Boost your immune system naturally using rosehips

We all hear about the need to support our immune system every day but you should not start buying a lot of different preparations to achieve this goal. If you do, you just spend a lot of money on supplements that do not do what they should do. Bet on natural supplements and plants. Best on those that are currently ripening and are being harvested. Take rosehips for example. In addition to their ability to boost your immunity, rosehips also increase libido and improve concentration. Everybody knows that rosehips contain a lot of vitamin C, but they must be ripe. So, how can you tell that rosehips are ripe? What are other benefits and how should you process rosehips properly to make sure that they retain as much vitamin C as possible?

Rosehips grow almost everywhere

The rosehip bush belongs to the Rosaceae family and its origin is in Asia or Southern Europe. It loves places where it can grow wild and spread uncontrollably. You can find it along forest edges, at hillsides, meadows, fences, simply everywhere, so get a bag and get going.

Photo: Pixabay

How can you tell that rosehips are ripe?

Simple. Ripe rosehips are deep red and they usually get ripe at the turn of September and October. However, if they are too ripe, they turn soft and become unusable.

Sea buckthorn is also rich in vitamin C, but…

Rosehips contain lots of vitamin C (only sea buckthorn contains more) but rosehips also contain lycopene and a type of carotene, which protects the immune system in a similar way as vitamin C. Among other things, rosehips also contain a very powerful antioxidant – vitamin E and rutin, which promotes blood vessel health and also vitamin B1 and iron which play an important role in oxygen transportation.

Photo: Pixabay

Hippocrates believed in rosehips too

Rosehips are a great prevention method against various colds. They also help with varicose veins and relief bleeding gums and have anti-inflammatory properties. But that is not all. Rosehips are said to stimulate potency and have positive effect on our nervous system. It is said, the even the great Hippocrates knew about the beneficial effects of rosehips.

Conserving vitamin C is important

Fresh rosehips are best as they contain the most of vitamin C, however they are usually consumed boiled or dried. First, you have to prepare rosehips properly. Remove leaves and stems. Cut the fruit and remove all seeds as they contain various tannins that irritate digestion. Boil cut fruits for about 20 minutes and you will get a great base for jam, sauce or tea. You may also dry the cut fruit and use it to make a tea later.

Preview photo: Pixabay