Rosehip Elixir
Rosehips have been beloved throughout history for their high vitamin C content which supports many functions in the body such as adrenal health, the immune system, skin regeneration and hormone support. It’s said that Vikings used rosehips to prevent scurvy during sailing (and was used similarly in dozens of other places like China, Persia and beyond).
Rose hips were used in World War 2 to help keep children healthy when food supplies were running low. In fact, in January 1942, the Times wrote:
"Rose hips are one of the richest natural sources of vitamin C, which is particularly beneficial for children, and the syrup is therefore a useful war-time substitute for orange juice and a distinct improvement on blackcurrant syrup. It is not intended that rose hip should be used by one and all as a tasty addition to everyday diet, but that is should be used for young children only. The present supplies of the syrup are the result of a campaign organized last summer and autumn by the Ministry of Health and the Department of Health for Scotland for collecting rose hips. School teachers, boy scouts, girl guides, the W.V.S., women’s rural institutions, and other voluntary organizations co-operated, and some 200 tons, equivalent to 134,000,000 hips, were collected. The hips were converted into syrup by selected firms, and their total output amounts to 600,000 bottles.
A teaspoonful of rose hip syrup a day will supply half the vitamin C needs of a child. It can be taken neat or diluted with water, and has a pleasant flavour. Plans are being made for another collection of rose hips on a national scale this year.”
Since cold and flu season has already begun, let’s make a Rosehip Elixir today!
1. Pick the Rosehips! Where I live, I’ve got an abundance of Nootka rosehips so that’s what I tend to work with. If you read, you’ll see a lot of recommendations to leave the rosehips until the first frost. However, here in the Pacific Northwest we don’t usually have a frost (or it doesn’t happen till January!). So we pick when they’re ripe, but you can put them in the freezer if you’ve got a ton. For this recipe, you want enough to fill 3/4 of a quart sized canning jar. Always be harvesting from a clean area where you know there’s been no spraying.
2. Rough chop the rosehips. You can de-hair and de-seed them here as well (Personally, I do not and as a result I have to double strain, once through cheesecloth and once through a paper coffee filter instead).
3. Add the chopped rose hips, a few whole cloves, one cinnamon stick, half of a lemon zest, and 1 cup raw honey, (you could also use molasses or dark brown sugar - same ratio).
4. Fill the jar with a nice brandy. Label and store in a cool dark place, shaking daily for 8 weeks.
5. Double strain if you didn’t de-seed/de-hair. Once through a cheesecloth and once through a paper coffee filter is my preferred method!
6. Bottle and enjoy! You can take a squirt of the straight up, add it to carbonated water, or use it in your favorite holiday cocktails. 🌹
You can find Rosehip Elixir as part of our Guardian Tree ~ Immune Support Tincture
