Around this time of year after the first frost, rosehips
have been primed and are ready for harvesting. The reason its best to wait until after the first frost to collect your hips is because the below zero temperatures cause stress to the plant making the sugars in the fruit more concentrated.
Nature gives us these little reddy orange jewels to prepare, support & boost our systems ready for the winter months ahead. Rosehips are packed with vitamin C (higher than oranges), they are rich in antioxidants & are incredibly versatile. Below are a few of the ways we can use & benefit from rosehips but there are many more ideas & recipes out there. I couldn’t live without rosehips from skincare point of view.
The oil is incredibly beneficial for the skin, a real hero oil & that’s why you’ll find it in so many of my skincare products.
Rosehips are the fruit of the rose and all varieties of
roses produce these fruits which can be used for medicinal or culinary purposes. When the flower is not picked and the petals have fallen what is left is the hip.
Warning:
Rosehips have tiny hairs inside that cause irritation to the mucous membranes in your mouth & intestines, so it is important to remove them when consuming them, however you can keep them whole when making a tea.
Preparing Rosehips:
After harvesting your rosehips, wash them, trim both ends and cut them in half. Using a small spoon or butter knife scrap out the seeds & hairs, then rinse to further ensure hairs are removed. Lay on a dry clean tea towel & allow them to dry off.
Once dried off you can either dry them using a dehydrator or low temp in the oven. If using an oven spreading the hips out flat, not touching each other on a lined baking tray at the lowest temperature for several hours until they feel light and brittle. To store, use a clean jar with a sealed lid, label, adding the date.
Making a tea:
Using either fresh whole rosehips; fresh half deseeded rosehips (which you can chop into smaller pieces) or dried deseeded rosehips, add freshly boiled water to rougly 1-2 teaspoons per mug, allow to infuse for 5-10 mins.
Enjoy on its own, with honey or blend with your favourite herbs. I love using nettle for its cleansing benefits & something with a little sweetness such as elderflower or meadowsweet.
Making a decoction:
For more of a concentrated rosehip boost, making a decoction is a good option. Decoctions are great for more robust parts of the plant such as roots and berries, which can need a little longer infusion time.
Using either fresh or dried prepared rosehips, place 3
teaspoons into a saucepan with 3 cups of water, bring to the boil and simmer for 10-15mins. Leaving the lid on, allow to cool until drinking temperature, adding some honey or maple syrup as required.
Making an oxymel: Latin = oxy (acid) & mel (honey):
This traditional way of making a herbal remedy involves the use of honey & vinegar. Oxymels have been used for centuries to prevent & ease the symptoms of everything from flus to inflammation.
Try & use organic unpasteurised apple cider vinegar (acv) which contains lots of gut loving beneficial good bacteria & local organic honey if possible.
* 1 cup fresh rosehips (de-seeded) or ¾ cup dried rosehips
* 1 cup honey
* 1 cup of apple cider vinegar (acv)
* Optional extras – 2 tablespoons fresh ginger / 2
cinnamon
* Add rosehips (& extras if using) to a
clean dry jar
In a bowl mix together honey & acv, if needed gently heat to melt honey so it will mix thoroughly with acv.
Pour honey & acv mix into jar rosehip jar.
Put on lid tightly & shake thoroughly.
Label jar & place it somewhere visible so you remember to shake it every day for 2 -3 weeks.
After 2-3 weeks, strain to remove the rosehips & place the
oxymel into a sterilised jar or bottle, & label.
To use:
Add a tablespoon to warm water as a nourishing drink or have a tablespoon every few hours when you are ill or feel you are coming down with something.
The oxymel will store for up to 3 month.
Making rosehip syrup:
* 1 cup fresh rosehips ( deseeded as above)
* 3 cups water
* 1 cup raw honey
* Optional extras – cloves / cinnamon / ginger
Add your rosehips to a pan with 3 cups of water. Bring to the boil, then reduce & simmer for 30 minutes.
Remove from the heat & using a masher, mash up the hips. Strain into a clean bowl and add in your honey, mixing well until the honey dissolves.
Pour the syrup into clean jars or bottles, label & date.
Keep in the fridge - it should last for up to 3 months. Alternatively freeze in ice cube trays & the syrup will last longer.
As a preventative, take 1 teaspoon daily over the winter months. At the first sign of a cold take 1 teaspoon every 1-2 hours. You can also add to hot water / teas.