Rosemary, Rosmarinus officinalis, is an ancient herb originally grown in the Mediterranean area. The heady herb has a pine-like scent and the part that is used – the leaves – look like pine tree needles. The Greeks and Romans both used the herb as a memory aid, and citizens in the Middle Ages used it as a food preservative.
Folklore says people named the herb after the Virgin Mary. One day she rested her cloak on an evergreen bush, then set a white flower on top. The next morning the flower was blue, and the plant became known as the Rose of Mary.
Cut Colon Cancer Risk with Rosemary
In 2007, J. Scott Smith, a food chemistry professor at Kansas State University, found that rosemary decreased cancer rates in those who ate grilled meats. Grilled, fried or broiled meats at high temperatures form cancer-causing compounds called heterocyclic amines (HCAs).
While working for the Food Safety Consortium, Smith marinated round steak with a mixture of rosemary and thyme, and found that the amount of HCAs decreased by 87%. Strong antioxidants in rosemary – carnosol and rosemarinic acid – slashed the HCAs. Carcinogenic HCAs particularly damage colon DNA – the first step in cancer formation. Scientists think this is why meat-eaters are more prone to colon cancer.
Animal Studies Show Anti-Breast Cancer and Anti-Stroke Effects
As reported in the May 1996 issue of the Journal of Nutrition, researchers from the Department of Nutrition at Pennsylvania State University found that rats fed rosemary two weeks before being injected with a chemical carcinogen, had 76% decreased breast DNA damage. The rats with DNA damage ultimately developed breast cancer.
Promising studies from the Burnham Institute in California and Japan, reviewed in the October 2007 issue of Nature Reviews Neuroscience, found in animal research that a potent antioxidant in rosemary, carnosic acid, protected brain cells against free radical damage. Scientists say a human application could possibly stop the damage that leads to strokes and dementia. Furthermore, the antioxidant is dormant in the body until needed to fight the free radicals.
Traditional Uses for Rosemary
Through experience and observation, people have come to rely on rosemary for digestive complaints – like bloating, flatulence and upset stomach. The prestigious German Commission E, a governmental institution set up in 1978 for extensive study of herbs by scientists, approves rosemary for this purpose.
Rosemary has a reputation for increasing circulation and many use the herb as a headache cure. Another customary use is as a hair rinse that aids scalp stimulation and decreases hair loss. A simple rosemary tea (infusion) for drinking or rinsing the hair is to pour one cup boiled water over two to three teaspoons fresh rosemary leaves, cover and steep for 10 minutes.
Practical Uses for Rosemary
Rosemary is a welcome garden herb that has been around for a long time. The plant supports culinary, traditional and scientific uses – from tea for indigestion and headaches to a possible anti-hair-loss rinse to a marinade that can cut the risk of colon cancer.
This is an educational article only. Pregnant women should talk to their health care professional before using rosemary.
Reference
“Herbs Rosemary.” Vitamins Diary, accessed June 21, 2009.
Plesa, Aimee. “Rosemary Herb Bread for Bread Machine.” Cincinnati Baking Examiner, accessed June 20, 2009.
 |
 |
 |
