3 Healthy Recipes with Rosehips: Cough Syrup, Apple Butter, & Cider
Written by Lauren Arent (Lo Clark)
Owner of Bewitched Esthetics & Licensed Esthetician since 2013
May 5th, 2023
Hello my darlings,
Rose hips are a very underthought herb…blossom? Actually rosehips are the fruit of the rose! They really are more common than you think, I bet you’ve seen them around in the wild or maybe even have them in your backyard. These little red/orange bulbs are packed with vitamins and natural medicine. Used for centuries to reduce inflammation, boost immunity, aid in heart health, and reduce the pain of headaches and arthritis. Modern herbalists still use rosehips for all of these things today however now we understand why rosehips are so powerful medicinally.
Where to Find Rosehips
In my recipes I will be using dried rosehip because the only ones I could find wild were dried on the branch and were also in a park so I didn’t trust they hadn’t been sprayed with chemicals. Be careful when harvesting anything in the “wild” my darlings. When in doubt, grow it yourself or check out your local apothecary! If you are in Boise, I highly recommend The Vervain Collective which is where I get all my herbs.
The Art of Recipe Design
Funny story about my recipes today. I originally attempted to make a traditional Scottish Rosehip Jelly, adapting it to be healthier for the gut and ultimately for your skin but due to a few fun chemistry errors on my part I ended up discovering all three new recipes I am sharing with you today. Recipes are like science experiments, you must add specific amounts of your ingredients at the right time and the right temperature to achieve the results you desire. Oftentimes, because I switch out ingredients in my recipes, I redesign the entire recipe to make something accidentally delicious. This recipe is technically all one, but we are going to use all of the pieces because I hate throwing away food (you’ll see what I mean).
The Health Benefits of Rosehips
Let’s discuss the power of rosehips. In the recipes I discuss today, I will be using 7 ounces of dried rosehips. In this small amount, there is roughly 1,000 mg of vitamin C!! Rosehips contain 8 TIMES the amount of vitamin C than oranges. Vitamin C cannot be made in the human body and must be supplemented through diet to strengthen the immune system, dispel anxiety, and do wonders for the complexion of the skin. Vitamin C is crucial to aiding in the reduction of fine lines & wrinkles as well as preventing dark spots (hyperpigmentation) by blocking the production of pigment. Vitamin C can also work to block harmful rays of the sun when combined with Vitamin E! (1)
Due to the galactolipids (main type of fat in cell membranes) and polyphenols, rosehips have incredible anti-inflammatory affects which are excellent for recucing the pain of arthritis (2,3) as well as aiding in reducing inflammatory skin disorders such as rosacea and eczema.
Making Recipes with Rosehips
If you would like to use wild, fresh rosehips in your recipe I recommend doubling the amount of rosehips you use (7oz -> 14oz) and halving the amount of water (7 cups -> 3.5 cups). The fresh fruit will obviously have more moisture than the dried so you will want to compensate for this.
The kind of apple you use doesn’t matter, except I would recommend a red variety for sweetness.
This recipe all begins in one pot, then splits off into three recipes!
We begin by boiling the apples and the rosehips in water until the fruit is soft and mushy, typically about an hour on high heat while covered.
After the fruit has been boiled down, we will strain out the juices but instead of throwing away the mushy fruit, we are going to puree it into Rosehip Apple Butter! With the taste of sweet, warm fruit and the texture of butter, this recipe is excellent on pancakes, toast, in pies, or by the spoonful.
Next we’ll take juice and, well first just pour yourself a mug of cider while it’s still hot! No need to add sweetner, there are plenty of natural sugars from the apples and the rosehips give it a pleasant tartness.
Separate out two cups of the cider and pour into a small saucepan. Add in your honey and boil on medium high heat for 10-15 minutes. This will completely dissolve and combine the honey, thickening your juice at the same time. Now you have an excellent, potent Vitamin C syrup that works wonderfully with the honey to coat the throat when sick! I made this batch for my niece, who is now three.
Remember NOT to give to small children (under one is a good rule) because of the honey. If in doubt, consult your physician to make sure you can give your child anything.
Skincare So Clean You Can Eat It
Yet another recipe that is just as beneficial when applied to your skin as when ingested! Use the cider as a serum the apple butter as a masque, the vitamin C from the rosehips can ABSOLUTELY be applied topically. Plus you’ll be receiving all the benefits from the apples like malic acid to soften & brighten your complexion.
The liquid gold of anti-aging because baby, this product really does it all. I am not kidding when I tell you it is because of writing this blog today and truly recognizing the power of rosehips I will be switching my regular oil (Facial Recovery Oil that I have been using for the last nine years to get rid of my cystic acne) for this anti-aging one.
As I have entered my thirties, my skincare ritual has really begun to amp up in age prevention. I really need the benefits of the Vitamin C for keeping away the hyperpigmentation in my skin as well as and especially for preventing fine lines and wrinkles while keeping my skin soothed and hydrated to keep away inflammatory breakouts.
Rosehip Recipe Feedback
Don’t forget to tag me in your recipes on Instagram @bewitchedestheticsboise for a shout out on my stories! I want to know if you found these recipes helpful, so if you have any questions or comments, please leave them in the provided comment area below.
Wishing you a life full of beauty and blessings!
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