22.09.2017

Here you can find information about what rosemary is, all the details about its beneficial properties and contraindications for use. You'll also find out whether this seasoning can do more than just add flavor and aroma to various culinary creations. Rosemary is not only good for cooking, but is also famous for its medicinal properties. This aromatic herb is believed to help with everything from improving memory to relieving stress.

What is rosemary?

Rosemary is an herb with small grey-green leaves that look like Christmas tree needles and a bittersweet, lemony, slightly pine-like aroma, used as a seasoning both fresh and dried.

The leaves and stems of the plant have long been used for cooking and medicinal purposes.

What does rosemary look like - photo

Take a look at the photo of rosemary; in appearance and smell, this spice resembles a coniferous plant, although in fact it is a relative of mint.

General description

Rosemary (botanical name Rosmarinus officinalis) belongs to the genus of perennial evergreen shrubs of the Lamiaceae family. Its homeland is the Mediterranean, where it usually grows near the ocean, and its Latin name ros marinus translates as "sea dew".

Some plants grow to 180m or more in height, but standard varieties are usually around 90cm.

Rosemary flowers are pale to bright blue.

IN fresh The color of the leaves is grayish-green above, silvery-whitish below. IN
when dry, grayish-greenish, darker on top.

Dried rosemary is brought to us from Spain, France and Morocco. However, rosemary is also grown in temperate climates.

How do you get this seasoning?

The optimal time to harvest rosemary is right before flowering, when the aroma is at its peak. For seasoning, take the youngest, most tender leaves located in the upper third of the branches.

Rosemary can be harvested at any time of the year, but should not be trimmed while it is in bloom.

Where to buy rosemary and how to choose it

Dried rosemary is often found in the spice section of the grocery store. Fresh can be found with other herbs in the produce department.

If you are choosing between dried and fresh rosemary at the store, take the second option. Fresh is superior to dry in quality and has a more subtle aroma. Dried has a sharp and rather pungent taste.

Fresh rosemary sprigs should be deep green in color, without any blemishes or wilt.

How to store and prepare rosemary for the winter

Fresh rosemary is often sold in bunches or small packages containing several sprigs. It is stored in the refrigerator either in its original plastic packaging or transferred to a plastic bag. So it should retain its aroma and properties for two weeks.

Strong, resinous rosemary is ideal for frozen storage.

How to freeze rosemary

1. Place individual rosemary sprigs on a small baking sheet.
2. Place it in the freezer for a couple of hours.
3. Once frozen, place the sprigs in a plastic bag or plastic container and store in the freezer.

Instead of a large mass of leaves, you can now easily break off one or two branches as needed.

You can freeze rosemary leaves in ice trays or in olive oil or filtered water.

How to dry rosemary at home

Unlike more delicate herbs, rosemary retains its flavor, color and structure well when dried. There are three methods for drying.

Natural drying

After washing the rosemary sprigs, string them together, tie them at the base, and hang them in a well-ventilated area to air dry.

Oven drying

Place the sprigs on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and set the oven to the lowest setting.

Dehydration

Place rosemary sprigs in a vegetable dehydrator, select the most low temperature and wait a few days. Due to rosemary's thicker structure, the dehydration process may take a little longer than other herbs.

Dried rosemary has a shelf life of 12 months when stored in an airtight container in a cool, dark, dry place.

Chemical composition

Rosemary contains many vitamins and minerals. Fresh and dried rosemary contains the same nutrients, but in different quantities. For example, when drying, some manganese is lost, but the amount of calcium and iron increases.

Fresh rosemary leaves contain phytochemical (plant) compounds that have beneficial properties and promote health.

Nutritional value of fresh rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis) per 100 g.

Physiological role

Here are a number of effects that rosemary has on the body:

• stimulates blood circulation;
• increases low blood pressure;
• stimulates digestive process in the stomach;
• relieves flatulence, colic in babies, gas and indigestion;
• treats depression, anxiety and nervousness;
• relieves headaches;
• slows down the aging process due to antioxidant properties;
• improves cerebral circulation, and, consequently, concentration and memory;
• Thanks to its anti-inflammatory properties, rosemary can help relieve arthritis pain.

