioned above, rose hips have a high concentration of vitamin C. Even though the amounts of this vitamin vary by the plants, it is recorded that rose hips have one of the highest vitamin C content of all fruits and vegetables. As you may already know, Vitamin C is absolutely necessary for the normal execution of various essential processes in your body, including:

• Fueling the production of white blood cells, which protect your body against infection and fight it off in case it gets inside of it.
• Intensifying the function of lymphocytes.
• Helping your skin maintain a strong protective barrier against outside pathogens.

Rose hips are also rich in polyphenols and vitamins A and E, all of which are very important for supporting a strong immune system.

Rose hips may help reduce joint pain

As we mentioned above, Rose hips are packed with nutrients that have strong anti-inflammatory effects. What you may not know is that some of them include polyphenols and galactolipids. Galactolipids are the main types of fat in cell membranes. According to a study they have powerful anti-inflammatory effects and thus could have the ability to reduce joint pain. Researches also suggest that Rosehip extract can help aid rheumatoid arthritis. However, note that in research on rose hips’ anti-inflammatory benefits, the concentrated extract is used, rather than tea.

Bottom line

People have been using this magnificent fruity herb for centuries because of its’ benefits for the skin and overall health. Due to the fact that Rose hips are packed with antioxidants and other essential nutrients, like Vitamin C, A, and E, they could help fight off inflammation, lower blood pressure, and bad cholesterol, and even aid joint pain. The rosehip oil is very popular for its’ anti-aging properties as well. Even though rose hips are generally safe for consumption, please first check with your healthcare specialist before starting to supplement with them.