Rosemary Benefits and Uses Backed by Scientific Research

When thinking of rosemary, it’s easy to get lost in casserole, salad and holiday recipes because of its popularity in the mainstream as a culinary herb. However, health benefits of rosemary take it well beyond palate pleasing flavoring.

Scientific research has shown that rosemary, Salvia rosmarinus, (formerly known as Rosemary officinalis or Rosmarinus officinalis prior to 2017) is also a very useful aromatic and medicinal plant. In fact, the health benefits of rosemary essential oil place it alongside some of the best known healing herbs, including that of hemp and CBD oil.

A shrub with fragrant, evergreen, needle-like leaves and white, pink, blue, or purple flowers, Rosemary is native to the Mediterranean region. Later in this article, we discuss how rosemary is thought to contribute to health and longevity, especially in one Italian village.

Rosemary is of the Lamiaceae family of plants, along with basil, lemon balm, mint, oregano and sage, all beneficial culinary and medicinal herbs.

When it comes to the health benefits of rosemary, science is proving what folk medicine knew long ago.
~GardensAll.com

Uses for Rosemary Essential Oil

Rosemary essential oil has a wide range of uses either externally or internally. External applications include diffusers or infused in products like balms and shampoo. Internal applications include food, teas and tinctures.

So exactly what does rosemary essential oil do, and how does it work in everyday usage? In this article, we go over some of the most well-documented healthy benefits of rosemary in the human body, as well as its most popular uses around the house.

Modern medicine is the descendant of traditional plant medicine.

Modern Versus Traditional Medicine

Plant medicine and natural healing from herbs has been around for thousands of years as compared to the past 150 years or so of modern medicine in the form of pharmaceuticals as we know it today. The first pill for an ill was aspirin, which evolved from over 3,500 years of use first in its natural form as white willow bark.

But today, more are returning to plant medicine such as the potent benefits of rosemary essential oil. Add to that homegrown, garden fresh foods, and you’ll have nature’s best food and medicine at your fingertips.

RELATED: What is holistic medicine?

The prana — vital life force — in fresh herbs and vegetables, conveys that vibrancy to us.
~GardensAll.com

Herbs Are Cheap and Easy to Grow

Growing herbs is like growing your own medicine and cost so little in comparison to pharmaceuticals. Powerhouses of preventive and medicinal properties, herbs are easy to grow and don’t take up much space. Herbs are also easy to harvest, process and preserve as well, like lemon balm and lavender.

Many pharmaceuticals have negative side effects. Sure, some herbs can as well, which is why it’s important to learn, study and experiment carefully and with proper professional guidance and books. However most plant “side effects” are actually benefits in the way of more nutrients, flavor and health.

If we could give every individual the right amount of nourishment and exercise, not too little and not too much, we would have found the safest way to health.
~Hippocrates, physician, Father of Modern Medicine, c. 460 BC-375 BC

4 Well Known Benefits of Rosemary Essential Oil

• PAIN RELIEF: If you’re suffering from chronic pain or swelling due to gout, tennis elbow or a sprain, consider making use of rosemary essential oil’s analgesic and anti-inflammatory properties. It also aids in blood circulation and coagulation, making it a solid bet for dressing wounds, gashes and scratches.
  
• ANTIBACTERIAL / ANTIMICROBIAL: Because of rosemary’s established antibacterial and antimicrobial benefits, rosemary essential oil is a very good candidate for use in massaging the lymph nodes. Use recommended amount of essential oil and combine it with a carrier oil such as almond, avocado or virgin coconut oil (cold pressed is always best). Work rosemary infused oil into the insides of the elbows and base of the neck, you get a lasting aromatherapeutic boost to the immune system to fight off diseases caused by free radicals.
  
• DETOXIFIER: Rosemary essential oil’s role as a natural detoxifier aids tremendously in promoting and maintaining optimal liver function, particularly in the regulation of bile flow. This makes rosemary a viable form of treatment for various symptoms of indigestion, including gas, constipation, bloating and stomach cramps.
  
• HAIR LOSS PREVENTION: Rosemary essential oil is a very common ingredient in shampoo, conditioner and hair treatment products. This is because rosemary is replete with carnosic acid, a powerful antioxidant effective at combating the nerve damage and tissue degeneration that leads to hair loss. This nourishes hair from root to tip by promoting ample blood supply which stimulates follicles and even helps eliminates dandruff.