The medicinal properties of rosemary have long been successfully used in official and folk medicine.

Health Benefits of Rosemary

Rosemary is one of the recognized herbs that deserve attention for its health benefits of phytonutrients, antioxidants, and essential oils.

• The top and flowers contain rosmarinic acid as well as numerous health-promoting volatiles essential oils, such as kineol, camphene, borneol, bornyl acetate, α-pinene, etc.
• Rosemary leaves provide only 131 calories per 100g and contain no cholesterol. Besides nutrients, this humble herb has many noteworthy components such as dietary fiber(37% of the hedgehog daily value).
• This spice is exceptionally rich in B vitamins: folic acid, pantothenic acid, pyridoxine, riboflavin. It is one of the herbs containing high level folate: about 109 mcg per 100 g (about 27% DV). They are beneficial during the fertile period and help prevent neural tube defects in newborns.
• In rosemary large number vitamin A (2924 IU per 100 g or about 97% of the daily value). Just a few branches per day in the diet will be enough to replenish this vitamin in the body. Vitamin A is known to have antioxidant properties and is beneficial for vision and healthy skin. It is known that consumption natural products, rich in vitamin A, helps the body protect against lung and oral cancer.
• Fresh rosemary leaves are good source antioxidant vitamin C - about 22 mg per 100 g, this is 37% of the daily value. This is important for collagen synthesis in the human body. Collagen is the main structural protein in the body, necessary to maintain integrity blood vessels, skin, organs and bones. Regular consumption of foods rich in vitamin C boosts immunity and helps remove harmful free radicals from the body.
• It is also rich in minerals such as potassium, calcium, iron, manganese, copper and magnesium. Potassium – important component cellular and biological fluids which helps control heart rate and blood pressure.
• Rosemary is an excellent source of iron, containing 6.65 mg per 100 g of fresh leaves (about 83% of the daily value).

Video “Rosemary – a green that is good for the brain”

Beneficial properties of rosemary essential oil

• Rosemary oil is used to relieve anxiety, indigestion, headaches, joint pain, colds and flu, and poor circulation.
• When applied to hair as a lotion, rosemary can treat dandruff, promote hair growth, make hair healthy and shiny, and add shine to dark hair.
• Rosemary can relax the muscles of the body and help with cramps, so its oil can be used for massage.
• The essential oil has antibacterial, antiseptic and antifungal properties.
• Rosemary delays or prevents baldness.
• Can treat breathing problems when used in an aroma lamp.

Contraindications (harm) of rosemary

Rosemary stimulates muscle activity, so if a pregnant woman consumes rosemary large quantities may cause miscarriage.

Rosemary essential oil may cause allergic skin reactions in some.

Contraindicated in patients with hypertension and with individual intolerance.

What does rosemary smell and taste like?

Rosemary has a bitter-sweet, slightly pungent taste and a pronounced coniferous, lemon-pine scent. When fresh, there is a camphoric note; when dried, it has a rather resinous aroma.

Uses of rosemary in cooking

Rosemary is a versatile herb with a aroma that will complement variety of dishes and ingredients.

• Before using, rinse fresh sprigs in cold running water for a few minutes to remove dirt.
• Be sure to pound dried rosemary in a mortar before adding it to the dish, as the sharp leaves will be difficult to remove after cooking.
• Both fresh and dried rosemary have a tough, similar pine needle structure, so it is usually cut with a knife or crushed in a mortar before adding to dishes.
• Whole sprigs can be added to soups and stews and then removed from the finished dish.

Unlike many other aromatic herbs, rosemary does not lose flavor or smell when cooked for long periods of time, and since they are quite pungent, use this herb in small quantities.

¼ teaspoon fresh rosemary = 1 teaspoon fresh, chopped rosemary.

Finely chopped fresh leaves Rosemary goes well with:

• fried and baked vegetables: eggplant, potatoes, zucchini (zucchini);
• stewed meat with garlic;
• chicken and steaks;
• tomato sauce;
• olive oil;
• with baked or fried fish;
• with beans and lentils.

What dishes do you put rosemary in?

