Beautifully doruda-coloured rosehip fruits inherently belong to the beauty of autumn nature. But it is a real shame if you only enjoy the rosehip bush during an autumn walk. The rosehip is literally loaded with vitamin C. It’s during the autumn splashes and rainy weather that we need to boost our immunity, and this year it’s even more important because, as well as seasonal illnesses and flu, we’re also facing coronavirus. Rose hips are a great natural way to boost immunity and we’ll give you some advice on how best to process them.
Now is the perfect time to harvest rosehips
Narrows are usually harvested in September and October. But watch out for the first frosts. If rosehips freeze, they lose their potency. Is the sun shining nicely outside? It’s the perfect time for a walk and also for picking rosehips. So combine the pleasant with the useful and don’t forget to take a container for your rosehips on your walk. A basket or a canvas bag is ideal.
Mature rose hips have a beautiful red colour and a firm skin that is still hard to the touch. The brownish soft fruits are overripe and should not be picked.
How to process collected arrows
Arrows can be processed in several ways. So it is up to you which one suits you best. The most common way is to dry the rose hips. You can either use a fruit dryer (at 40°C) or an oven (at 70°C). Dried rosehip is made into a tea, or a more concentrated drink made from finely ground dried rosehip, called diabetic powder. The rosehip drink also relieves painful menstruation and is also used for urinary tract disorders.
You can also make the following from rosehip:
- Horsetail syrup
- Horseradish wine or liqueur
- Horseradish pudding
- Spruce oil
Beverage and syrup are especially appreciated by children who often refuse rosehip tea because it is too sour and has a bitter taste.
Narrow is a powerful weapon against respiratory diseases
The rosehip has up to 10 times more vitamin C than a lemon. It also contains vitamins B 1, B 2, B 3, vitamins A and K, magnesium, calcium, phosphorus and other health benefits. Consumption of rosehip has been shown to strengthen the body’s defenses. Moreover, its processing is not rocket science, so here’s to it!