23 Health Benefits of Rosemary

1. Analgesic – pain relief ^[1]https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/25635991/
2. Anti-anxiety (see more best herbs for stress relief)
3. Antibacterial^[2]https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6165352/
4. Antidiabetic ^[3]https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/18063331/
5. Antimicrobial^[4]https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6165352/
6. Anti-inflammatory ^[5]https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7491497/#B25
7. Antinociceptive (pain reduction) ^[6]https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/17223299/
8. Antioxidant ^[7]https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4227022/
9. Blood – Antithrombotic (reduces blood clots) ^[8]https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/15850964/
10. Cancer reduction and prevention ^[9]https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5133115/
11. Circulation and blood flow improvement ^[10]https://www.mountsinai.org/health-library/herb/rosemary
12. Cognitive improvement ^[11]https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3736918/
13. Dementia & Alzheimer’s^[12]https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4749867/
14. Detoxification ^[13]https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4488002/
15. Eye health – helps prevent macular degeneration ^[14]https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/11/121127154205.htm
16. Hair loss prevention and scalp health^[15]https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/22517595/
17. Immunity booster ^[16]https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32086980/
18. Liver protectant (hepatoprotective) prevents liver damage^[17]https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/12352220/
19. Longevity ^[18]https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/28241105/
20. Memory booster ^[19]https://www.verywellmind.com/does-rosemary-actually-improve-your-memory-4156875
21. Parkinson’s Disease
22. Ulcer reduction (antiulcerogenic) ^[20]https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/10661884/
23. Urinary ailments (studied in conjunction with Centaurium erythraea, a gentian plant known as centaury) ^[21]https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/10940584/

For an exceptional chart on the health benefits of rosemary, see the chart in Table 3 of this study: Rosmarinus officinalis L. (rosemary) as therapeutic and prophylactic agent.

Rosemary is an herbal ally for hair, skin, diseases and is also antibacterial, anti-anxiety, antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, detoxifier and more!
~GardensAll.com

3 Popular Uses for Rosemary Essential Oil

Rosemary is easy to grow and has numerous uses and forms, from essential oil as a cosmetic and health supplement, to teas, tinctures, oils salves and cuisine, rosemary is an all around beneficial and useful herb to grow.

Rosemary Balm

Make a homemade recovery balm by mixing a Tablespoon of carrier oil with equal parts rosemary and peppermint oil, using 6 drops of each as a baseline and increasing as desired for intensity. Massage into sprains, sore muscles and aching joints for soothing relief and a speedy recovery.

OILS FOR BALM

When it comes to making any homemade remedies, always test a skin patch to be sure there’s no reaction before applying to larger or affected areas. This is especially important when using essential oils.

Depending on the oil concentration, potent essential oils can burn your skin or cause an allergic reaction in some. For this reason, it’s advisable to never apply essential oils directly to your skin, especially if it isn’t already diluted in an oil base.

For carrier oil we like coconut or almond. If using coconut it will solidify at cooler temps, around 75°, but melts as you apply it to your skin. You can use fractionated coconut oil to avoid that, or just be sure to place your balm in a wide mouth jar for accessibility when solidified.

For healthiest oils, choose cold pressed whenever possible.

Favorite Carrier Oils

• Almond
• Coconut (fractionated for liquidity, or use wide-mouth jar)

Anti-inflammatory & Antioxidant Oils – for added therapeutic benefit

• Avocado oil
• Flaxseed oil
• Grapeseed oil
• Olive oil
• Sesame oil
• Vitamin E oil

Rosemary Recovery Balm Recipe

• 1 Tablespoon carrier oil
• 6 drops rosemary essential oil
• 6 drops peppermint essential oil

Test for strength and efficacy; add more essential oil for stronger balm; add more oil to make it less strong.

Cooking With Rosemary Oil

Incorporate rosemary oil it into your cooking like they do in Mediterranean and South Central Asian cuisines. The Mediterranean diet is considered the primary contributor to Italian longevity in the village of Acciaroli, which you can read more about further below.

The Mediterranean diet consists mostly fresh fish, and homegrown fresh fruits, vegetables and herbs such as rosemary.

Rosemary in foods helps to enhance your body’s digestion and slow down markers for diabetes and obesity. If you’re making a roast, barbeque or meaty stew, you can’t go wrong incorporating fresh rosemary or rosemary oil into the mix.

Rosemary Oil for Hair and Scalp

You can make a DIY hair mask using melted shea butter or other carrier oil. A rosemary scalp treatment that’s beneficial for hair growth through scalp stimulation, and also helpful in reducing dandruff and other skin conditions.

Recipe for Rosemary for Hair Conditioning Mask

• 1/2 cup shea butter, melted (or alternate carrier oil)
• 1 Tablespoon ginger paste
• 12 drops lavender essential oil
• 12 drops rosemary essential oil

Instructions:

Shake well to blend. Apply after shampooing by massaging carefully into your hair until the scalp is thoroughly saturated. Leave the hair mask in for 15-30 minutes before rinsing. For best results use twice a week. While you’re waiting for your hair treatment to soak in, it’s a great time to treat yourself to other home spa treatments.

