di Sonia Tarantola

The plant, bushy and thorny, is widespread along country paths and clearings where it grows freely due to the abandonment of pastures and cultivated land. The flower presents itself as a delicate wild rose with a colour ranging from white to deep pink — impossible to miss. The best time to harvest its fruits is winter when, after the first frosts, the texture becomes softer and they are also easier to pull from the bush. The seeds and tiny hairs must be removed by making a lateral incision in the fruit, which is then left to dry in the open air. They are stored in glass containers and used within the year.

History

It owes its name to the thorns on the stem, which resemble a dog's teeth. Following the doctrine of signatures, which linked medicinal properties to the morphological appearance of the plant, it was used by the ancients against rabies — a property invalidated by current pharmacological knowledge.

Rose hip berries: therapeutic properties and benefits

The most interesting part is the fruit — or rather, the false fruit, similar to a fleshy red-orange berry which, in addition to fighting respiratory tract infections (ears, nose and throat), increases the absorption of iron found in other foods, controls blood cholesterol levels, activates vitamin B9 (folic acid) and proves to be an excellent antioxidant. It has an immunostimulant action in preventing influenza and colds, particularly in childhood; it is a natural tonic, as it promotes the use by cells of the energy available in the body; it neutralises the destructive action of free radicals and toxic substances, such as those derived from smoking; and it improves the compactness of the collagen structure in tendons.

Rose hip contains far more vitamin C than oranges

The fruits contain vitamin C in large quantities — more than forty times the amount found in oranges — as well as
polyphenols, organic acids, tannins and pectins. Consuming rose hip is particularly recommended for elderly people, children and pregnant women.

Contraindications

Rose hip is not recommended in cases of kidney stones.

How to use it

Fresh fruits can be used in the cases mentioned above. For this purpose they should be harvested when fully ripe and stripped of their seeds and tiny hairs. Syrups, tablets and the gemmotherapy derivative available on the market are all very convenient options. The latter, in addition to keeping the vitamin C content intact, is effective in preventing relapses in place of antibiotics.

Decoction

Place a handful of fresh rose hip fruits in 1/2 l of water and boil for 10 minutes. Sweeten with honey to enhance the flavour even further. 1 cup 3 times a day.

Herbal tea

Dry the fruits and store them in a dry place in glass containers. Prepare the herbal tea by first crushing the fruits in a mortar in the desired quantity, then steeping them in boiling water. This herbal tea is slightly pink, pleasantly tart and utterly delightful. 1 cup 3 times a day. Folk tradition recommends rose hip herbal teas for people who are depressed and need to rediscover a zest for life. Rose hip is a plant that brings balance, and preparations based on this berry are therefore key to regaining self-confidence and facing everyday difficulties with renewed determination.

Fruit jelly

Excellent for convalescence and states of weakness. Cover the fresh fruits with water and cook over a low flame for half an hour. Then crush them, blend them adding the same weight of sugar and the juice of a lemon. Return to the heat, stirring for a further 30 minutes, then transfer the mixture into an airtight glass jar.

Toning bath

Prepare a decoction with 50 grams of rose hip berries and leave it to cool. Strain and add 3 tablespoons of bicarbonate of soda and 3 of salt, then pour it into a bath filled with hot water. Soak for about ten minutes, then dry off and go — with an extra spring in your step.

In the kitchen

A homemade jam can be prepared by combining the crushed, pulped fruits with an equal weight of sugar, resulting in a preserve with a pleasant flavour and a refreshing, laxative effect, particularly suitable for children.