Wild rose jam: A timeless summer delight with health benefits

It's no wonder that the beauty of the rose is praised by poets. In July, the plant is covered with white-pink flowers, which, though unassuming, make up for their lack of decorative qualities with taste and aroma. Our ancestors already appreciated them. They made aromatic tea from rose petals, candied them in sugar, and used them to decorate cakes and desserts.However, jam was the most popular product from this extraordinary gift of nature.

The wild rose jam was eagerly added to tea and other beverages. Over time, it became a traditional filling for doughnuts. However, the aromatic, sweet-and-sour "spread" can also be used in many other ways, such as enriching a sandwich, pancake, or omelette. Rose jam will also add flavour to porridge or a smoothie.

How do you prepare it?

They not only have an enchanting, sweet-honey aroma and interesting taste but also hide many valuable nutrients. They provide a hefty dose of vitamin C, which activates the immune system, plays a vital role in producing numerous enzymes, influences collagen production, and reduces the tendency to bleed and gum bleeding.

The high concentration of ascorbic acid gives rose petals strong antioxidant properties. They support the body's natural defence mechanisms by neutralising the harmful effects of free radicals, which accelerate ageing processes and contribute to the development of cancers, cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, Alzheimer's disease, and Parkinson's disease.

Other components of rose petals are also effective antioxidants, such as anthocyanins – plant pigments that reduce the risk of obesity, regulate blood circulation, ensure capillary flexibility and proper permeability. They also stimulate the production of rhodopsin, a light-sensitive pigment found in the eye's retina, protecting against macular degeneration, cataracts, glaucoma, and many other vision problems.

Rose petals contain many other valuable compounds, such as tannins (proven to protect against cancer) or gallotannins (which absorb many toxic chemical compounds, and have anti-inflammatory and anti-diarrhoeal properties).

The best time to pick wild rose flowers is in the morning or evening. Choose fresh, healthy specimens without discolouration. At home, remove the petals, rinse them in warm water, and then dry them.

You should have about 0.5 kilograms of raw material. Crush the petals with the same amount of powdered sugar, preferably using a traditional method, in a mortar or pestle, or if necessary, you can use a blender. At the end, add the juice squeezed from one lemon.

After obtaining a homogeneous mass, transfer it to sterilised jars. If you plan to store the jam for a longer period, the preserves should be pasteurised. Despite the passage of time, no more effective method has been found to prolong the shelf life and inhibit the development of microorganisms while preserving the taste of the products.

There are two main types of pasteurisation. "Wet," when hot jars with preserves are tightly closed and placed, lid up, in a pot lined with a cloth, hot water is poured (the level should not reach the lids), brought to a boil and cooked for about 20 minutes, then taken out and turned upside down. "Dry" pasteurisation involves placing jars with preserves in an oven preheated to 130°C for half an hour and then, after turning it off, leaving them for another 30 minutes.