• Rosemary can be used as part of a bouquet garni to be added to soups, stews and broths.
• Another known use of rosemary—alone or with other herbs—is to flavor olive oil.
• Rosemary is good for marinating meat for grilling along with sage, bay leaves, thyme, and pepper. When grilling, you can sprinkle rosemary leaves and branches directly onto the glowing coals. The wonderful aroma of burning herbs will permeate whatever is being grilled.
• This aromatic herb is surprisingly tasty in desserts and sweet baked goods.
• Rosemary is added to bread dough.

What does rosemary go with?

Rosemary goes well with honey, lemon and other citrus fruits. Goes well with garlic and capers. By the way, this very combination can be used in sauces for fish and poultry.

But rosemary does not go well with bay leaves.

How to make rosemary oil

1. You will need a sterilized bottle or jar. Wash it thoroughly first in hot soapy water and then boil in a large saucepan for 20 minutes.
2. Fill a jar or bottle with as much fresh rosemary as will fit.
3. Pour olive oil all the way to the top of the rosemary. Typically this works out to be 2 parts oil to 1 part herb, although this may vary depending on the vessel used.
4. Close the jar or bottle tightly with a lid and place it in a warm place. It could be sunny place on the veranda or windowsill or in a warm closet. Leave the oil for 2-3 weeks or until the rosemary begins to darken.
5. Remove the lid and smell. If the aroma is not strong enough for you, drain the liquid, fill the jar with fresh plant material, then refill with the same oil. Leave it for about another week.
6. When the oil is ready, strain it thoroughly and pour it into a clean bottle. You can store your fragrance oil in a cool place for up to 6 months.

How to replace rosemary in recipes

Each spice is different, and in some cases dried herb simply cannot serve as a substitute. However, if a recipe calls for fresh rosemary and you have dried one on hand, it will the best option replacements.

• To replace 1 tsp of fresh rosemary, you will need ¼ tsp. dried rosemary.

If you prefer to use fresh ingredients, then oregano or basil will work as a substitute:

• 1 tsp fresh rosemary = 1 tsp. oregano or basil.

To replace dried rosemary, use the same amount of tarragon or thyme. Rosemary is an amazing seasoning with unique medicinal properties, but consider contraindications if you are going to use drugs based on it. Always consult a physician before using any herbs. Use in cooking, where rosemary is used as a spice, will not cause harm.

Since ancient times in southern countries rosemary is known as an aromatic spice and medicinal plant, and in recent years it has become popular in the cuisine of our regions.

This herb has a very bright, invigorating, refreshing taste; it is very specific and not everyone still knows what dishes they add rosemary to and how it is used. Here we will look in more detail various options using twigs of this aromatic Mediterranean heat-loving shrub in food.

Benefits of the plant

Rosemary greens contain high content substances useful for our body. Rosemary leaves are especially rich in essential oil. It contains rare organic acids, several important vitamins, tannins, flavonoids.

The usefulness of the plant extends to many areas human health. Rosemary helps with stomach diseases and digestive system, strengthens nerves, fights cholecystitis, heals the liver, strengthens vascular system, normalizes blood pressure.

They are used both fresh, as an additive to dishes, and in the form of decoctions and tinctures.

Rosemary in cooking does not have any special restrictions. It is used in completely different dishes and is an indispensable seasoning in Oriental and Asian cuisine. It can be added to vegetables, pickles, marinades, sauces, salads, side dishes, but aromatic greens are best combined with meat.

Various drinks are also prepared with the addition of needle-shaped pine branches. Rosemary tea is not only very tasty, but also very healthy. Let's consider the most best recipes drinks and dishes with this spice.

Refreshing lemonade with lime and rosemary

You will need

• Rosemary – 3-4 sprigs;
• Lime – 1 small;
• Cucumber – 1 pc.;
• Orange – 1 pc.;
• Honey (or sugar) - to taste;
• Water – 1 liter.

How to cook

Peel the lime and orange. Cut the cucumber and citruses into slices, add them to the water and grind everything in a blender along with rosemary.

Then add honey and sugar, beat the lemonade with a blender again. Serve chilled and garnish glasses with sprigs of rosemary or mint.

