The rose hip, also known as rose haw or rose hep, is the fruit of the rose plant, that typically is red-to-orange, but
ranges from dark purple to black in some species. Rose hips begin to form after successful pollination of flowers in spring or early summer, and ripen in late summer through autumn.
Rose hips are used for tisanes, jam, jelly, syrup, soup, beverages, pies, bread, wine, and marmalade. They can also be eaten raw, like a berry, if care is used to avoid the hairs inside the fruit. Rose hips are also fed to horses. The dried and powdered form can be fed at a maximum of 1 tablespoon per day to improve coat condition and new hoof growth
Seed oil[]
Rose hip seed oil is a pressed seed oil, extracted from the seeds of a wild rose bush (Rosa moschata or Rosa rubiginosa) in the southern Andes. Rosehip seed oil can also be extracted from Rosa canina, which grows in many regions of the world including South Africa and Europe.
Nutrition[]
The oil contains provitamin A (mostly beta-Carotene). It has been wrongly said to contains retinol (vitamin A) which is a vitamin solely made by animals from provitamin A. It does however contain levels (up to .357 ml/L) of tretinoin or all-trans retinoic acid, a vitamin A acid that retinol converts to.
Similarly, while the fruit is rich in vitamin C, the oil does not contain any, as it is a water soluble vitamin. However, rose hip seed oil is high in the essential fatty acids: linoleic acid or omega-6, and linolenic acid or omega-3.
Uses[]
It is commonly used in skin care products. It is commonly used for a variety of skin conditions, including dermatitis, acne and eczema, for mature and sun burnt skin as well as brittle nails and wrinkles. Rose hip oil is also frequently used to heal scarring and diminish photo-aging.