Herb Series #4: Rosemary
Benefits + Recipes
In today's final herb series post we're going to be looking at the benefits of rosemary.
Whenever I think of rosemary it brings me back to Colorado where the Airbnb we rented had a sunroom with a HUGE rosemary bed that spanned from the door to the wall on both sides (pictured above).
Not only did it smell amazing to sip our coffee in the sunroom each morning, but it gave us the opportunity to experiment with rosemary in just about everything we made from potatoes to chicken to omelets.
It also served as a reminder to venture beyond the foods that I'm so accustomed to eating, and to choose new types of foods more often. It's so easy to get in a rut with buying the same things each time we go to the grocery store, and to forget about the many types of herbs and produce that are so readily available to us.
So if you're not regularly using rosemary, I hope that this will give you the nudge to try it in some of the many recipes below after learning about the many benefits that it has on our health!
Rosemary Benefits
Rosemary originated in the Mediterranean region and was traditionally used for medicinal purposes to stimulate digestion, alleviate headaches and arthritis pain, improve memory and focus, reduce fatigue, and even to inhibit fat accumulation and cellulite.
It also has potent anti-bacterial properties and is effective in treating bacteria that are often resistant to antibiotics like Clostridium difficile (C-diff.).
The primary phytochemicals found in rosemary that contribute to its antioxidant properties and various health benefits include rosmarinic acid and carsonic acid.
Improves Cognitive Function & Memory
Research shows that rosemary preserves cognitive function and boosts memory in several ways.
First, the antioxidants in rosemary reduce oxidative stress, free radicals, and inflammation in the brain, all of which contribute to brain shrinkage and the development of neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer's. Reducing oxidative stress and inflammation in the brain is a key factor in preserving cognitive function and memory.
In addition, research shows that the carsonic acid in rosemary inhibits the production of amyloid plaques in the brain, which are a marker of Alzheimer's disease.
Finally, several studies also show that the compounds in rosemary improve memory speed by increasing antioxidant enzyme activity in the hippocampus, the region of the brain involved in memory.