30/09/2021
Science-Backed Benefits Of Rosemary
Rosemary has many health benefits, which include boosting memory, improving mood, and lowering the risk of Alzheimer’s and cancer. It also helps to reduce inflammation, relieve pain, and protect the immune system. The rosemary herb can help stimulate circulation, detoxify the body and protect it from bacterial infections, delay aging, and heal many skin conditions.
What is Rosemary?
Rosemary is a fragrant, woody herb native to the Mediterranean region. It has fine needle-like leaves with a silver touch and pink, purple, white, or blue flowers. It is one of the most commonly found herbs in a spice rack. It has a warm, bitter, and astringent taste yet it gives a wonderful flavor and aroma to soups, sauces, stews, roasts, and stuffing. It can be used in dried powder form or as fresh leaves for preparing tea, essential oil, and liquid extract.
The rosemary herb is considered to be sacred by ancient Romans, Greeks, Egyptians, as well as Hebrews and is particularly prevalent in Italian cultural cuisine. It is also called as ‘Dew of the Sea’ or ‘Old man’.
Health Benefits of Rosemary
The top health benefits of rosemary include:
Maintains Gut Health
One study showed that in test subjects with colitis, treatment with rosemary extract was effective to reduce colon tissue lesions and colitis. This, in turn, helps maintain gut health and fight gut diseases like irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) and colitis.
Aids in Digestion
Rosemary has traditionally been used as a natural remedy for upset stomach, constipation, gas, bloating as it helps in relaxing the muscles of the intestine. Adding it to your diet can help you regulate your bowel movements and your gastrointestinal system.
Hair Growth
Rosemary oil helps to promote hair growth, prevent baldness, slow graying, and treat dandruff.
A comparative study published in 2015 shows that rosemary oil is effective in treating androgenetic alopecia (permanent balding) cases by boosting hair growth. At six months, a significant increase in hair count was noted for the group treated with rosemary oil. It also promotes healing by increasing microcirculation of the scalp and decreases hair loss after shampooing.
Anti-inflammatory
Carnosol and carnosic acids are two powerful antioxidants and anti-inflammatory compounds found in rosemary that have been linked to reducing inflammation of muscles, blood vessels, and joints. This makes it an effective treatment and prevention of many diseases, including blood pressure, gout, arthritis, and injuries sustained during physical exertion or surgery. It is effective in oral or topical form. Furthermore, the reduction in inflammation in the cardiovascular system can help boost heart health and prevent atherosclerosis.
Enhances Brain Function
One of the earliest documented uses of rosemary was as a cognitive stimulant.
It helped improve memory performance and quality. It is also known to boost alertness, intelligence, and focus. One possible mechanism for this action is that rosemary extract enhances the synthesis of nerve growth factor which is vital for nerve tissue.
May Help Prevent Alzheimer’s
As per a research study published by Dr. Solomon Habtemariam, rosemary prevents beta-amyloid plaques and suppresses acetylcholinesterase (AChE) activities. These actions are associated with the symptoms of Alzheimer’s, ataxia and dementia. It has also been linked to stimulating cognition in the elderly as well as those suffering from other acute cognitive disorders.
The research titled “Brain Food for Alzheimer-Free Ageing: Focus on Herbal Medicines” suggests that rosemary is one of the best foods you can include in your diet to gain neuroprotective benefits.
Neurological Protection
The carnosic acid in rosemary has neuroprotective properties. A 2016 study suggests that it helps to reduce oxidative stress and overstimulation in nerve cells, ultimately protecting the nervous system.
There is also evidence showing that rosemary protects certain parts of the brain from tissue damage such as ischemic injury, heals nervous tissue, and reduces blood clots.
Reduce Liver Damage
Rosemary has been used for its protective effect on the liver in traditional medicine.
A 2015 animal study published in the Saudi Journal of Biological Sciences revealed that extracts of rosemary and olive leaves helped in reducing liver cirrhosis, likely due to their antioxidant activities.
Reduces Stress
Rosemary may have a calming effect on those who suffer from chronic anxiety and depression.
A study conducted on the anti-depressant effects of rosemary concluded that the herb is effective in improving symptoms of depression. These anti-depressant effects were observed even with repeated administration two weeks later. Furthermore, it may also reduce cortisol (the stress hormone) levels, which helps ease tension in the body.
