Learn About Our Ingredients –
Pop quiz: What do the following Elderberry Family Farms products have in common?
• Elderberry Citrus Ginger Tea
• Elderberry Plus Immune Tincture
• Elderberry Fruit Blend Tea
• Elderberry Plus Rosehip Extract
If you answered “elderberry” of course you would be right. Because we use elderberry in pretty much everything. But we’ve discovered another natural herbal product with some impressive benefits, almost as impressive as elderberry.
Rosehips. Yup, the fruit of the rose bush.
The rosehip, also called the rose haw or rose hep, is the fruit of various species of rose plants. It is typically red to orange but can be dark purple or even black in some species. Rosehips begin to form after pollination of the flowers in spring or early summer and ripen in late summer through autumn.
You can harvest rosehips from your own bushes, or wild rosehips, which are particularly rich in Vitamin C. If those aren’t available, they can also be purchased commercially from most herbal supply stores.
All rosehips are edible, but you may not want to eat them straight off the bush, and some varieties taste better than others. Raw rosehips contain tiny hairs that cause itching, so they are best cooked, strained to get all the hairs out, and made into syrup, jam, or herbal concentrate.
But why would you want to add rosehips to your diet?
Rosehips are bursting with phytonutrients and have a long history of uses in traditional medicine. Rosehips contain beta-carotene, lutein, zeaxanthin, and lycopene, which are under research for a variety of biological roles. Human studies have also been conducted examining the potential of rosehip extracts for reducing arthritis pain. *
Scientific research has determined that rosehips may be helpful in several conditions. *
A clinical study has shown that rosehips may significantly reduce the incidence and severity of colds and boost overall well-being. Other studies have confirmed a significant antibiotic effect against several strains of bacteria, as well as inhibiting the growth of fungi. Rosehips have also been shown to exhibit pain reducing and anti-inflammatory properties. *
Like elderberries, rosehips have impressive antioxidant abilities, making them an excellent choice for boosting immunity and reducing oxidative stress on cells. *
Rosehips contain highly bioavailable forms of Vitamin C, alpha and gamma tocopherols, which are natural forms of Vitamin E, carotenoid compounds, quercetin and rutin, which all assist in neutralizing free radicals. *
We could go on and on about the many bio compounds found in rosehips (there are at least 30) but suffice it to say… we’re impressed.
How do you harvest and prepare rosehips for consumption?
Once the petals of the rose drop off and the fruit ripens to a red or orange color, it’s time to harvest the rosehips. This is when they contain the highest antioxidant and Vitamin C levels. Depending on when they are harvested and how they are prepared, two or three rosehips may equal the amount of Vitamin C in an orange.
Most people dry the rosehips because of the gooey, hairy nature of the raw fruit. But be careful, rosehips dried in the sun or with heat lose potency. Drying them in a dark room is better. After they’ve been dried, you can use them to make syrup, jam, tea, or herbal tincture.
Or… you could just let us do the work for you.
If you answered that pop quiz correctly, you know that we’ve added rosehips to our Elderberry Citrus Ginger Tea, Elderberry Plus Immune Support Tincture, Elderberry Fruit Blend Tea, and Elderberry Rosehip Extract.
All delicious ways to get a daily dose of elderberry and rosehips.
And as always, it’s just another way we help empower the natural health of you and your family.
Research Sources:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rose_hip
https://plantmedicines.org/rose-hip-reduces-common-cold-and-cold-severity/
https://plantmedicines.org/diseases-treated-rose-hips/
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S2210803318300265#!
* These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease
Disclaimer: External (outbound) links to other websites or educational material (e.g., PDF’s, research sources, etc.…) that are not explicitly created by Elderberry Family Farms are followed at your own risk. Under no circumstances is Elderberry Family Farms responsible for the claims of third-party websites or educational providers.
