Make Your Own Rosehip Syrup
Rosehip syrup is known to pack a powerful punch of immune boosting vitamins and antiinflammatory compounds, particularly vitamin C. Interestingly, it is now known that it is the other compounds in the plant, namely the bioflavanoids, which makes the vitamin C so powerful. One or two teaspoons taken daily through winter could help you sail through and avoid those pesky colds and sore throats. During World War Two, when imports of citrus fruits were scarce and children in particular were at risk of developing scurvy, the Ministry of Health organised mass picks of rosehips by organisations such as The Scouts, WI, and schools. Tons of rosehips were collected and turned into hundreds of thousands of bottles of rosehip syrup which was then sold in shops. Because rosehips contain anywhere from 20 to 50 times as much vitamin C as oranges, just one teaspoon per day was sufficient for a child. Many people of a certain generation I have spoken to remember being given rosehip syrup through the winter as children and they all say they kept very well! Once again, we are reminded that sometimes it is good to look back in order to move forward.
Rosehips also produce very good results for arthritis in clinical trials. As well as the rich vitamin C content, rosehips contain other very anti-inflammatory compounds too. I have known people to have amazing improvements in their arthritis with rosehip syrup (https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22762068).
Like so many other things that grow all around us, rosehips grow in abundance and are largely left unpicked. However, here is a perfect opportunity to make your own medicine:
Rosehip Syrup Recipe
To make your own rosehip syrup collect 1 kilo of the hips (stalks and leaves removed) and either coarsely chop them by hand or in an electric chopper. Add the chopped rose hips to a pan of two litres of boiling water. Bring back to a boil and set aside for half an hour to infuse. Strain through a muslin cloth and set the liquid aside. Add the strained pulp back to the pan with a litre of boiling water and bring to a boil then set aside for half an hour to infuse again and strain into the container of the previously strained liquid. Discard the pulp. Return the combined liquid back to the pan and boil until the volume has decreased by half. Pour out remaining fluid into a pyrex measuring jug and add equal grams of brown sugar to millimetres of liquid. Return liquid and sugar to pan, boil for 5 minutes, stir sugar thoroughly to that no sugar crystals remain. Allow to cool and pour into sterile bottles and store in fridge.
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