Rosehip (also known as Rosa rubiginosa or eglanteria): these are the benefits of the plant of the month

Rosehip's most well-known asset is its oil. Rosehip oil holds multitude of properties beneficial to the skin. The cosmetics industry produces countless rosehip creams, soaps and oils for topical use. Her name refers to a flower, but the famous oil is not actually extracted from the flowers but from the seeds of the rosehip fruits. The rosehip bush is also known as Rosa rubiginosa, canina, or eglanteria, which are the scientific names for the different rosehip species.

Rosehip is a deciduous bush of around two to three metres in height that grows wild in areas with cold and rainy climates, in poor soils, and in altitudes over 800 metres. Although rosehip originates from Central Europe, it is currently grown worldwide, with Chile being one of the major rosehip producers. The rosehip bush has green stalks and oval leaves coated in thorns. The resulting fruits are also oval in shape, bright red in colour, and hold inside the precious seeds used to make rosehip oil. Each fruit contains between 15 and 30 seeds.

Topical properties of rosehip oil

Rosehip oil is cold pressed from the seeds of the wild rosehip fruit. The resulting oil is rich in fatty acids such as linoleica acid (an Omega 6 fatty acid), and oleic acid (an Omega 9 fatty acid). The combination of these elements makes rosehip oil beneficial in the following applications:

• It repairs burns
• It helps regenerate tissue after surgery
• It stimulates collagen and elastin production (both responsible for skin firmness and elasticity).
• It improves the appearance of scars
• It provides deep moisturising properties
• It can help reduce skin pigmentation

Nutritional properties of rosehip powder

Rosehip can also be beneficial as a food supplement due to its high fatty acid levels found in its fruits' shell and seeds. But apart from high Omega 6 and Omega 3 levels, rosehip is also an important source of vitamin C, magnesium, flavonoids, and carotenoids. These nutrients are extracted from the dried and crushed shells and seeds, and consumed as a powder.

According to scientific research, rosehip powder's main properties are anti-inflammatory and antioxidant. Rosehip powder is also recommended for the alleviation of the symptoms caused by osteoarthritis. Osteoarthritis is a condition that causes the joints to become inflamed and stiff, and rosehip supplements can thereby help improve mobility and lessen the pain derived from this disorder.