Rose

When most people think of a rose, their mind flashes to a beautiful flower with a thorny stem usually given to a woman as a symbol of a man’s love. But, what many people don’t realize is the healing power of roses. When the petals fall away from the flower, a little fruit, or rose hip, as they are called, is revealed.

Rose hips contain vitamin C, but experts still disagree as to how much. Some herbalists call rose hips one of the best natural sources of vitamin C. Others say that it would take more than a dozen cups of rose hip tea to help treat colds and flu. I’m sure somewhere in between lies the truth.

Ancient Rose Uses

Roses were a favorite of the ancient Egyptians, who used the fragrant petals as air fresheners and rose water as perfume. In Greece, Hippocrates recommended rose flowers mixed with oil for diseases of the uterus. Indian physicians used roses to heal wounds and inflammations on the skin.

Rose Uses Today

While rose hips contain a significant amount of vitamin C, the drying process destroys at least half of it and they can only extract about 40% of what’s left. That still leaves a fair amount of vitamin C, but it’s considerably less than most herbals promise.

Most scientific evidence shows that vitamin C doesn’t help prevent colds. Once you’ve caught one though, the nutrient helps reduce the severity and duration of it. But, you must take at least 2,000 mg a day of vitamin C from the first day of symptoms until the last.

Teas made with rose hips relieve sore throats, nasal congestion, and coughs associated with colds. They also warm the throat, which stops the cold virus from reproducing. If you have canker sores or other mouth sores, a rose petal extract treats these sores.

Rose Hips Dosage

For a pleasant tasting rose hips tea, use 2 to 3 teaspoons of dried chopped hips or powdered petals per cup of boiling water and drink as needed.

Rose Safety Precautions

High doses of vitamin C can cause diarrhea in some people. If you develop diarrhea, reduce your intake or rose hips. High doses of vitamin C may also put a strain on the kidneys. For people with kidney disease you should consult your doctor before taking and get a recommended dosage for you specifically.

Herbalists are almost unanimous in their praise of rose hips as a source of vitamin C. Some claim that rose hips are a better source of vitamin C than oranges and make the recommendation that we should all make rose hip tea a part of our daily diet.

So next time you stop to smell the roses, consider the herbal power sitting at the base of that magnificent flower. It might be wise to keep rose hips on hand in the event you catch the common cold or flu. It will help you relieve your symptoms and get over the cold faster.