{"id":3450,"date":"2019-08-30T13:16:07","date_gmt":"2019-08-30T21:16:07","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/makeitagarden.com\/?p=3450"},"modified":"2022-01-04T20:53:58","modified_gmt":"2022-01-05T05:53:58","slug":"how-to-make-healthy-rose-hip-tea","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/makeitagarden.com\/how-to-make-healthy-rose-hip-tea\/","title":{"rendered":"How to Make Healthy, Rose Hip Tea"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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Taste the Fall season with a cup of hot and healthy<\/em> rose hip tea. Harvesting and brewing your own homemade tea has never been easier or more enjoyable. I’ve often wondered why so many people (including myself) who grow roses never take advantage of this? Rose hips are also used in jelly and quick breads. But in this article, we’ll focus on my favorite–making tea!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

How to identify rose hips<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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Caption: Alaska’s wild, Arctic Rose blooms in June (photo by Kristen)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Maybe you just never considered the rose hip before. The “hips” are the seed pods or ‘berry’ produced by the rose. Their color ranges from an orange-red in summer to deep burgundy in Fall. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Rose hips are an anti-oxidant, with high levels of vitamin C (an immune booster). If you leave some of your rose flower heads un-pruned, they will produce tender hips that turn sweeter in the cool Fall weather. If you prefer, you can harvest wild<\/em> roses which are present in almost every state across the U.S.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

NOTE: All portions of the rose are edible: the petals, the seeds and the leaves. It’s not recommended to harvest hips if you spray your roses with chemicals or insecticides. If you’re not sure if a rose bush has been treated, its best to pick the hips elsewhere.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Harvesting for rose hip tea<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The best time for picking rose hips is in the Fall when night time temperatures are cool. The hips are softened, but not mushy. Hips harvested after a light frost tend to be a little sweeter. Eaten raw, you won’t necessarily notice that sweetness…not like strawberries or blueberries. I find them rather bland and pasty. But those sugars will be released in the brewing process!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Hips from Alaska’s Arctic Rose that grow in abundance on my lot. <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

It’s important to use fresh picked hips as soon as possible. If you can’t use them right away, you can wash and freeze them in a plastic freezer baggie. Or dry and store in an air-tight container such as a canning jar.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A Recipe for Fresh, Rose Hip Tea<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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Caption: Fresh brewed Rose Hip Tea in my favorite tea cup<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

HOW MANY: You’ll need 1\/4 cup of hips per one cup\/serving of tea. (In Alaska, our wild rose hips are smaller than domestic varieties, so for me, that was about 17 rose hips.) <\/p>\n\n\n\n

RINSE: Gently rinse the rose hips. Toss out any that may have mold, or signs of insect damage.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

PREP: Cut off the top and just a bit off the bottom. If your rose hips are tender, the top should easily pull right off; you won’t need a knife. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Don’t worry about the seeds<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Don’t worry about removing the seeds when brewing tea. It’s tedious and un-necessary as you’ll be straining the hips and seeds after the steeping process anyway. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Use 1 Cup of water per serving of tea<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n