Description
Rosemary is known as the memory herb. In ancient Greece it was given to students to stimulate their skills for exams but what they did not appreciate was that rosemary is a powerful anti-oxidant. In the book “Spices and Seasonings: A food Technology Handbook” Taintu explains how common herbs are in some ways more powerful than synthetic preservatives. He found that by adding certain herbs and spices to food increased shelf life dramatically. Herbs such as rosemary, oregano and sage were found to have “high anti-oxidant activity” and this has led to a search for the most unique herbs on the planet. While scholars traverse the remote regions of the earth and the forbidding rain forest for cures, the most powerful ones are much more obvious. Of all the antioxidant herbs/spices listed by Taintu a common one was the most powerful: rosemary. He discovered that when rosemary was added to fat, rancidity was halted.
Since antiquity, rosemary has been used medicinally and was added to food to halt spoilage. Ancient Greeks deemed it a brain rejuvenator. The Queen of Hungary touted it as an arthritis cure. It was also regarded as a reliable remedy for migraines (Michael Tierra, a modem herbalist, also confirms its and-migraine actions), British herbalists relied upon it to treat a wide range of mental diseases as well as lung disorders, It was also known to aid in growth as well as nerve tissue regeneration. The emphasis on rosemary’s brain enhancing capacities was seemingly the common thread throughout ancient civilizations. Modem research proves why: rosemary is a potent and aggressively fat-soluble antioxidant, and brain/nerve tissue readily absorbs it.
Researchers have documented rosemary’s antioxidant effects. Aruomo and colleagues, publishing in “Food Chemistry and Toxicology”, found that rosemary dramatically blocked oxidation of lipids. In a tiny concentration, less than a quarter of a percent, chemical-induced oxidation of fats caused by toxic chemicals was significantly inhibited. Researchers at Penn State University determined that ground wild rosemary prevented the cancer causing action of refined fats.
English researchers publishing in “Carcinogenis” determined that rosemary was such a powerful antioxidant that it blocked the cancer-causing abilities of toxic chemicals. In their tests on human cancer cells, rosemary blocked cancer activity by greatly increasing the synthesis of anti-cancer enzymes, notably glutathione. Even topically, rosemary, as the naturally extracted oil, proved to be a cancer blocker. Huan determined (Cancer Research Feb. 1, 1994) that rosemary inhibited skin tumor development in mice. This is likely the result of its fat soluble antioxidant actions, since the skin aggressively concentrates essential oils. The antioxidant capacities of rosemary an aptly summarized by Chen, who proclaimed that rosemary is “strongly inhibitory against the oxidation and degeneration of fats.
This may explain the value of rosemary as a breast tonic, since this tissue is largely fatty. Researchers from Illinois determined that the herb decreased the incidence of breast tumors by nearly 50 percent, a highly significant action. Few, if any, drugs could match this degree of protection. The Illinois researchers have discovered the reason for this significant action: rosemary increased the levels of anti-cancer enzymes by as much as 450 percent. This supports the conclusion of lnatani, who states that wild rosemary is four times more powerful than the synthetic antioxidant BHT. This makes it exceptionally valuable for the brain, since a fat soluble antioxidant, such as rosemary, which could penetrate brain tissue would protect the brain from toxic chemicals as well as the processes of aging.
Rosemary, an evergreen shrub grows wild in hot climates, particularly the Mediterranean. It prefers mineral-rich rock soils and grows relatively close to the ocean. The iodine-rich mist aids in its growth. The herb is exceptionally rich in trace minerals and is one of the top sources of calcium, magnesium, potassium and phosphorus, all of which aid in energy production and cellular repair. Rosemary concentrates minerals, because it essentially grows on limestone. It is also an excellent source of flavonoids, which themselves exert significant antioxidant actions. Wild rosemary is a denser source of anti-oxidants, trace minerals and flavonoids than commercially grown varieties or hybrids. The majority of the research has been performed using wild growing Mediterranean rosemary. This type of rosemary grows in rocky regions and mountains in the hot climate of the Mediterranean – Southern France, Italy, Greece, Turkey and Syria. There are hundreds of species and the potency varies greatly. Duke noted that the crude unprocessed herb was deemed more active therapeutically than single components or extracts. Crude wild rosemary from the Mediterranean may have the most ideal effects. Also, solvent residues may interfere with the therapeutic actions of the herbs.
Made from the steam distillation of leaves taken from wild mountain grown rosemary plants and pure spring water, free of chemicals and additives.
Presentation: 240ml bottle