Ice tea - rosemary tea recipe

Ice tea is a summer iced tea that is so pleasant to drink in the heat.

You will need

• Brewing black tea – 1 tsp;
• Rosemary - a couple of sprigs;
• A few black currant leaves;
• Dried chamomile – 1 tsp;
• Juice of 1 lemon;
• Sugar to taste.

How to cook

Place chamomile, black tea, currant leaves, rosemary in a liter teapot and pour boiling water over everything.

After the tea has brewed a little, add lemon juice and sugar. Cool and serve with ice.

Medicinal rosemary teas

To treat and prevent diseases, you can brew rosemary in combination with other herbs.

Tea with blackberry, cornflower, birch, rosemary, the usefulness of which lies in large cluster vitamins, is an excellent remedy against colds.

• If you brew rosemary with chamomile– you will receive a healing anti-inflammatory drink.
• In combination with St. John's wort, tea will give you vigor and a surge of strength.
• Rosemary with mint and sage helps with stomach diseases.

If you brew it with valerian and fennel, it will calm you down and ensure good sleep.

You can add sprigs of the plant to regular black or green tea leaves, enriching the tea with aroma and beneficial properties.

But, like any herbal drinks, rosemary tea has both benefits and harms: due to great content in green esters, it should not be drunk a lot by pregnant women, and it is recommended to be used with caution by allergy sufferers. The herb can lower blood pressure, so hypotensive people should not abuse the drink. In general, rosemary has no serious contraindications, but it is still better to start with small doses of drinks.

You can add fresh and dried herbs to your dishes. But keep in mind that due to its strong specific aroma, not everyone likes rosemary in food. If you are preparing meals for festive table and are unsure of the tastes of the guests, it is better to use the seasoning in very small quantities.

We will not list specific recipes, because you can add spice to absolutely any food, but we will only tell you about the main rules for using fragrant herbs.

• Soups and broths. Rosemary is added to first courses in small quantities and a couple of minutes before the end of cooking; if the seasoning is added earlier, the broth may acquire a bitter taste.
• Second courses. Add the spice at the very end, 7-10 minutes before removing the dish from the heat.
• Pickling. Meat marinated with this herb is especially aromatic. To prepare the marinade, it is better to pound fresh herbs in a mortar so that they release the juice and maximum aroma. This gruel is rubbed onto the meat.
  Lamb with rosemary and garlic turns out especially tasty; it completely loses its specific smell and is imbued with the aroma of spices.
  Rosemary can be mixed with other spices to suit your taste.
• Canning. For preservation, it is recommended to use fresh sprigs of the seasoning, placing them in jars along with other herbs. In such types of preparations for the winter as lecho, caviar, salads, greens are finely chopped and mixed with other ingredients.

When boiling vegetables or cereals as a side dish, you can also add a couple of sprigs of rosemary to the water to add flavor.

They add spice to all kinds of minced meats, pates, pie fillings, sausages, meatloaf. Beef with rosemary is especially fragrant when sprinkled with dried, crushed seasoning.

You can combine rosemary with thyme or basil in recipes - these plants harmonize perfectly with each other. But it is not recommended to use more than three in one dish. herbs with an intense odor.

If you were wondering what dishes rosemary is added to, then now you are probably convinced that there are no restrictions. Try, experiment in cooking with this wonderful, unique and healthy greens and you will definitely find “your” recipes.

To always have a fragrant seasoning on hand, you can use it in your apartment or in the garden.

Rosemary is a shrub that is widely used in culinary and medical purposes young green twigs, flowers and leaves. The taste and aroma of this plant is spicy, reminiscent of the aroma of coniferous trees.

In cooking, rosemary is used to flavor meat and poultry, fish and seafood dishes. The essential oils that this plant is rich in are used in medicinal purposes. Healing tinctures and tea are also made from the shoots of this shrub.

Since rosemary contains a large amount of essential oils, it must be dried with great care. We’ll talk about all the ways to properly dry rosemary in this article.

The shoots, leaves and flowers of this plant have beneficial properties. But the most valuable is the deciduous mass.

It is necessary to collect the green parts of the plant before the bush begins to bloom. It is during this period that the pouring contains the greatest amount useful substances And aromatic oils. Rosemary sprigs are cut 15–20 centimeters long, trying to choose the juiciest and youngest shoots.

