In the kitchen you can find a large number of condiments. Thanks to them you can add a unique taste to any dish. One of these condiments is rosemary. It is very common, but what, apart from the taste properties, do we know about it? How does it affect our body and what benefits it can provide us with?
Rosemary was considered sacred in ancient Greece and Rome, wreaths were woven from it, people believed that it stimulated brain activity. It was a symbol of abundance, youth and prosperity and is still given as a wedding gift in some counties. Find out more about how to use rosemary effectively in medicine, beauty care and culinary.
Contents
- Application number 1: Rosemary in Medicine
- Application number 2: Rosemary in Cosmetology
- Application number 3: Rosemary in cooking
- Top-3 Useful Tips on How to Use Rosemary in Cooking:
- Video
Application number 1: Rosemary in Medicine
The medicinal properties of rosemary to mankind are well known since ancient times. Ancient Greek physicians discovered the therapeutic effect of rosemary and described it in their writings. Nowadays, rosemary is still considered one of the most popular medicinal plants. Healing properties of rosemary are widely used in traditional medicine.
The composition of rosemary is very rich. It contains:
- provitamin A, vitamin B1, B2, B3, B4, B6, B9, C, E, K, PP
- iron, potassium, calcium, sodium, magnesium, phosphorus, manganese, copper, zinc, selenium
- rosemary, coffee, betulinic, caprylic, lauric, linoleic and ursolic acids
- Camphor
- beta carotene
- tanning and binding agents
- essential oil
- resins
- fats
- carbohydrates
- proteins
Useful properties of rosemary
- First of all, rosemary strengthens the immune system and improves the functioning of the cardiovascular system.
- It tones up the body and heals neuroses.
- With anemia, headaches, dizziness and insomnia, rosemary is one of the best helpful natural medicines.
- Rosemary has a diuretic, astringent, choleretic, anti-inflammatory, expectorant, antidepressant and antispasmodic effect.
- In addition, it removes toxins from the body and increases blood pressure, helps with myocardial infarction.
- With rheumatism, arthritis, spasms, pain in the muscles and the appearance of ulcers and wounds, you should also use products with rosemary.
- For the treatment of asthma, tonsillitis, sore throat, colds and diseases of the upper respiratory tract, it is recommended to use infusion for drinking and rinsing.
- Also, the use of rosemary will be useful for stomatitis and diseases of the oral cavity in general.
- Rosemary will perfectly cure diseases of the gastrointestinal tract, liver, gall bladder, cope with flatulence.
- Rosemary improves cerebral circulation, removes inflammation from the eyes, improves eyesight.
- It tones muscles, reduces fatigue and eliminates pain.
- The plant is recommended in the diet for people suffering from diabetes.
- Rosemary can be even used for the treatment of impotence and climacteric problems.
- Rosemary promotes concentration. In the aroma lamp in the children’s room or in the form of baths, rosemary can help a child with a poor concentration of attention. In addition, sprayed in the form of essential oil, rosemary, which in ancient times was used as a good antiseptic, which helps reduce the number of pathogens in the apartment.
Recipes with Rosemary:
Herbal tea for strong immunity
Used as a natural medical remedy to:
- maintain immunity,
- get rid of weakness,
- recover after the illness.
Preparation: Pour a teaspoon with a slice of rosemary leaves with ¼ liter of hot water and insist for 10 days. Strain and take it 3 times a day for 30 minutes before meals, previously diluting 25 drops of tincture to 2 tablespoons of water.
Tonic decoction for better mood
Used to:
- strengthen the body,
- improve mood.
Preparation: Pour 1 tablespoon of dried rosemary leaves with 0.25 liters of boiling water and insist for 30 minutes, carefully wrap with something warm. Strain and take 3 times a day for ½ cup.
Rosemary Decoction
Used to:
Help treat the convulsive syndrome in a child
Preparation: Pour 1 tablespoon of rosemary leaves with a glass of water. Bring to a boil and press for 2 hours. 1 teaspoonful should be taken 3 times a day.
Rosemary compress
Used to:
- Rinse the mouth,
- syringe in case of vaginal diseases
Preparation: Pour 2 teaspoons of chopped dry leaves with a glass of boiling water and infuse for 2 hours, after which drain.
Rosemary bath
Used to:
- overcome stress,
- relax
Rosemary is an indispensable remedy from depression, rosemary awakens interest in life. The essential oil of rosemary, as well as leaves and flowers are used.
Preparation: Pour 50 grams of rosemary leaves with 1 liter of water and bring to a boil. Infuse for 30 minutes, then drain. Pour the broth into a water bath.
Important: Essential oils are contained in leaves, flowers and upper parts of rosemary shoots, and the healing power of this plant is enclosed in them. To extract 1 kg of essential oil, 50 kg of raw materials is required.
