There is a small seed pod that forms after a rose bloom has faded away. The benefits of rose hips range from anti-inflammatory and anti-diabetic properties. They are also super high in vitamins and minerals, prebiotics and antioxidants.
![dog wood rose and rose hips](https://homelifeonadime.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/Untitled-design-7.png)
Once you know the benefits of rose hips, you might just start planting more rose bushes.
As a kid, I hated rose bushes because of their crazy thorns. Then greenhouses came out with these awesome thornless roses.
Unfortunately, these new roses don’t have near the amazing smell as do their thorny heirlooms. And they also don’t have near the amount of benefits.
I actually wouldn’t even recommend trying to eat any of the rose hips off of a hybrid rose bush, even if they grew them (which they usually don’t).
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High in antioxidants
The antioxidants present in rose hips can help protect the body against many diseases.
Free radicals are harmful because they steal electrons from our body’s important molecules. When our body’s molecules are imbalanced, they can no longer function properly.
This can lead to cell damage and even death. Antioxidants neutralize free radicals, therefore rendering them harmless.
They do this by donating their own electrons to the free radicals. Because of their antioxidant properties, rose hips can help prevent certain diseases, such as, cancer, diabetes, and Parkinson’s disease.
High in vitamin C
Vitamin C is essential for producing collagen.
Rose hips contain large amounts of vitamin C, which is an important nutrient our body needs for everyday activities.
Vitamin C helps the body produce collagen, which is essential for healthy bones, ligaments, tendons, and skin.
Vitamin C even works to stimulate the production of some neurotransmitters.
This vitamin can also help the body absorb iron, as well as boost the immune system, and support wound healing.
![](https://homelifeonadime.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/rose-hip-g7016957d4_640.jpg)
Boosts immune system
The nutrients contained in rose hips are important for healthy immune system function.
One of the benefits of rose hips is that they contain 10-60 times the amount of vitamin C found in oranges (by weight).
Vitamin C is important to the immune system because it helps to stimulate the production of cells that fight against infection while also protecting the body.
Rose hips also contain vitamins A and E along with polyphenols which all work together to strengthen and protect the immune system.
Boosts heart health
Rose hips may help lower cholesterol and blood pressure.
Rose hips contain loads of dietary fiber. Dietary fiber helps to clean the arteries of excess cholesterol, which is a buildup of fat.
High cholesterol raises blood pressure by hardening and narrowing the arteries, making it more difficult for blood to travel through them.
Less cholesterol in the arteries will mean the arteries are wider and softer, making blood travel more easily through them, which in turn, lowers the amount of pressure needed to push blood throughout the body.
![](https://homelifeonadime.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/rose-hip-gaeb338189_640.jpg)
Contains a wide variety of nutrients
Boasting a wide variety of nutrients, rose hips make an excellent addition to a healthy diet.
Rose hips contain the vitamins A, B5, C, E, K, as well as the minerals potassium, calcium, magnesium, iron, and manganese.
These nutrients are essential for functions such as vision, immune system function, reproduction, growth, energy, hormones, brain health as well as having antioxidant and blood clotting properties.
Contain anti-aging properties
Rose hips contain nutrients that are especially healing to your skin.
Vitamins A, C, K and E are essential nutrients for healthy skin.
These vitamins work together to provide protection against wrinkles, acne, and many other sun and age-related skin damage.
The vitamin C in rose hips is specifically helpful in stimulating the production of collagen. Collagen is a main building block protein that makes up your skin, bones, muscles, tendons and ligaments.
In short, collagen holds your body together!
![](https://homelifeonadime.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/rose-hip-g2019a42b6_640.jpg)
May help manage diabetes
Provides fiber and may help to lower blood sugar.
Rose hips contain large amounts of fiber which can help to lower your blood sugar.
Fiber cannot be broken down by the body and therefore the sugars do not get absorbed into the blood stream.
This will keep your blood sugar levels from spiking, as well as, helping prevent against insulin resistance.
Contains anti-inflammatory properties
May help treat and prevent osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis.
Rose hips contain anti-inflammatory compounds that can help reduce inflammation.
These little seedpods may be helpful in reducing pain and inflammation associated with osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis.
Rose hips also help to protect cartilage from damage which may help to slow down the process of osteoarthritis, along with providing some pain relief.
![](https://homelifeonadime.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/rose-hip-ge07ca81ef_640.jpg)
Improves digestion
Rose hips help to regulate digestion and protect against certain diseases.
Rose hips contain pectin, a naturally occurring sugar which acts as a prebiotic. This prebiotic helps to move food along in the digestive process.
Because of this, rose hips may help ease constipation as well as relieve other digestive symptoms such as bloating, stomach cramps or nausea.
Rose hips can increase good bacteria in the gut microbiome as well as help in the absorption of nutrients.
![](https://homelifeonadime.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/dog-rose-ge43be5f8d_640.jpg)
Identify time:
Rose hips form after the bloom of a rose dies.
In order to find rose hips, you must first find either a wild or heirloom rose bush. Hybrid roses do not make rose hips, or if they do, you would not want to eat them as the nutritional value is not present.
The rose hip forms behind the rose bloom and comes to maturity after the bloom dies. It is a small seedpod that ranges in size from quite small to the size of a cherry.
Rose hips are either round or oval in shape and range in color from red to orange. These seedpods have hair-like wisps protruding from the area where the rose bloom once was.
![](https://homelifeonadime.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/rose-hip-gbf7e584c6_640.jpg)
How to use:
For the highest amount of nutrition, use fresh rose hips. There are still many benefits of rose hips you can get when using dried rose hips, but when available, use fresh.
Eat them fresh
To eat rose hips fresh, harvest them, wash them, and cut them in half. Then with a spoon or knife scrape all the hairs and seeds out of the middle. Pop them into your mouth and enjoy!
Eat them dried
To prepare dried rose hips, follow same steps for eating the fresh rose hips. Instead of eating the rose hips right away, dry the cut and deseeded rose hips in a dehydrator until all of the moisture is out of them. You can store the rose hips for later consumption or to make a tea.
Make a tea
Fresh rose hips: wash rose hips, cut in half. Boil 8 ounces of water then turn off heat and add 1/4 cup of fresh rose hips. Let the rose hips steep in the water at least 20 minutes or up to overnight. Strain out the rose hips. At this point, the tea is ready to drink or you can flavor it with lemon and honey as the tea can be slightly bland tasting.
Dried rose hips: Use same method as with fresh rose hips but use the ratio of 1 heaping tablespoon of crushed, dried rose hips to 8 ounces of water.
Make jelly or syrup
![dog wood rose and rose hips benefits of rose hips](https://homelifeonadime.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/dog-rose-g34481b595_640.jpg)
Some cautions:
Although rare, in some cases rose hips may cause any of the following side effects. As always, talk to your doctor before adding rose hips to your diet if you have any concerns or if you have any current health issues.
- Diarrhea
- Constipation
- Nausea/vomiting
- Heart burn
- Stomach cramps
- Headache
- Allergic reaction
- Trouble sleeping
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Check out these other wild edibles
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Have you tried rose hips before?
Are you going to give them a try? Let us know what you think of them in the comments!
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