Rosemary flowers are collected to brew teas and prepare tinctures. They are cut during the period of active flowering of the plant. The collected inflorescences must be sent for drying as quickly as possible so that they do not have time to wither.

Methods for drying rosemary

In the air

The collected raw materials can be dried in a shaded and well-ventilated area or outdoors under awnings. The main task is to protect rosemary from getting into sun rays, otherwise the greens will lose color and most of the nutrients.

The green mass is laid out on sheets of paper and dried, turning over every day. You can dry rosemary with individual leaves, but it is much easier to dry the raw material with sprigs.

You can also form small bunches of 5 to 7 branches and hang the rosemary, foliage down, on the veranda or attic.

The flowers are laid out on racks or on sieves in a single layer and dried in the shade, turning occasionally.

The natural drying method takes approximately 2 weeks.

In the dryer for vegetables and fruits

If weather conditions do not allow you to dry your greens quickly enough, you can use an electric fruit and vegetable dryer.

Green sprigs of rosemary are cut into pieces of 5–6 centimeters and laid out in one layer on the drying racks. To save maximum quantity essential oils, the heating temperature should not exceed 40 degrees.

Flowers are dried in the same way, only the time to dry the inflorescences will take half as much, approximately 4 hours.

In the oven

It is highly undesirable to use this option for preparing rosemary, since the heating temperature of the oven is quite difficult to control. But if you urgently need to dry the spice, and there is no other way to do this, then the oven must be set to minimum heat.

The oven door should be slightly open and the rosemary trays should be placed on the top shelf. Drying time – 3 – 4 hours.

About the beneficial properties of rosemary and recipes medicines Alexander Maksimov will tell you in his video

How to store dried rosemary

High-quality dried raw materials have a grayish-green color, a spicy, bitter taste and a bright camphor aroma.

Before placing in storage containers, the branches are freed from leaves. Dry leaves can be ground into powder using a blender, but in cooking it is best to use whole needle-like leaves.

Store rosemary for 1 year in paper or fabric bags. The room where the spice is stored should be dry and cool.

Rosemary literally means “sea freshness”. This spice actually has pleasant aroma, including notes of camphor, pine needles, citrus and eucalyptus. Externally, rosemary branches also slightly resemble a spruce branch - its thin leaves look like needles. What kind of rosemary seasoning is this, where should I add it and how much? Since today this spice is available to everyone, it is worth understanding these issues. Which foods and spices does it go well with and which ones doesn’t? For readers of Popular About Health, let's talk about this.

Rosemary - description

The Rosemary plant is an evergreen shrub that grows in countries with warm climates, mainly in the Mediterranean. The Romans contributed to its spread as a spice, since it was they who initially used the branches of the bush to flavor drinks and dishes.

In cooking, the seasoning rosemary is used most often in European cuisine - it is highly valued by the Italians and the French. They add spice not only to meat and fish dishes, but even to cheese snacks, pizza and compotes. It gives products a fresh aroma. The spice is included in some mixtures, for example, Provencal herbs, and is also used as an independent seasoning. How to properly use this spice with the aroma of freshness?

Rosemary - where to add and how much?

An interesting fact is that people who have not previously tried dishes with the addition of rosemary herbs may not understand or appreciate this specific smell and taste. Having tried baked meat or fish for the first time, which were marinated with branches of this shrub, many do not always like the aftertaste and aroma of the dish. However, those who are accustomed to this seasoning use it again and again, that is, rosemary is worth trying, then it can become your most favorite spice.

Where to add Rosemary, in what dishes? What products are combined with the so-called “sea freshness”? We can safely say that this seasoning is suitable for any types of meat and fish. Italians always add sprigs of shrubs to the marinade in which they keep meat before cooking. This allows you to muffle the specific smell of some types of meat and give it an aroma characteristic of forest game. When preparing fish, sprigs of rosemary are certainly added when baking it.

