As we all know, Nature provides us innumerate benefits, be it from plants, fruits, vegetables or even herbs. Among such rewards of nature, we have Rosemary, a herb which can pretty well benefit us with it’s power packed properties.
Have a look for what Rosemary can provide us!
What is Rosemary?
Rosemary (Salvia Rosamarinus) is a herb with fragrant and evergreen needle like leaves and flowers of white, pink, blue or purple colors. It is a woody and perennial herb. It was a member of mint family.
It is native to the Mediterranean and used in many Italian recipes. It is also used in body perfumes and for it’s potential health benefits. It is attractive and drought-tolerant. Once established, rosemary can grow to about 4 feet tall and spread about 4 feet as well.
Here are some of the benefits we get from Rosemary:
1. Rich in Anti Oxidants
Rosemary is a rich source of antioxidants and anti-inflammatory compounds, which are thought to help boost the immune system and improve blood circulation.
Antioxidants are compounds that help to protect our body from oxidative damage and inflammation, which can help to fight against chronic diseases like cancer, heart disease.
Rosemary contains a number of phytochemicals, including rosmarinic acid, camphor, caffeic acid, ursolic acid, betulinic acid, carnosic acid, and carnosol .
Rosemary leaves are employed in traditional medicine for their antibacterial and wound healing effects.
The compounds in rosemary tea may also have antimicrobial properties, which may help fight infection.
2. Memory and Mood Enhancer
Rosemary is considered a cognitive stimulant and can help improve memory performance and quality. Taking rosemary by mouth may mildly improve memory in young adults. Using rosemary aromatherapy seems to improve some measures of memory. Rosemary aromatherapy also seems to increase alertness.
Rosemary extract may improve mood by promoting a healthy balance of gut bacteria and reducing inflammation in the hippocampus, the part of your brain associated with emotions, learning, and memories .
In fact, simply smelling rosemary appears to be beneficial for your mood and brain.
Early research shows that taking powdered rosemary leaves might improve memory speed in healthy, older adults. But higher doses seem worsen memory.
3. Provides Vitamins and Minerals
Rosemary is a good source of Vitamins A, C, and B6. The herb also provides with several minerals including calcium, iron, magnesium, manganese and potassium.
With it being rich in Vitamin A, rosemary is excellent for improving eye health, promoting healthy teeth, skeletal and soft tissues. Vitamin B6 is used in protein metabolism and making hemoglobin, the red pigment in blood. While vitamin C is essential for the growth and repair of body tissues and functioning of immune system.
Calcium, magnesium and other minerals are essential for bone health and cardiovascular health.
4. Heart health benefits
Researches shows that taking rosemary oil three times per day increases the top number in a blood pressure reading (systolic blood pressure) and the bottom number (diastolic blood pressure) in people with low blood pressure. Blood pressure seems to return to pretreatment values once rosemary use is stopped.
Rosemary helps to improve the ability of the blood vessels to dilate. Because of its rich nutritive value Rosemary may also help to lower your blood sugar. Some researches suggest that rosemary oil aromatherapy may reduce pulse rate. It help in prevent damage to blood vessels and aid with cardiovascular health.
5. Hair Benefits
Rosemary oil is known to promote hair growth, prevent baldness, slow graying, and treat dandruff and dry scalp.
Researches suggests that applying rosemary oil to the scalp is as effective as minoxidil for increasing hair count in people with male-pattern baldness. Rosemary is specifically powerful against bacterial infections.
It is also burnt as incense, and used in shampoos and cleaning products.
Although it’s not clear how rosemary works for hair loss, applying it to the scalp irritates the skin and increases blood circulation.
6. Protects Skin
This nutrient rich herb provides various benefits for the skin and can be used in various forms like- rosemary extract, rosemary oil and rosemarinic acid. It helps rejuvenate the skin and makes you feel energized.
The nutrients in rosemary helps to protect skin cells from damage often caused by the sun and free radicals. Its anti inflammatory properties help to reduce swelling and puffiness of the skin, it also helps in healing burns and soothe the skin. Rosemary strengthens the capillaries and helps to slow down the effects of ageing on skin. It can also be used to treat acne and oily skin condition.
With the broad applications of this herb, it is much more easier to tackle the health related issues in a natural way. Try to use this regularly and see the happy and healthy results it provides to your body.