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Application number 2: Rosemary in Cosmetology
Rosemary is effective not only in the medical sphere. It is also used in cosmetology:
- it has a positive effect on the skin and hair,
- fights against cellulite and obesity,
- many tinctures, tonics, masks, shampoos and other beautycare products are made from rosemary.
- Thanks to rosemary it is possible to get rid of furuncles and acne.
Useful properties of rosemary oil in cosmetology
In cosmetology, rosemary oil is used both in pure form, for example, during bathing, and as part of cosmetic products. As part of cosmetic products, rosemary oil performs the following functions:
- Normalizes the work of the sebaceous glands;
- Stimulates blood circulation;
- Cleans and tones up the skin;
- Promotes narrowing of pores;
- Smoothes skin relief;
- Fighting wrinkles and manifestations of cellulite;
- Stimulates the regeneration of cells;
- Eliminates acne;
- Has a rejuvenating effect;
- Struggles with withering of the skin;
- Whitens the skin and fights pigmentation.
Rosemary is great for care of oily and problem skin, it is irreplaceable in the composition of anti-cellulite and anti-aging cosmetics. In addition, rosemary oil is used in medical products for hair and scalp, it is especially effective against dandruff and hair loss.
Special attention should be paid to the rejuvenating properties of rosemary: masks on its basis smooth out shallow wrinkles, give elasticity to the skin. As a result of the application of masks and infusions from the leaves of rosemary, the circulation of blood in the skin improves, the manifestations of the vascular network decrease.
Rosemary for Face Skin Care:
Recipe 1. To tighten the pores, cleanse the skin, remove black dots use a decoction of rosemary
Preparation: The dried raw material is poured with boiling water and boiled for several minutes, then it is cooled and filtered.
Recipe 2. To clean and narrow the pores
Preparation: make a decoction of leaves and shoots of rosemary, freeze and wipe the face in the morning.
Recipe 3. To get the rejuvenating effect
Preparation: Make an infusion of rosemary and other herbs, in particular, chamomile and mint. Take mint, chamomile and rosemary in the proportion of 2:3:1. These ingredients are poured with dry wine and insisted for 2 weeks. If alcohol in skin care is unacceptable, you can pour boiling water and, after about an hour, use. For a better result, a couple of drops of rosemary essential oil are added to the finished product and every night they rub the skin with the infusion. After applying this remedy, the skin is lubricated with a nutritious cream.
Recipe 4. To make the face skin softer
Preparation: For skin toning and softening rosemary leaves are included in various herbal teas (chamomile, celandine, St. John’s wort, etc.). Wash with the help of these infusions and decoctions prepared on the basis of rosemary and other herbs.
Rosemary for Hair Care:
Recipe 1. To reduce the fat content of hair
Preparation: In order to make a conditioner with rosemary you should take 5 branches of this plant and cook it in 1 liter of pure (preferably mineral water) for 20 minutes. Cooling and straining this remedy, rinse hair after each wash.
Recipe 2. To strengthen the curls and stimulate more active hair growth
Preparation: Use rosemary for applying it as follows: fresh leaves are poured with almond oil and 2 weeks insist. The filtered remedy is applied warm as a normal mask to the roots of the hair, after 15 minutes it is washed off. The procedure is repeated every week for 2 months.
Rosemary for Body Care
The same remedy can be used as a massage oil to eliminate cellulite.
Rosemary oil is effectively used for the anti-cellulite massage:
- Essential oil of rosemary helps smooth the surface of the skin.
- It removes excess fluid from the body,
- restores lipid metabolism
- and narrows the pores.
It is not necessary to use rosemary oil as an independent unit, it is perfectly permissible and even useful to combine it with other oils or add it to special creams.
Anti-cellulite massage:
You will need a base and rosemary oil.
Preparation: Add 8 drops of rosemary ester to the massage cream and apply to the entire surface of the problem areas: thighs, buttocks and abdomen. Begin to rub it with accurate circular movements all over the problematic zones of body, gradually increasing the mechanical load. Yes, the process is not pleasant, and sometimes even painful. But what a result! The skin will eventually become tight and even.
Anti-cellulite wrapping:
Another useful procedure in the fight against cellulite is wrapping, using essential oil of rosemary. For wrapping, the following dosage should be used:
- 2 spoons of olive oil,
- 7 drops of rosemary,
- and 7 drops of lemon.
Mix and grind the combination of oils on problem areas. Wrap the body with food wrap and cover with a warm blanket to create a thermal effect. After an hour, take a warm shower.
It is very useful to take warm baths with the use of essential anti-cellulite oils. A few drops of rosemary, orange and lavender oil are added to a warm bath and enjoy the bath. The action of essential oils will make the skin smooth and supple, and a fragrant aroma will help to relax after a hectic day.