Even with prolonged heat treatment, rosemary does not lose the richness of its aroma, so it can be added when cooking and stewing meat, in soups and sauces. The spice goes especially well with cheese. If you are cooking cheese soup or pizza, be sure to add a little rosemary to the dish, then the taste of the cheese will fully manifest itself. This aromatic green goes well with various legumes– beans and peas, and also with mushrooms and root vegetables. Some dishes from pasta It also makes sense to complement it with the aroma of the greenery of the Mediterranean bush.

Rosemary is often flavored vegetable oil. To do this, put one small branch of a bush directly into the bottle and infuse it. Then aroma oil used for dressing salads. By the way, this seasoning also goes well with vegetables, especially baked or stewed ones. What other spices can you combine rosemary herbs with? With tarragon, thyme, a mixture of various peppers and basil. But this spice is not combined with bay leaf.

Rosemary is also an excellent preservative; it prevents the formation of bacteria that lead to food spoilage. That is why the leaves of the bush are often added during canning and fermentation.

How much Rosemary is added to dishes??

Since fresh greens from the rosemary bush have a very strong smell, you need to be careful with them. IN various dishes add no more than one small twig. If you purchased dried spice, its smell is not so pronounced. Culinary experts recommend using no more than a heaping teaspoon of dry or ground rosemary for meat dishes and marinades. If you want to put the spice in a soup or sauce, half of this norm is enough.

Correct Application This seasoning also includes knowledge of when and at what stage of cooking it is best to add it. When cooking soups and stewing meat, add the spice shortly before the end of cooking, about 3-5 minutes. If the spice is added earlier, it will add an unpleasant bitterness to the hot dish.

Useful properties seasonings

The value of this spice is not only in its unique fresh aroma. Even the ancient Romans used it as a means to normalize brain function. Rosemary leaves contain substances that improve memory and concentration. And the component carnosol, another component of the green part of the bush, has an anti-inflammatory effect, which is especially pronounced in arthritis and arthrosis. People suffering from hypotension ( low blood pressure) it is worth seasoning food with spices, as it increases blood circulation and slightly increases blood pressure. Accordingly, it is better for hypertensive patients to exclude this spice from their diet, as well as for pregnant girls.

What conclusions can we draw from everything discussed above? Rosemary is definitely healthy spice, which is so loved by Italians and French for its pronounced and incomparable smell of freshness. However, you should not abuse it, but use it in moderation. This spice is suitable for meat and vegetables, legumes, mushrooms, sauces and soups, cheese snacks and pizza. It should be added at the final stage of cooking to prevent the presence of bitterness.

The well-known Mediterranean rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis) belongs to the evergreen perennial subshrubs from the Lamiaceae family. Translated from Latin, ros marinus means “sea dew.” Popularly, this fragrant, highly branched plant has other names. It is often called the bride's dress, incense grass, sea dew, wedding color...

Its branches are covered with narrow small leaves that resemble pine needles. They are dark green and leathery above, and white-tomentose below with a characteristic odor. Their aroma is somewhat reminiscent of the intertwining aromas of camphor, eucalyptus, pine and lemon.

The amazingly smelling violet-blue flowers are small, collected in inflorescences. This heat-loving, branched shrub blooms from February to May and, like, can reach a height of up to 2 meters.

Rosemary is native to the western Mediterranean, and it is not without reason that its aroma resembles sea freshness. Currently, its wild species can be seen in almost all countries of Southern Europe.

In our country, rosemary is cultivated as an essential oil plant, mainly in Transcarpathia and Crimea, since it cannot withstand prolonged frosts. Rosemary is used primarily as an aromatic and medicinal plant.

Since ancient times, it has been revered and considered sacred in Greece, Italy, and Egypt, as evidenced by many legends. For example, residents of Rome and Greece often wore wreaths woven from rosemary branches on their heads. It was believed that wearing them would activate mental activity, and also improves memory.

In the Middle Ages, thanks to their antiseptic properties, this needle-shaped herb was used against the plague and other epidemics. In some European countries, as a tradition, funeral makers still carry sprigs of rosemary with them. And drawings of rosemary branches can be seen on Egyptian tombstones.

IN Ancient Greece this wonderful plant was dedicated to the goddess Aphrodite. The Greeks believed that it brings happiness, protects from bad dreams, preserves beauty and youth.

