What is useful dried rose hips?
The close relationship of wild rose with a rose was the reason for the appearance of its second name - "wild rose". Even in ancient times, healers did not bypass this plant, quickly determining how useful open properties could be. Places of distribution of culture - India, Iran, the Middle East, Central Asia and the southern part of Europe. For the Slavs, wild rose is also a symbol of eternal love, which was involved in various rituals, and was also used for the rapid healing of wounds. The healing properties of wild rose are truly wonderful, therefore it is considered a real "healer of the forest."
What is this berry?
Rosehip is one of the members of the rose family. It is a shrub whose thorns are extremely sharp, and the oval-shaped leaves have a bright green tint. The flowering of the bush occurs in summer, and its inflorescences, complemented by small round petals, usually have a pale pink hue. The fruits reach maturity by the end of summer or until mid-autumn.
Nature shows several types of this plant at once:
- the black. It is distinguished from its fellows by the unusual dark color of the fruit;
- May. It also belongs to rose bushes and has an additional name - brown rosehip;
- wrinkly. The main difference is large berries, the size of which reaches 3 cm. This species is used not only by medicine, but also by cooking.Here, both fruits and dried leaves and flowers are useful, which become the basis of fragrant vitamin tea drinks;
- garden. This wild rose, being decorative, is often found in gardens and orchards, bringing benefits and decorating them with itself. In the case of him, for medicinal purposes, even
- plant roots;
- wild. The wild or forest rosehip has a less attractive appearance and rather small berries, but its ability to heal is not inferior to others;
- canine. This variety looks almost like a hawthorn, but it is very easy to distinguish a wild rose - by the absence of a hard stone in it;
- spiny. This wild rose has thorns located almost back to back;
- apple. The fruits of this plant are quite similar to small apples, which is why it got its name.
Additional varieties are white and terry rose hips. Each variety is unique in its own way, and what binds any wild rose is that, both fresh and dried, it is excellent for treating many ailments.
Chemical composition
The so-called "forest doctor" is very useful, since the vitamins contained in it are necessary to maintain human health. Rosehip composition contains:
- ascorbic acid;
- flavonoids;
- useful acids;
- tannins;
- sucrose;
- cellulose;
- various minerals and trace elements.
The seeds of this plant also have fats, which are distinguished by healing properties. They are endowed with fatty acids and aromatic essential oils.
The calorie content of rose hips will definitely please those who need to strictly monitor their diet. 100 g of dried fruit contains 110 kcal, there are no fats, there are 3.4 g of protein here, while carbohydrates are 21.5 g.
Benefit
Bactericidal properties are one of the features of rose hips, thanks to which it is so widely distributed in medicine. However, this is only the beginning of the list, and medicines made from wild roses able to cure many diseases of varying severity and types:
- anemia
- avitaminosis;
- arthritis;
- diseases of the genitourinary system.
Topical application is available in the form of ointments, and they are used if a person has:
- frostbite or burns of the skin;
- dermatitis;
- eczema;
- trophic ulcer;
- psoriasis.
Fresh infusion of wild rose, combining it with honey, often treat influenza and other similar diseases. It is also suitable for the prevention and elimination of possible complications of infection.
Berry broth can be prepared using an ordinary water bath, without spending a lot of time and effort on it, but but having received a cure for a number of ailments:
- bleeding;
- anemia;
- tuberculosis;
- infectious diseases.
This tool also helps lower cholesterol and improve eye health. A petal decoction also has a therapeutic effect, eliminating, for example, replenishment in the eyes or working as a lotion.
Harm and contraindications
It is impossible to argue with the positive qualities of wild rose, but it also has very negative sides, which open up in case of incorrect use, threatening with truly serious consequences. Many consider the presented berries to be just a useful and tasty treat, but caution should be exercised when using them and other uses. This is especially true for people who have gastritis with high acidity, stomach ulcers, heart disease, or a tendency to form blood clots.
It is highly not recommended to use rosehip tinctures with a strong concentration too often. By doing this, you can quickly ruin your teeth, as they can suffer from damaging effects.
