Can you believe it? This seemingly ordinary little wildflower can make your skin smooth and your complexion rosy! It is the rose flower.
The rose flower is a commonly used medicinal herb, with its fragrance being the essence, mainly found in the flower’s core. Once the flower blooms and fades, although its weight increases, its fragrance and medicinal properties significantly decrease. Therefore, when used in medicine, it is best to choose buds that are yet to fully bloom.
Table of Contents
- 1. Medicinal Properties and Benefits of Rose Flowers
- 2. Main Uses of Rose Flowers
- 3. How to Use Rose Flowers
1. Medicinal Properties and Benefits of Rose Flowers
The rose flower is a commonly used herb in traditional medicine, and its fragrance, found in the flower’s core, is considered its most precious component. Once the flower fully opens, although it becomes heavier, both the fragrance and medicinal effectiveness decline, which is why buds that are still closed are preferred for medicinal use.
- Properties: Warm in nature, sweet and slightly bitter in taste, and it belongs to the liver and spleen meridians.
- Key Benefits: It promotes the movement of qi and relieves stagnation, invigorates blood and alleviates pain, and can be used for liver and stomach qi pain, loss of appetite, menstrual irregularities, and traumatic injuries.
As recorded in Ben Cao Zheng Yi:
“Rose flower has the most concentrated fragrance, pure but not turbid, gentle but not harsh. It softens the liver and improves the stomach, activates qi and invigorates blood, unblocks stagnation without the harsh warming and dryness of spicy herbs. Among the medicinal herbs used to move qi, it is the most effective and gentle, unmatched in fragrance.”
2. Main Uses of Rose Flowers
Due to its gentle medicinal properties, rose flowers are widely used in health, beauty, and culinary applications, including:
- Qi and Blood Regulation: Suitable for menstrual irregularities due to qi stagnation and blood stasis, and helps alleviate menstrual pain and promote blood circulation.
- Emotional Relaxation: Its fragrance helps reduce stress and anxiety, promoting mental relaxation.
- Beauty and Anti-aging: Rich in antioxidants, it helps delay aging, improve skin tone, and enhance skin elasticity.
- Aid in Digestion: It can strengthen the spleen, improve digestion, and is useful for those with poor appetite or bloating.
3. How to Use Rose Flowers
There are various methods to use rose flowers to maximize their benefits:
- Rose Tea: Take 3-5 dried rose flowers, steep them in hot water for 5-10 minutes. You can add red dates, goji berries, or honey for added benefits like improving blood circulation and enhancing beauty.
- Rose Infused Alcohol: Steep dried rose flowers in white wine for a few weeks. Drinking it in moderation can help with promoting blood flow and alleviating fatigue.
- Rose in Cooking: Add roses to pastries, desserts, or porridge, such as rose rice porridge, which is not only delicious but also helps improve digestion and health.
- Rose Bath: Place dried rose petals in your bath water to relax your mood and nourish your skin.
Conclusion
The rose flower is not just a beautiful ornamental plant; it holds significant medicinal and health benefits. It helps regulate qi, invigorate blood, improve skin, and reduce stress, all while promoting digestion and overall wellness. By incorporating it into your daily routine through tea, cooking, or baths, you can enjoy its multiple benefits for a healthier mind and body.