Herb Notes: The Benefits of Rosemary
Rosemary is most popularly known as a tasty culinary herb. Indeed, rosemary’s aromatic leaves have a special place in many beloved dishes — adding a distinct, pungent taste. Herbalists know, though, that rosemary’s beneficial properties extend far beyond its flavor: this fragrant herb boasts many healing gifts.
Want to learn more about the many gifts of rosemary?
Let's dive into three key health benefits of rosemary…
1. Rosemary for Digestive Health
Isn’t it convenient that rosemary happens to taste delicious and also has an affinity for supporting healthy digestion? Like most culinary herbs and spices, rosemary is a carminative — meaning it can help ease stagnant digestion, gas, bloating, and cramping — with gentle antimicrobial properties too.
Rosemary can support healthy digestion either as a flavorful addition to a meal or as a tea drunk alongside the meal. Rosemary also works well in tandem with other flavorful carminatives like ginger, thyme, and cinnamon.
As an added benefit, chewing on a few leaves of this fragrant herb to release the aroma of rosemary can also help address bad breath.
2. Rosemary for Hair Growth
One of the many reasons why rosemary can help support hair growth is that it promotes healthy circulation. To support hair growth, I work with rosemary as a topical application.
I like to apply either a rosemary-infused oil or a carrier oil (like sesame or olive oil) with a few drops of rosemary essential oil to my scalp and massage it in. I then let the oil sit in my hair for a few hours or longer. Rosemary can’t necessarily address hair loss but it can support growth for healthy hair follicles.
You can also use a rosemary hair rinse to promote circulation, shine, and scalp health. To craft a hair rinse, simply brew a strong quart of rosemary tea with hot water. Then let the water cool to room temperature, strain the tea, and rinse your hair with it.
The rosemary oil and rosemary hair rinse both make for wonderful homemade hair care products, and I use them on a regular basis for hair and scalp health.
3. Rosemary for Cognitive Performance
In folk medicine, this aromatic plant has traditionally been associated with remembrance: both as an herb that can honor the memory of loved ones who have passed and as an herb that can help us cement the memory of joyful occasions like weddings and birthdays.
“Rosemary for remembrance” is a saying I heard throughout my time in herb school, and indeed rosemary certainly helped me remember much more of the content I was learning in class. My teachers suggested smelling a sprig of rosemary while studying and then again right before taking an exam, and I’ve found this technique incredibly supportive for recall.
Rosemary can also promote alertness and calm in the nervous system, and this combination lends itself to a more easeful test taking experience.
Want to Learn More About Other Common Herbs' Benefits?
Now that you've learned a little bit about the health benefits of rosemary, you might be wondering how you can learn more about the medicinal properties of other common plants.
Well, here’s the easy way to get more info about some of our favorite herbs: download a FREE deck of our top 12 Herb Notes here. You’ll learn all about the medicinal properties of common herbs like elderberry, dandelion, and more.
And before I go, I couldn't help but answer a few frequently asked questions about rosemary...
What is the best way to consume rosemary for potential health benefits?
The easiest way to consume this versatile herb for potential benefits is to incorporate rosemary into your food. Both fresh rosemary and dried rosemary shine in any dish they grace.
Can rosemary help support muscle pain relief?
Yes, rosemary has a long history of use as a support for musculoskeletal pain. Rosemary has anti-inflammatory properties, antioxidant properties, and can also promote circulation. When I have aches or pains, I like to apply either a rosemary-infused oil or a rosemary tincture to the affected area.
What kind of rosemary extracts can I make?
There are so many different rosemary extracts you can make with this aromatic herb. Some of my favorite rosemary extracts to craft include rosemary tincture, rosemary-infused vinegar, rosemary oxymel, and rosemary glycerite. You can also make a topical rosemary oil by infusing dried rosemary leaves into a carrier oil like sesame or olive oil. (Coconut oil could also work if you either water bath your infused oil or live in a climate that’s hot enough so that your coconut oil is in liquid form and able to infuse well.)
What are rosemary’s energetics?
The pungent aroma of rosemary and its taste give us a hint to its energetics and potential benefits: this aromatic herb is warming and drying.
What part of the rosemary plant do I use?
For culinary and medicinal preparations of rosemary, you can use the fresh rosemary leaves or the dried rosemary leaves.
How do I grow rosemary?
Rosemary is native to the Mediterranean region and is hardy in zones 8 and higher. Rosemary is fairly easy to grow from a cutting or you can get a start from a local nursery. Rosemary grows well in a pot or directly in the ground, and this fragrant herb requires little water. Rosemary also prefers full sun.
What are some contraindications for rosemary?
Medicinal doses of rosemary are contraindicated during pregnancy and lactation, and rosemary essential oil should also be avoided.
Since rosemary may lower blood glucose levels, folks taking insulin should continue to monitor their blood glucose levels.
A small percentage of people can get skin dermatitis when they’re exposed to rosemary.1
Footnotes
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