According to sources from 1870, it is known that the famous “Water of the Hungarian Queen” or, as it was also called, “Elixir of Youth” included in its composition and miracle rosemary, it was he who helped turn the already sick princess into a beautiful beauty, whose hand and heart the Polish king himself sought.

In ancient times, in order for washed clothes to absorb the smell of freshness, Mediterranean women dried it by hanging it on rosemary bushes. They also used this wonderful plant as a preservative for storing food, especially meat and fish.

How spice is it aromatic plant known since ancient times and today is widely used in aromatherapy and herbal medicine, cooking and cosmetics. Currently, this aromatic spice is popular not only in the Mediterranean countries, but also in Western European countries, as well as in the USA. Unfortunately, it is not widely popular in the countries of the former CIS.

Harvesting rosemary

For treatment, one-year shoots and leaves collected before flowering are harvested. In order to preserve the essential oil as much as possible during drying, it is necessary to dry the raw materials in the shade, and the temperature should not exceed +35 degrees.

Rosemary is very thermophilic and practically does not tolerate even slight frosts. Therefore, if you have frosty winters, it can be successfully grown in an indoor pot.

To do this, take a rosemary cutting, place it in a small container with water, wait for the roots to appear, and then transplant it into indoor pot with good soil and place it on the windowsill on the south side.

Rosemary has choleretic, diuretic, anti-inflammatory, wound healing, as well as tonic, antidepressant and antioxidant properties. The most powerful antioxidant that has a beneficial effect on the immune system is rosmarinic acid.

Rosemary is rich in vitamins A, C, B1, B2, B6, folic acid and niacin. It contains carbohydrates, proteins, fiber, fats and many macro and microelements.

But the most valuable is the essential oil obtained from rosemary. It is used to treat eczema, various types rashes, burns, used for scabies, pediculosis and abscesses.

Rosemary is a good stimulant immune system person. Particularly effective for heart disease, low blood pressure, colds, and male sexual weakness. To treat radiculitis and rheumatism, it can be used by adding it to baths, as well as to ointments for rubbing diseased areas.

Rosemary is an excellent antiseptic; it is often included in toothpastes. It is very useful for normal metabolism, blood circulation, after strokes, and during restoration of activity gastrointestinal tract, swelling of the legs, menopause, to relieve various spasms.

To improve weakened memory, a head massage with the essential oil of this wonderful plant is useful; it prevents age-related changes brain, helps prevent Alzheimer's disease.

In cosmetology, rosemary is known as effective remedy to combat excess weight and cellulite. The beneficial effect of this plant on the skin contributes to its rejuvenation.

The essential oil obtained from rosemary is especially useful for hair care. Having a positive effect not only on hair, but also on skin head, it disinfects and tones it, improves blood circulation.

Thanks to regular head massage using essential oil, hair growth increases, hair loss is significantly reduced, the appearance of gray hair slows down, and dandruff disappears.

For example, a head massage with rosemary and castor oil taken in equal parts strengthens the hair well, making it shiny and silky. Rubbing rosemary oil for two weeks can even stop hair loss.

And adding essential oils of basil and tea tree, you will get excellent antibacterial agent for the treatment of many scalp diseases.

For those with dry hair

Mix olive oil (50 g) and yolk chicken egg, add 2-3 drops rosemary oil. Then gently apply this mixture to your hair for 30 minutes, after which you wash your hair with shampoo.

For oily hair

Mix jojoba oil (10 g) with grape seed oil (20 g), add a couple of drops of rosemary oil. Apply the resulting product to your hair for 1 hour. We also wash off the mask with shampoo.

Anti-dandruff mask recipe

Mix burdock oil (3 tablespoons) with pre-melted cocoa butter (3 tablespoons) and 3-4 drops of rosemary oil. Apply this mixture to your hair, leave for 3 hours, then wash off with shampoo.

Hair loss mask recipe

We take equal parts of burdock and castor oil, add 2 drops of rosemary oil to them. Mix all the ingredients of the mask and leave it on your hair for 40 minutes, after which you wash your hair with shampoo.

