Rose hips, the accessory fruits of the rose plant, are tiny red berries that are full of vitamin C. These superfoods offer many health benefits, such as helping prevent cancer and lowering your blood cholesterol.

But that’s not all. You can even use rose hips to make a delicious soup that will boost your vitamin C intake!

What are rose hips?

Edible rose hips, the false fruits of the wild rose plant, are traditionally used for their medicinal properties. They are rich in vitamin C and also contain beneficial compounds like ellagic acid, lycopene and phenols.

Rose hips are also known as brier hip, dog rose fruit, hipberry, hop fruit and rose haw. The superfood ranges in color from red, orange and dark purple to black.

There are two varieties of rose hips: Rosa gallica and Rosa canina. These varieties are native to Asia, Europe and North Africa. Rose hips are often harvested either one week after the first frost or in late fall.

Nutritional profile of rose hips

Rose hips contain small, edible seeds that are full of various nutrients.

Two tablespoons of wild rose hips (16 grams) contain 26 calories, six grams of carbs and four grams of fiber. The same serving also offers 76 percent of the daily value (DV) of vitamin C, six percent of the DV for vitamin E, four percent of the DV for vitamin A and three percent of the DV for vitamin B5.

Rose hips get their red-orange hue from carotenoid pigments called lycopene and beta carotene. These pigments help boost your skin and eye health.

The vitamin C in rose hips promotes collagen synthesis and immune health.

The health benefits of rose hips, a vitamin C-rich superfood

Rose hips aren’t just a versatile ingredient; they also offer many health benefits.

Rose hips can help fight cancer and other chronic diseases

A study has found that rose hip extract helps reduce the growth and migration of breast cancer cells. Researchers also reported that using the highest concentrations of rose hip extract reduced the migration of breast cancer cells by at least 45 percent.

Rose hips help lower cholesterol

Regular intake of rose hip extract can help lower cholesterol levels. Research also suggests that taking rose hip is beneficial for who are obese.

According to one study, obese participants who consumed a drink made of rose hip powder daily for six weeks experienced at least a five percent drop in their total blood cholesterol levels. This drop, the researchers believe, could help reduce the risk of heart disease by 17 percent.

Consider taking rose hip extract if you’re looking for a safe alternative to anti-cholesterol drugs like statins, which often have negative side effects.

Rose hips may help fight rheumatoid arthritis

According to a study, volunteers with arthritis who were given rose hip reported improvements in their condition.

In a separate study involving 300 osteoarthritis patients, rose hip powder helped reduce pain in the hips, joints and knees by about a third.

Rose hips boost heart health

In a study conducted by Sweden’s Department of Experimental Medical Science, researchers discovered that taking rose hip powder helped reduce cardiovascular disease risk significantly.

It’s believed that the flavonoids and antioxidants in rose hip may offer protective benefits against heart disease.

Rose hips are a great source of vitamin C

Rose hips contain 60 times the vitamin C found in an orange. The vitamin helps promote the production of collagen, a protein that forms the connective tissue in your body. Vitamin C also helps reduce inflammation and boosts your immune health.

When cooking rose hips or other superfoods full of vitamin C, don’t use aluminum pans or utensils because they can destroy the vitamin C in food.

Rose hip recipes

Harvest fresh rose hips after the first frost. The fruit should still be firm and have good color. Avoid shriveled or dried rose hips.

Clean rose hips by trimming off the stem and blossom ends. Slice each rose hip in half, then remove the inner seeds. Rinse the deseeded hips before using them in any recipe.

Rose hip soup recipe

Rose hip soup, called nyponsoppa in Sweden, is a common winter soup enjoyed in Scandinavia.

The rose hip soup recipe below is from Magnus Nilsson’s “The Nordic Cookbook.” Nilsson shared that he used to eat rose hip soup served with ice cream and almond cookies.

Ingredients:

• 400 grams of fresh rose hips, trimmed, washed and halved
• 3 Tablespoons of sugar
• The juice of one lemon
• 2 Tablespoons of potato starch
• Whipped cream and almonds for garnish

Preparation for 4 servings:

1. Cover the rose hips with water then simmer until tender.
2. Puree the rose hips in a blender, then push the mixture through a fine sieve back into a clean pot. Discard the seeds.
3. Add sugar, potato starch and lemon to the mixture. Bring the soup back to a boil. Add water to adjust the thickness.
4. Ladle into four bowls, then top with whipped cream and almonds before serving.

Rose hip jelly recipe

When harvesting rose hips for jelly, look for rose bushes that haven’t been sprayed with pesticides.

You can purchase pectin at stores that sell canning supplies or at major grocery stores.

Ingredients:

• 1 Package of pectin crystals
• 4 quarts of ripe rose hips
• 2 quarts of water
• 5 cups of sugar
• 1/2 cup of lemon juice

Preparation: 

1. Get a large stainless-steel saucepan and simmer the rose hips in two quarts of water until soft.
2. Crush the rose hips until they’re mashed in the pan. Once cool, strain the rose hips through a jelly bag or several layers of dampened cheesecloth. You should have at least four cups of rose hip juice.
3. Pour the rose hip juice back into the pan, then add lemon juice and pectin crystals. Stir until the mixture comes to a hard boil.
4. Immediately add the sugar, then bring the mixture to a full rolling boil for one minute. Stir constantly.
5. Remove the jelly from the heat and skim off foam using a stainless-steel spoon.
6. Pour the jelly into hot sterilized jars and process in a water bath. Freeze for longer storage. Alternatively, you can store the jelly for at least two weeks.

Note:

If you don’t have fresh rose hips, soak one cup of dried rose hips in two quarts of water for several minutes. Cook until soft, then proceed with step two of the recipe.

Rose hip tea recipe

If soup and jelly aren’t to your liking, try this simple recipe for soothing rose hip tea.

Ingredients for one serving of tea:

• 1 Tablespoon of rose hips, freshly mashed or dry and crumbled
• 1 stick of cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon of sugar or honey (optional)
• 12 ounces water

Preparation:

1. Place the rose hips and cinnamon in a tea infuser and place in a mug or teapot.
2. Heat water to 190 F.
3. Pour the hot water over the rose hips and cinnamon. Let the tea steep for three to five minutes.
4. Add sugar or honey before serving.

Boost your immune health by following a balanced diet and eating nutritious superfoods like vitamin C-rich rose hips!

Sources:

AdirondackDailyEnterprise.com

StyleCraze.com

Healthline.com

TheSprucEats.com

Delishably.com