How to Make Rosehip Tea - Fresh Rosehip Tea Recipe
Rosehip tea is made from the fruit of the rose plant. The small, red or orange fruits are packed with vitamin C and other antioxidants, and were often used in the past against scurvy and for other medicinal purposes.
Rosehip tea is typically red in colour and has a sweet and slightly sour taste. It is known for its high vitamin C content and is naturally caffeine-free.
Making rosehip tea is easy and can be done in just a few simple steps.
How to make the best rosehip tea - step by step:
1. Gathering Ingredients
Before you begin making rosehip tea, you need to gather your ingredients. You can use either fresh or dried rose hips to make the tea.
If you happen to grow roses in your garden, or you have access to wild rose plants, you can harvest fresh rosehips for your tea. Make sure to pick healthy, firm rosehips that are pesticide-free. The fruit should be fully coloured - either red or orange. Avoid picking rosehips that are wrinkled or have other signs of damage.
When picking rosehips, make sure to wear gloves, to protect your hands from the thorns of the rosebush.
If you don't have access to fresh rosehips, you can purchase dried ones from a grocery, health food store, or online. When purchasing them, try to choose a brand that uses high-quality, organic ingredients.
Once you have your rose hips, you're ready to start making the tea.
Rosehip tea bags
Rosehip tea is also available in tea bags. However I personally don’t recommend these, because when brewing the tea, the tea bags can often release microplastics into your drink.
Do all roses make rosehips?
While this tea is traditionally prepared from wild rosehips, most roses do produce rosehips. In order to harvest the rose fruits you will need to let them grow first, so you will need to make sure you don’t deadhead the flowers.
When do you harvest rose hips?
Typically rose hips are harvested in autumn, but depending on the variety some can be harvested in late summer or even winter.
2. Preparation
Now that you have your rosehips, it's time to prepare them for tea.
Rinse the fresh fruits under cold running water to remove any dirt or debris. Then you have to crush them, or give them a quick spin in the blender to break them apart. If using dried rosehips, it is best to pulverise them in the blender.
Boil some water. The amount of water you'll need depends on how many cups of tea you want to make. A general rule of thumb is to use one tablespoon of dried rosehips, or two tablespoons of fresh fruit pulp per one cup of water. But you can adjust these quantities to your taste.
Add the fruit to the teapot, pour boiling water over it, and cover the teapot.
Can I use whole dried rosehips for tea?
If you use whole dried rosehips for tea, it will take a very long time, before your tea is ready. So it is best to crush or pulverise them before making your tea.
3. Steeping
Steeping is an important part of making rose hip tea as it allows the fruits to infuse their flavour and nutrients into the water. Generally you need to steep your tea somewhere around 15-20 minutes.
If you prefer a stronger taste, you can boil your rose fruits for around 10-20 minutes in water, instead of steeping them.
4. Straining and Serving
Remove the lid or tea cozy from the teapot and carefully pour the tea through a fine strainer into a teacup or mug to remove the fruits. If you don’t have a fine strainer, you can also use a clean coffee filter.
It is important to strain your tea properly, because you don’t want any seeds or hairs from the fruit in your tea.
Rosehip tea has a mildly sweet and slightly sour taste, so you may prefer to add a sweetener. For serving, you can add a natural sweetener such as honey or stevia.
Drink your tea hot or cold, depending on your preference. Rosehip tea is a refreshing, caffeine-free drink that can be enjoyed any time of the day.
You can drink it plain or add other herbs such as honeybush or fresh mint for a more flavourful tea. Experiment with different variations and find the one that suits your taste.
Tips for making rosehip tea
If you're using fresh rose hips, be sure to only pick them from plants that haven't been treated with pesticides or other chemicals.
If you're using dried rose hips, make sure to store them in an airtight container away from light and heat. This helps preserve their natural flavour and nutritional value.
You don’t have to remove the seeds from rose hips, if you are planing to strain your tea through a fine sieve or clean coffee filter.
Since this tea does not have a very strong flavour, you can blend it with other herbal or true teas, such as green tea, honeybush, or fresh mint.
Safety and side-effects of rosehip tea
Rosehip tea is generally safe for most people when consumed in moderation. However, it has some potential side-effects, since not everyone reacts the same to this herbal tea.
Possible side-effects of rosehip tea include:
diarrhoea
nausea
heartburn
stomach cramps
constipation
fatigue
headache
upset digestive system
trouble sleeping
blood clots
allergies and asthma
In addition, rosehip tea can have a diuretic effect, meaning it may increase urine production.
Some people may be allergic to rosehips. If you experience any allergic reactions such as rash, itching, or difficulty breathing, stop drinking rose tea immediately and seek medical attention.
Pregnancy and breastfeeding
It is best for pregnant or breastfeeding women to avoid this tea, since there is not enough research to confirm if its safety in these groups.
Interactions
Rosehip tea might interfere with some medications. These drug interactions include:
Warfarin (and other blood-thinning medications)
antacids
some psychiatric medications
estrogens
There may be other drug interactions not included in this list. It is best to consult with your doctor before taking rosehip tea.
Who should not drink rosehip tea?
There is relatively little research on the safety of rosehip tea. Due to its high vitamin C content and other compounds present, it is recommended for certain groups of people to avoid this tea.
People with certain medical conditions should avoid rosehip tea, including:
kidney stones
iron deficiency
sickle cell disease
anaemia
thalassemia
diabetes
hemochromatosis
Glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase deficiency
There may be other medical conditions not included in the list. Not all experts agree on some of the points above.
Rosehip tea recipe
Ingredients:
2 tbsp fresh rosehips (or 1 tbsp dried rosehips)
1 cup water
Honey (optional)
Directions:
1. If using fresh rosehips, rinse them under cold running water to remove any dirt or debris. If using dried ones, skip this step. Then crush, or break them apart in the blender. If using dried ones, you can pulverise them in the blender.
2. Crush, or break the fresh fruit apart in the blender. If using dried rosehips, you can pulverise them in the blender, or follow the instructions on the package.
3. Bring the water to a boil.
4. Add your rose fruits to the teapot and carefully pour the boiling water over them.
5. Steep the tea for around 15 minutes and then strain through a fine sieve or coffee filter.
6. If desired, add a teaspoon of honey to your tea.
Serve and enjoy!
This is how you make fresh rosehip tea. Because it is naturally caffeine-free rosehip tea can be consumed at any time during the day.