Recipes for using rosemary in folk medicine

Infusions, tinctures, powder, decoctions and essential oils of rosemary are often used in folk medicine. Thus, the use of alcoholic rosemary tincture improves the functioning of the heart and blood circulation.

Dried rosemary powder is effective for low blood pressure. Decoctions normalize the functioning of the intestines, stomach, and gallbladder, and rosemary infusions will be useful for thrombophlebitis.

For weakened memory, loss of strength, colds and depression, rosemary tea is recommended according to the following recipe:
Pour chopped dried rosemary leaves (1 teaspoon) into a quarter cup of boiling water, leave for 15 minutes, strain well. We drink in small sips, slowly, a glass twice a day. The drink should be warm.

At low blood pressure, rosemary works best when boiled with white grape wine or when homemade white wine is infused with it.

Choleretic agent
Powder: Grind the dried rosemary until it becomes powdery. We take the resulting rosemary powder three times during the day, 2 grams each.

For soothing compresses for pain and for the treatment of leucorrhoea in women, pour boiling water over a full glass of a mixture of rosemary leaves, sage leaves and mint leaves in a ratio of 4:10:5 so that it steams and infuses a little. Use warm. Compresses are made in the same way for inflammation of the middle ear, mumps, and various ulcers.

Baths with the addition of rosemary leaves should be taken for radiculitis and the treatment of rheumatism.
For respiratory diseases and bronchial asthma Smoking rolled-up cigarettes also from rosemary leaves, but already dried and crushed, helps.

Contraindications

It is strictly prohibited to take rosemary and preparations made from it.

• during pregnancy (this can cause miscarriage),
• for epilepsy and allergies to rosemary;
• It is not recommended to use it during exacerbation of gastrointestinal ulcers;
• tendency to seizures;
• also for children.

Its overdose can disrupt kidney function, lead to various disorders, vomiting, uterine bleeding, liver pathology and even pulmonary edema with a fatal outcome.

Before using rosemary preparations, consult a doctor!

In cooking, rosemary leaves and flowers are often added to dishes as a spice. They are collected, dried, and then crushed into powder and sold.

Some of the most popular aromatic mixtures in France, “bouquet Garni” and “herbes of Provence,” include this spice. In Italian cuisine, it is flavored with pasta and added to pizzas.

The leaves of this amazing plant do not lose their aroma even with long-term heat treatment. Therefore, they can be successfully used for stewing, baking and frying various foods.

Rosemary goes well with peas, spinach, cabbage, zucchini, potatoes, eggplant, eggs and mushrooms. Its ground leaves are especially good with cheese dishes, and they are also a good addition to various sauces and soups.

Rosemary leaves go well with any meat; they are added to prepare marinated meat dishes. They give the meat a pleasant aroma, perfectly drowning out the specific natural odor. Before grilling or grilling, the game is wrapped in rosemary sprigs.

The leaves of this wonderful plant are added to vegetable dishes as an addition. A small amount of rosemary leaves will add a refreshing flavor to salads.

Rosemary is a natural antioxidant high efficiency, it preserves food from spoilage for a long time.

We bring to your attention a healthy and very simple potato recipe.
Recipe: Take several large potato tubers, wash them well, cut them into 4 parts, add salt and place them on a baking sheet.

Then add a few rosemary leaves and pour a little on top olive oil and bake in the oven until done.

It should be noted that red vegetables (beets, tomatoes and others) do not combine with rosemary. It is also not recommended to add it to fish dishes and light marinades, so as not to interrupt their natural flavor.

It is not advisable to use rosemary spice with bay leaf, since the aromas of these spices are largely identical. However, rosemary is perfectly complemented by spices such as black pepper, parsley, thyme, and basil.

How to properly use rosemary spice?

Because of its rich aroma, very little is used, when dried – a pinch, and fresh – a small twig is enough. To prevent the dish from developing a bitter aftertaste, add this spice at the end of cooking.

How to properly store rosemary?

Ground rosemary quickly loses its aroma, so it is better to buy rosemary leaves whole. It should be properly stored dry for no more than a year in tightly closed dark glass jars. And fresh ones will be perfectly stored in a plastic bag in the refrigerator.

All about rosemary video

Rosemary photo gallery