Rosemary oil for weight loss
A mask based on rosemary is very useful for weight loss. Healing properties, which have a great effect on the upper layers of the skin penetrate deep inside, splitting fats.
A mask for weight loss with rosemary and white clay
Preparation: To make it, you will need to take such ingredients:
- the oil of rosemary,
- grapefruit,
- lemon,
- sour cream,
- cosmetic white clay.
Take 2-3 drops of each essential oil, mix with 2 tablespoons of sour cream and a spoonful of clay powder. Mix all ingredients until smooth. Apply the mask obtained to the area of the thighs and buttocks. Keep the mask on the body for 20-30 minutes and then take a shower.
Important: To achieve a visible result, anti-cellulite masks are recommended 1-2 times a week.
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Application number 3: Rosemary in cooking
Rosemary is widely used in cooking: this spice with lemon-sweet aroma and bitter taste is added to dozens, if not hundreds of dishes. It is especially popular in Italian, Greek, French cuisines, which is not surprising because these regions are the birthplace of spices. But it is interesting: it has taken root in many cuisines of the Middle and Near East.
In Italian cuisine, rosemary is especially popular, it is used for cooking any dishes. Fresh and dried leaves are put in dishes from fish, meat and poultry, they are used in soups, any marinades cannot do without rosemary as well. It is added to a variety of sauces, flavor olive oil and vinegar.
Previously, spice rosemary was practically not used, but now this spice is in every store. It is sold in dried form, whole leaves and ground. Rosemary is a part of the mixtures “Provencal herbs”, “Italian herbs” and many other sets that housewives use for cooking any dishes: meat and fish, mushrooms and cabbage, potatoes and eggplants.
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Top-3 Useful Tips on How to Use Rosemary in Cooking:
1.How to combine rosemary with other spices in the right way?
Rosemary in cooking is not combined with all spices. With a laurel leaf it is usually not used, because the flavors of these two spices are very similar. The aroma of rosemary enhances and supplements parsley, use it with black pepper, thyme, basil, marjoram, oregano.
2. How to use rosemary for cooking?
Not everyone knows how to properly use the rosemary spice in cooking. Rosemary is very rich in flavor, so it takes quite a bit, enough pinch of dried rosemary or a small twig of fresh. Add spice at the end of the dish, otherwise it can give the dish a bitter, unpleasant aftertaste.
The whole leaves of rosemary look like dry Christmas-tree needles. They are thrown into the pan a little earlier, so that they have time to soften, crushed – use at the very end of the cooking.
Dishes of Italian cuisine, including salads and pastry, require the use of spices characteristic for this country, including rosemary. This spice gives fish and meat a specific taste of Mediterranean cuisine.
3. How to store rosemary
Dried rosemary is best bought as whole leaves, rather than shredded. The most correct way of storing rosemary is in a tightly closed jar of dark glass. Its shelf- life is no more than a year. Ground leaves should be used immediately. It is well-known that almost all the crushed spicy herbs quickly lose their taste and aroma, and rosemary is no exception. Fresh rosemary can be stored in a plastic bag or an
airtight container in the refrigerator. With such storage, the spice will retain its fragrance long enough.
Recipes with Rosemary
Recipe 1: Universal marinade for meat
Especially delicious for this recipe is a chicken with rosemary.
For 1 kg of meat you will need:
- dried rosemary greens – 1 tbsp.;
- 1 lemon peel;
- garlic;
- capers – 2 tbsp.
Preparation: Clean garlic clean and cut into 3-4 plates, mix all the ingredients, add olive oil to give the desired consistency and marinate meat. You can cook in 20-30 minutes, but the dish is especially fragrant if you keep it in this marinade for 2-4 hours. However, this recipe is not just for poultry: any other meat with rosemary in the oven is not worse – for example, pork with rosemary and garlic.
Recipe 2: Lemonade with watermelon and rosemary
It is a refreshing drink with a bright taste, it will be your favorite drink for parties on a hot summer evening. Ingredients:
- sugar – ½ tbsp.
- water 400 ml.
- rosemary – 4 sprigs
- lemon juice – 200 ml.
- watermelon – ¼ piece.
Preparation: In the ladle, heat 1 tbsp. water, add sugar and rosemary to it, bring to a boil, and simmer slowly until the sugar completely dissolves. Remove from heat, cover with lid and allow cool completely. During this time, the syrup is well saturated with the aroma of rosemary. Pulp the watermelon from the pits and beat in a blender along with lemon juice. In a large pitcher mix all the ingredients, mix well and pour over the glasses, decorating each with a sprig of rosemary and a slice of lemon.
Important: Rosemary is able to add some piquancy to many usual dishes. Add it to the tea you drink every day. A special taste can be given to chicken, pea or meat soup, taking advantage of the fragrant leaves of rosemary. The main thing is not to overdo it with the duration of its presence in the soup, and also don’t use it with the laurel leaf.
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