In around 2005, two wild roses appeared in my garden - one in the back and one in the front. People said to me this was impossible and I must have planted them! Well, I do think I would have remembered if I had done that! Also, they were identical and grew into lovely large dog rose bushes. The added benefit was that they also increasingly produced an abundance of rose-hips! In September 2016, as I was still putting together this first volume, myself and my friend, Ray, picked 2.4kg of rose-hips from the bushes! So, I set to and wrote up my rose-hip syrup recipe for the book.
Rose-hips are part of the “sour” category of foods, which means they help to bring the heart and small intestine into balance.
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When I make rose-hip syrup, I always mince them first as this is the best way of preserving all the goodness because it is important to barely cook the rose-hips at all; just bring them to the boil for 15 minutes then switching off the heat. I then choose to leave them to steep in the water until totally cold, before straining them and then heating up the juice with agave syrup or raw cane sugar to make it into a syrup, with the addition of cinnamon, a great flavouring as well as an enhancer of its benefits! This means that the high levels of vitamin C in the rose-hips is maintained.
It transpires that if you process rose-hips too much or dry them, then most of the high levels of Vitamin C, which are naturally contained in them are lost. This means that many rose-hip products purporting to be “natural” Vitamin C products, have actually be fortified with lab-made Vitamin C; however, their labels may not always state this!

Vitamin C is renown for its high antioxidant levels and is therefore fabulous for preventing and treating colds and flus.

Rose-hips are also fabulous for treating stomach spasms; stomach acid deficiencies; preventing stomach irritation and also ulcers. They can also be used as a “stomach tonic” for intestinal disorders.

Due to their high antioxidant levels rose-hips are also great for relieving diarrhoea; constipation; gallstones; gallbladder problems; lower urinary tract and kidney infections; abnormal fluid retention; gout; sciatica; diabetes; high cholesterol; assisting weight loss; reducing high blood pressure; reducing fever and increasing our immune system as well as increasing blood flow in our limbs, quenching our thirst and increasing urine flow.

So, how wonderful is that? Such a tasty drink and so great for you, too! I had a lady ring me up who had had one of the tasters I took to a networking breakfast in September after making the Rose-hip Syrup, to say that she had had more energy that day than in weeks and that it happened after drinking the syrup! She could feel her energy levels increasing and felt no need to have her usual shot of black coffee!

If Rose-hips do not grow in your garden, there are always plenty in the hedgerows. It is easy to make and keep and will last throughout the winter months if kept in the fridge.

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