You can find all kinds of rosemary masks on Amazon, including for your feet. My favorite weekly mask is bentonite clay made into a paste with organic apple cider vinegar.

Rosemary Uses and Forms

• Balm
• Culinary
• Extract
• Essential Oil
• Salve
• Tea
• Tincture

Rosemary Nutrition Includes

• Calcium
• Folates
• Iron
• Manganese
• Pantothenic acid
• Pyridoxine
• Riboflavin
• Thiamin
• Vitamins
  • A
  • C
  • B3 – niacin
  • B6

Fresh Rosemary Nutritional Values

You can find the fresh rosemary herb (Salvia rosmarinus), nutritive value per 100 g. (~3.5 oz. dry weight). However, that RDA’s are misleading because 3.5 ounces of rosemary is vastly more than the average serving size of 1.7 grams.
SOURCE: NutritionalValue.org

Fresh Rosemary Measurement Conversions – grams to teaspoons, tablespoons and ounces

1 teaspoon of fresh rosemary = .7 grams
1 Tablespoon of fresh rosemary = 1.7 grams
1 ounce of fresh rosemary = 28.6 grams
3.5 ounces of fresh rosemary = 100 grams

To give you an idea of serving sizes versus nutrients, the small 1 oz size plastic clamshells containers of rosemary is 1 oz fresh. One ounce of fresh rosemary equates to 16.8 Tablespoons or 40.9 teaspoons, so this rosemary nutritional chart represents 100 grams which is about 58 times more than your average serving.

So when it comes to herbs, the greatest benefit is micro-doses through daily use in meals. When used in cooking and fresh in salads and salad dressings and herb-infused cooking oils, you’re consuming the potency in micro-doses that the body can more readily assimilate for extended benefit over time.

Alternately, you can research and consult with your health professional regarding rosemary tinctures and supplements.

Find rosemary nutritional breakdown per 1 Tablespoon (1.7 g.) serving.

Herbs – Supplements You Can Grow

In our family, we consider herbs as nature’s supplements that we can grow for free.

Science has proven what many older civilizations knew and put to use regularly. Herbs and many other plants, including weeds you can eat and edible flowers are beneficial for health and wellbeing.

have In just a few minutes a day, it’s possible to see significant improvement in your general health and well-being without the use of drugs or chemicals. We’ve evolved with plants as our only medicine for the bulk of human existence on earth. Get to know the plants around you that may have just what you need, when you need it.

Recipes With Rosemary

And don’t forget… fresh rosemary is delicious in soups, stews salad dressing, roasted potatoes and mediterranean vegetables which uses Herbs de Provence with rosemary. Other favorites include rosemary roasted sweet and spicy pecans. Or you might be in the mood for a one-skillet easy lemon rosemary chicken with broccoli dish.

RELATED: Dandelion benefits.

From culinary to calming to profoundly healing, rosemary is a powerfully beneficial plant.

For more on the healing benefits of CBD Oil, you may enjoy this article on Hemp vs. Marijuana. The CBD company we’ve used most is CDBpure.

Health Benefits of Rosemary for Longevity

“We only eat healthy stuff,” says 93 year old Aminda Fedollo, married to 100 year old Antonio Vassala.

They live in Acciaroli, a village in Campania Italy, renowned for a healthy aging population including many nonagenarians and centenarians, where 1-in-10 residents are 100 years or older.

You can see a 2:09 minute YouTube news story on the Acciaroli blue zone healthy lifestyle success story.

Italian and American scientists are studying Acciaroli to determine the causes of Acciaroli resident’s healthy longevity. Current findings include a strong adherence to a Mediterranean diet which includes healthy olive oils, fresh fish and produce which they grow themselves.

“We only consume what we produce.”
~Aminda Fedollo, nonagenarian resident of blue zone, Acciaroli, Italy.

The Mediterranean diet also includes a lot of rosemary, a healthy and beneficial herb with both culinary and medicinal benefits.

You can read more about Acciaroli in this Seattle Times story.

What do the residents of Acciaroli have in common?

Recipe for Healthy Longevity

• GARDENING: Consume what you grow and produce – (aka eat local or locavores)
• DIET: Eat a Mediterranean diet
• HERBS: Fresh herbs such as rosemary in every meal
• ACTIVE: Stay physically active
• SOCIAL: Engage in healthy and enjoyable social interactions
• POSITIVE: Optimistic and happy dispositions

Living Well With Rosemary

In the following video clip, Dr. Dawn Harper, author of multiple books, including a book on longevity, visits and discusses the longevity secrets of Acciaroli, Italy.

Notice the image captured from the video where she’s sitting in front of a garden or rosemary.

Top feature rosemary image by A_Different_Perspective from Pixabay

Wishing you great gardens and happy harvests!