Rosemary is a wonderfully smelling plant. It gives soups, sauces and salads a fragrant aroma. The rosemary plant is also traditionally known as a medicinal plant. Rosemary is originally a plant from Southern Europe, but also grows in the Netherlands if it is placed in a warm place. He needs sun and shelter. You can pick the flowers in May and June to use them in dishes, and the leaves especially in September. NB! This article is written from the personal view of the author and may contain information that is not scientifically substantiated and/or in line with the general view.

Contents:

• The origins of rosemary
• Phytonutrients and essential oils
• Previous uses of rosemary
• Friendship, memory and rosemary
• Charlemagne and rosemary
• Drinking tips rosemary
• Medicinal properties of rosemary
• What diseases is rosemary effective against?
• Rosemary eating tips

The origins of rosemary

Rosemary originated in the following way. Libanotis was a religious young man. Libanotis means incense. He was often found in the temple and had transcended earthly pleasures. His peers from the village where he lived could not tolerate this well. They gossiped about him, mocked him and made his life very difficult. The gods came to Libanotis’ aid. They turned it into a shrub that the ancient Greeks called frankincense. In France, rosemary used to be called ‘inscensier’, which means incense. In the Roman Catholic Church, incense is burned and when this was too expensive, rosemary was used instead.

Phytonutrients and essential oils

There are all kinds of vitamins, minerals and phytonutrients in rosemary. There is little point in eating rosemary for its vitamins and minerals. It makes sense to eat rosemary because it contains healthy phytonutrients. The number is too large to mention. In any case, the phenolic acid rosmarinic acid is contained in rosemary. Here is a small selection of all the essential oils found in rosemary: cineole, camphene, borneol, bornyl acetate and alpha-pinene. These are all substances that have very healthy properties for the human body.Source: Amédée Masclef, Wikimedia Commons (Public domain)

Previous uses of rosemary

In times gone by, a sprig of rosemary was hung in a house to protect marital happiness. Rosemary was put under a pillow to sleep better. That only worked if you didn’t have too many sins on your conscience. A sprig of rosemary was steeped in white wine for six days, after which it was a medicine against 1001 ailments. It healed infected wounds, scabies and activated the brain, so people used to think. The smells caused by the pestilence were expelled with rosemary.

Friendship, memory and rosemary

Thomas Moore said of rosemary: “ I grew rosemary within my garden walls, not only because it is dear to my bees, but because it is the herb dedicated to memory and to friendship, why a sprig of it speaks a mute language.” Theinfluence The memory that Thom as Moore talks about is now supported by science. Rosemary contains phytonutrients that prevent the breakdown of acetylcholine. Acetylcholine is located in the brain and is responsible for memory. It is striking that Moore talks about friendship and language. A second aspect of acetylcholine is that this substance facilitates communication between people. The ancient science that rosemary is good for the brain is supported by modern science. Rosemary is considered a concentrate for the mind.Source: Thor, Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-2.0)

Charlemagne and rosemary

Charlemagne ordered that rosemary be grown in all herb gardens in his territory, along with thyme, sage, lilies, roses, clover, gherkins, cumin, melon, caraway, anise, heliotrope, fennel, endive, and many more as spices plants used. Rosemary was an important herb in medieval cuisine.

Drinking tips rosemary

You can mix rosemary in a homemade herbal tea. You can also approach it in the same way as Queen Elisabeth of Hungary did in the 13th century. She drank rosemary water every day and claimed that it made her look so beautiful. At the age of 72, she received a marriage proposal from the 26-year-old King of Poland! It must now be noted that, certainly at that time, royal families were more likely to marry for political and economic interests than for love. Even with that knowledge in mind, this age difference is unique.

Medicinal properties of rosemary

Rosemary is said to be good for the skin. In the Netherlands, people used to wash with a few sprigs of rosemary in the bath water for a long time. Scientific studies confirm that rosemary sprigs are good for the skin because rosemary has very strong antioxidant properties. It has been scientifically proven that rosemary helps against skin cancer. During the Second World War, rosemary was used in French hospitals because it has antiseptic properties, in other words: it is bactericidal.Source: Fir0002, Wikimedia Commons (GFDL-1.2)

What diseases is rosemary effective against?

The bactericidal properties of rosemary have an effect on the blood. The blood is cleansed by rosemary, just like the liver. Better liver function means that eczemas are less likely to develop. Rosemary also has a fever-reducing effect. It counteracts muscle pain and rheumatic pain because the accumulations of toxins and free radicals responsible for these are eliminated more quickly if you often eat or drink rosemary. Like many green herbs, rosemary works well against stomach cramps and other digestive problems. The last fact in this impressive list is that rosemary can cure the fungal infection candida by eliminating fungi.

Rosemary eating tips

Rosemary is ideal for a salad dressing. A pinch of rosemary is delicious in home-made muesli or oatmeal. It gives a very surprising taste effect and it never hurts to vary. Rosemary is a great herb for an omelet. Rosemary is ideal for adding as a herb to a vegetable smoothie. Try fried mushrooms with rosemary. Sprinkling boiled potatoes with rosemary gives the potato a delicious extra flavor palette.

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