You may have read on the internet or heard about it at your favorite coffee shop in Irvine, CA. There’s a lot of talk about all the benefits of rosemary water. Just what is rosemary and why is it praised? Rosemary is an evergreen herb that lives two years. It’s extremely fragrant and often used to season Mediterranean dishes. While it looks like a small shrub, it’s actually a member of the mint family and shares family ties to basil, thyme, oregano and lavender, other herbs often used for health and flavor benefits.
What about health benefits?
Just sprinkling rosemary in your favorite cuisine will add extra nutrients and flavor, but very few calories. It’s a good source of calcium, iron and even vitamin B-6. In ancient times, when herbs were a popular form of medicine, it was used to help people with muscle pain, illness or weakness and poor memory. In fact, there are recipes today that use oil of rosemary to help boost hair growth by stimulating circulation of blood in the scalp. Recent studies show that consuming rosemary can improve memory.
Is rosemary water good for you to drink?
There’s been a lot of hype about drinking a processed form of rosemary water, with some claims alluding to the reversal of aging. While there are many antioxidants in rosemary, there certainly isn’t one quick fix for cellular damage and death. The antioxidants do help fight off free radicals and rosemary does contain anti-inflammatory compounds that also help protect your system, but there’s more to the story than that.
You can’t get good health out of a bottle. It takes more.
If you’re eating junk and drinking sugary drinks, while living a sedentary lifestyle, drinking a few bottles of rosemary water won’t make the difference you hope to see. Instead of focusing on the quick fix, look to long term lifestyle changes. If you want to add rosemary water to your diet, you can make it yourself. Simply create an infusion by adding rosemary and for more flavor some lemons, cucumbers or grapefruit to the water and store it in the refrigerator for two to eight hours for a refreshing drink.
- You can make rosemary tea by boiling water on low with sprigs of rosemary in it. Just strain it before drinking or using it as a face wash. It’s also antifungal, antiviral and antibacterial.
- Consider making rosemary infused vinegar. It’s easy to do. You can use almost any type of vinegar and add extra herbs. Infuse the vinegar, put it in a decorative bottle and let it release its delicious oils into the mixture.
- You can get too much of a good thing. Too much rosemary can increase your blood pressure, cause vomiting, kidney irritation, uterine bleeding, increased sun sensitivity and even cause allergic reactions.
- Remember, there is no magic bullet when it comes to good health. Everything you do, eat and stress over has a positive or negative effect on your health. Keep them all positive.
For more information, contact us today at Next Level Fitness