Rosehip Tea

Looking for a natural way of improving your immune system? Here is a perfect recipe that is right from nature: Rosehip tea. It is made with fruits of rose plants and has an amazing effect on your body. We NEED it these days especially to protect ourselves from the flu. 

Rosehip tea is a herbal miracle that I learnt from dad. He is one of those who hates using medicine and prefers herbal remedy instead. He always says that nature always serves us what we need. 

What Is Rosehip?

Rosehips or rose hips are the fruits of wild rose plants. Regular roses have hips too but they are not the same as wild species and not used. Wild rosehips mostly from ragusa roses are red in color but there are orange species too. Late autumn is the season to find them ripe. Although they are described as fruit, rose hips are not consumed as regular fruits. They are brewed in simmering water and turn into a healing tea. 

Other Uses

In addition to making rosehip tea, you can make rosehip jam, marmalade, oil (for skin and wounds) or powder(to make tea) from these unique rose plant fruits. Because of their health benefits, people use them either fresh or dried in as many ways as they can. 

Our favorite way is to make their tea because it makes a super healthy hot drink in winter. We love the sweet and tart flavor of rosehip tea. In winter you can drink it hot while it makes a perfect cold drink in summer. 

Benefits

The most well-known benefit of rosehips is that it strengthens immune system as it is a a stock of vitamin C, about 40 times more than citrus fruits. So rosehip tea is mostly consumed as a natural protection against the flu. 

Its benefits are not limited to this. Also, rosehips are one of those foods that are a good source of antioxidants, so they might be helpful against chronic diseases and cancer. It is even said to be helpful to reduce osteoarthritis pain. 

How To Make

The recipe is quite easy. You can use fresh or dried rosehips to make this tea.

Fill a saucepan (with a lid) or a teapot with water. Throw a handful of rose hips into it. You can halve them in two if you want, but not really necessary. Put the lid on. Bring it to boil and let it simmer over medium low heat for 15-20 minutes or until it has a nice color and taste. Then, serve it in cups and sweeten it with a little honey.

Tip: You can make rosehip tea with store-bought tea bags that are containing crushed dried rosehips if you are in a hurry. Fill a teapot or a mug with hot water. Steep rose hip tea bag in it for 5-10 minutes, sweeten with honey and enjoy. 

If you would like to drink it cold as a summer treat, pour all into a jug, mix it with honey and chill in the refrigerator until cold.

You can combine it with another herbal tea like hibiscus and create your own tea blend.

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