How to Make Your Own Rose Hips

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How to Make Your Own Rose Hips

Copyright 2005

I was enjoying a long (very long) hike over the weekend

that brought me in contact with a wide variety of plants

and animals. While taking a breather at a ranger station,

I was admiring a plant which had what looked to be cherry

tomatoes or some kind of red berry sprouting from its

branches. The ranger said I was looking at a rose bush and

the red fruit it was producing went by the name of rose

hips.

“Rose Hips” I shrieked. I had known of the supplement for

years but had never seen a real live rose hip. I was

informed that rose hips form after the rose bloom has died.

Almost any rose variety will produce hips but the ranger

informed me that the rugosa formed the tastiest

variety if you planned on eating them. Further research

confirmed that rugosa is the bush of choice for tasty

rose hips.

Why Eat Rose Hips?

Probably the best reason to eat or drink rose hips is the

incredible source of vitamin C that it provides. Studies

have shown vitamin C to be helpful with fighting infection,

colds/flu, sore throat, fatigue and stress to name a few.

Hips provide almost 20 times the amount of vitamin C found

in Oranges.

How do I Grow Rose Hips?

As I have mentioned, there seams to be a consensus that

rugosa is the best plant to use for growing rose hips.

Let the blooms die on the bush (resist the temptation to

cut the beautiful blooms, the more you cut the less hips

you will produce) and the hips will begin to form. They

will start out green and begin to turn red similar to the

way a tomato ripens. Harvest them when they become

completely red but not overripe, this usually occurs after

the first frost.

Preparing the Hips

You can use rose hips either fresh off the vine, dried, or

preserved. To dry the fruit spread the hips out on a clean

surface. Allow them to dry until the skin begins to feel

dry and slightly shriveled. At this point, split the hips

in half and take out all of the seeds and tiny hairs in the

center. Remember not to use aluminum pans or utensils as

this will destroy some of the vitamin C.

After the seeds are removed you can let the hips dry

completely. Don’t wait to remove the seeds until hips are

completely dry or you will have trouble with de-seeding.

Store the dried hips in sealed plastic bags. Freeze for

long term use or put in the refrigerator if you plan on

using over a two or three month period. Hips can be eaten

as a semi-sweet snack at anytime. You can also make tea

and preserves; I have listed two recipes below to get you

started.

What about Supplements?

Rose hip supplements are available at most health food and

vitamin stores. For me, the fun is in making your own

hips. If you just want vitamin C there isn’t really a

whole lot of difference between taking regular vitamin C

supplement and vitamin C with rose hips (except the price,

hips will cost a bit more).

Recipes

If you are fortunate enough to have roses at your home,

here are some recipes you might want to try:

Hip Tea Recipe

Place 4-6 hips (prepared as noted above) in the bottom of a

non-aluminum pan

Add 2 cups of cool water

Allow water to come to a boil

Let simmer for about 30 minutes (less if you like a weaker

tea)

Strain and add sweetener to taste

Hip Marmalade

Prepare hips as noted above and soak in cool water for

several hours

Bring hips soaking in water to a boil for about 20 minutes

Strain out water

Add one cup of brown sugar or granulated sugar per one cup

of the strained water

Boil the sweetened water until it becomes thick and syrupy

Add the previously boiled hips and continue boiling until

hips are tender

Pour into jars and seal

Enjoy!!

About the Author:

Mike has been a life long follower and proponent of

the fitness lifestyle. Through his avid research, Mr.

has come to the realization that being healthy is a

choice and encompasses not only proper diet but also a

fitness regimen that includes the mind, body and soul.

Mike is the publisher and editor-in-chief for the

health information site http://www.Ultimatehealthreport.com

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