In order to avoid problems, you need to remember on the importance of rinsing your mouth with plain water after each use, and this applies to both infusion and decoction or tea with rose hips.
Dry rose hips, as well as juice or tincture based on them, can cause infectious jaundice, so you should not get carried away with them in large quantities. A medicine prepared from the root of a wild rose leads to a slowdown in bile control, and with signs of constipation, any decoctions from the presented plant are contraindicated.
It is better not to experiment with self-medication, instead receiving advice from a competent physician. However, even his permission to use rose hips does not mean that it can be consumed in any desired quantities. You should remember about the sense of proportion and listen to it in order to avoid unpleasant results.
Recommendations for use
At those times of the year when there is a shortage of fresh fruits and vegetables, which in more favorable seasons provide people with the necessary dose of vitamin C, it is highly recommended to eat dried rose hips. The best option is peeled berries that did not have to be subjected to any additional processing. 15 g of this delicacy per person will be enough, but it will be difficult to stop there, since the fruits are not only healthy, but also very tasty and fragrant.
Those who have gastrointestinal disorders should not use dry rosehips, but instead you can try rosehip infusion, and here you will need 10 g of shells filled with boiling water.
Using this variant of berries, one should not forget about the expiration date according to GOST, which, however, is quite long - 12 months.
Infusions and decoctions
When wishing to make rosehip juice, it is important to look at the density of the berries, the degree of their gloss and the absence of dust. If they do not correspond to any of the above, it would be more correct to choose other fruits. But for infusion or decoction, dried berries are suitable, moreover, any variety of this plant.
If you have to cook without a thermos, it is better to stop at decoctions. Making them is very simple, and here is one of the options: 20 g of berries and a glass of water will be enough. At the same time, the fruits are boiled in boiling water over low heat for about 10 minutes, covered with a lid. This drink is infused approximately 24 hours and is taken after straining, and stored in the refrigerator for no more than 48 hours.
In another case, rosehip skin is used, which perfectly removes stones, also preventing new ones from appearing. Cooking here is not difficult either: you only need 3 tablespoons of the base, which must be steamed and infused in one glass of the hottest water.
Such a medicine should be drunk for a couple of weeks, and with the onset of the next one, halve the dose, taking it in several doses.
Having a thermos at your disposal, you can try rosehip infusion, since it is in this drink that the largest amount of vitamins remains. Dry fruits in the amount of 40 g are placed in a thermos and poured with a liter of boiling water. In order to bring the infusion to the desired state, it is better to leave it all night, having prepared it in the evening.
Harvest time, drying and harvesting
Rosehip extract is a popular drug that can be purchased at a pharmacy. However, it is not necessary to buy it if it is possible to independently harvest the fruits of this plant, doing it with love, care and for the future.
It is preferable to start the assembly from the very beginning to the middle of the autumn period, since at this time ascorbic acid is collected in the largest amount.
But it all depends on the type of wild rose, because a favorable moment for collection can begin at the end of summer and last until the onset of cold weather. If you are going to dry the berries, it is better to collect not the most ripe, still firm. Drying must take place immediately immediately after removal of unsuitable fruits. This can be done, for example, in the oven, at a low temperature and with the door ajar, for about eight hours. Then it is necessary to provide the dogrose with a place for sweating, where it will lie for a couple of days, and a wooden box can become one.
If you want to make tea leaves from berries in the future, you need to grind them a little before the described procedures. In order not to lose even some of the vitamins, it is worth avoiding the use of metal objects like a mixer, and instead grind the fruits with a wooden mortar or crush.
How to choose?
When buying dried rose hips, it is very important to ensure that each berry is whole, peeled, does not crumble in the hand, does not have moisture, plaque and debris. Confidence in quality is the main aspect when choosing a finished product, so it is better to take it in a pharmacy, and not in the market and other similar places.
Reviews
They speak of wild rose in an extremely positive way, admiring its taste and healing properties.This plant has put many people on their feet after various illnesses, and now they boldly recommend it to others, referring to their own experience.
From the following video you can learn how to properly dry, brew and treat rose hips.