Rosemary Delivers a Healthy Punch
I find it fascinating to learn about the health benefits of common ingredients most of us have sitting in our kitchen. Like herbs and spices.
Most of us have a range of options that we use to season our food. That drawer or cupboard of seasonings is a treasure trove of flavor and zest, and in a flash, dial up the flavor of the meals that we cook.
But I’ve never thought beyond the benefits of taste that these herbs and spices deliver.
Because each herb and spice has its special powers, I’m going to focus on the benefits of just one herb now - rosemary - a plant that some people refer to as the “queen” of antioxidants, as well as one of the most under-rated herbs.
Turns out that the polyphenol, rosmarinic acid, the active ingredient in rosemary, has far reaching healing benefits, and this combined with its high content of antioxidants deliver anti-inflammatory, anti-aging, anti-depressive and anti-cancer properties, just to name a few.
A scientific paper that explored the benefits of rosemary created this graphic which includes all the various beneficial properties:
From Review paper titled Therapeutic Potential of Rosmarinic Acid: A Comprehensive Review
To get more specific, just ponder some of these amazing benefits that caught my attention:
Rosemary …
Aids digestion and circulation in the body and brain - ultimately improving focus and concentration. Its ability to increase circulation and decrease inflammation delivers powerful cardiovascular benefits as well.
Has anti-cancer properties, inhibiting cancer cells and tumors from growing. Rosemary has carnocic acid, a compound known for its high antioxidant properties effective against cancer.
Another interesting dimension is that when we season our meat with rosemary, it counteracts the carcinogen compounds that are created when grilling or cooking at high heat.Reduces anxiety and depression. Research shows that even simply inhaling the aroma of rosemary essential oil can lower levels of the stress hormone cortisol.
Reduces pain, especially inflammatory pain related to arthritis, primarily driven by its high antioxidant content.
Is a memory booster, also known as the herb of remembrance. It has been proven to play a role in preventing, minimizing or modulating Alzheimer’s disease. In one short term study among an elderly population, a dose as small as 750mg (⅙ of a teaspoon) had a measurable impact on cognitive function.
Aids digestion. Rosemary tea, for example, can address gas, bloating, and nausea. Rosemary is also a common herb for seasoning beef and lamb - and a reason that it is paired with fatty cuts of meat, other than the taste benefit, is that it supports liver function and helps to digest fat.
So if this has caught your attention, and you’re wondering just what “dosage” of rosemary delivers the goods, I’ll give you a couple data points to consider.
One study conducted among college students documented that taking 1 tsp a day (or a ½ tsp twice a day) showed that after a month those students showed improved memory, reduced anxiety and better sleep quality.
But if that seems like too much to bother with, just being aware of how you can dial up your use of the herb can only help.
One thing I did to increase my consumption of rosemary was to buy a little salt grinder and put rosemary in it. I am so in the habit of using salt and pepper on the foods that I prepare, and now rosemary is sitting right there as well to use to sprinkle on my eggs, or a salad, or any kind of vegetable dish. If you’re making up a salad dressing of olive oil, lemon juice and salt, add a bit of rosemary too.
I used to think about rosemary as more of a winter herb - given that it typically finds its way into beef stews, marinades and roasted potatoes.
But expanding the thinking of when and how to use rosemary can certainly serve us well.
Rosemary Tea is always a good and easy option. Just steep rosemary sprigs in hot water.
This recipe for a calming herbal tea, provided by Dr. Kara Fitzgerald, is also a nice way to end your day:
4 cups of water
4 bags of chamomile tea
1-inch piece of fresh ginger, sliced
1 small lemon, quartered
2 sprigs rosemary
Bring the water to a boil in a medium saucepan. Remove from heat.
Add the chamomile tea bags, ginger, lemon and rosemary and let steep for 10 minutes.
Remove tea bags, strain out the solids, reserving the liquid.
Can be enjoyed warm or cold.
Rosemary is just one more arsenal in the toolkit to keep us marching along the spectrum of wellness. And so nice when doing good for our bodies is such an easy thing to do.
Stay tuned for a couple more deep dives on extraordinary culinary tools that dial up our meals and our health in a one two powerful punch.