Rosemary Essential Oil: A Refreshing Scent for the Holidays

Welcome back to Harvesters’ Corner! The holiday season is upon us, and today we are going to look at a plant which is often given to friends during this season. No, it’s not the red-leaved poinsettia. What we are going to be looking at is an evergreen plant that is not only beautiful to see but is also useful in the kitchen. Rosemary, Rosmarinus officinalis, often gets sold during this season as small tree-shaped plants, ready to bring its refreshing piney scent into homes to cheer and refresh during the long winter months. (1)

Rosemary is a perennial herb, with thin evergreen leaves that look similar to needles. Its name is derived from the Latin words for "dew" (ros) and "belonging to the sea" (marinus) in reference to the warm Mediterranean region of its origin. (2) The Greeks were early proponents of Rosemary, with historic evidence supporting the idea of exports to Egypt. Archeologists have discovered dried sprigs of rosemary in Egyptian tombs dating to 3,000 B.C. (3), and there are historical records of Pharoah Ramesses III (circa late 1100s B.C.) offering a large quantity of Rosemary to the Egyptian god, Amon, at the temple complex in Thebes. (4) Among the uses pioneered by the Greeks included the use Rosemary as a memory aid. Grecian students would braid garlands of the herb in their hair to help stimulate their minds as they studied. This is where Rosemary’s common name, “herb of crowns” originates. (5)

This herb is also symbolic of fidelity and love. In centuries past, a bride would wear rosemary in her headpiece while the groom and guests would wear sprigs as well. Newlyweds would also plant rosemary on their wedding day as a good omen for their future. It was said if a person tapped another with a sprig of rosemary with an open bloom, they would fall in love. (6) Other uses of Rosemary included placing springs under one's pillow to prevent nightmares and hanging bunches outside of homes to thwart evil spirits. (7) During Medieval times, the French would use Rosemary to embalm their dead. Visitors to English prisons carried branches as a precaution against typhus, and during plague years, sprigs of rosemary leaves were inserted into the hollow heads of canes carried by physicians (8).

On the other side of the Atlantic, 19th century American traditions included beliefs that a sprig of Rosemary brings good luck, and that it will help make hair grow. (9) Rosemary was also used at funerals in several ancient cultures, where sprigs would be given to mourners to throw on the coffin as it was lowered. Rosemary also provided a pleasing scent in the closed, stuffy walls of Victorian courtrooms, as it was thought the odor would “expel the contagion of the pestilence from which poor prisoners too often suffered.” (10) Of all the historical uses I read about, the most unusual dated to Medieval England where people would drink a beverage consisting of curdled milk and beer, mixed with honey and rosemary, as a tonic for nerve disorders. (11)

While most people today use Rosemary in the kitchen, the essential oil of this versatile plant can be used in a broad spectrum of ways. The fresh aroma which Rosemary produces helps create an invigorating ambiance when diffused in a room. A drop of Rosemary can help refresh and enhance cleaning products. Preclinical trials using Rosemary internally suggest that it may also help support a healthy digestive system (12) There is one application in which our ancestors were correct concerning the use of Rosemary. This oil can help promote healthy looking hair when used topically on the scalp. (13) The sources for doTERRA’s Rosemary oil both border the Mediterranean Sea: Morocco and Spain. Nearly 800 people are directly empowered by sourcing jobs. In Morocco these jobs support 2,880 lives while 400 lives are supported in Spain. This past year (2024) has been difficult in Morocco, where agriculture in concerned. Prolonged drought has had an impact, with local authorities predicting a nearly fifty percent decrease in the wheat harvest. (14) This would also have a comparable impact on other forms of agriculture, like Rosemary. Co-Impact sourcing has been assisting the growers during this difficult time.

Because of the fact that this is a 100-percent pure oil with no adulteration, it is Generally Regarded As Safe (GRAS) by the FDA. This means that it can be used in cooking! As I was researching this article, I began to wonder what exactly the difference was between herbs and spices. I mentioned in an earlier post about my love for cooking and have used both herbs and spices in a wide variety of dishes. What I discovered is that a herb is a small, seed-bearing plant with fleshy (rather than woody) parts, and is best used fresh, while a spice is a dried part—be it root, stalk, seed, or fruit—of a plant. Herbs are more subtle while spices are stronger. (15) Herbs are often grouped together, like the French Herbs de Provence (rosemary, fennel seed, savory, marjoram, tarragon, thyme, oregano and lavender), the American “Italian” blend (basil, oregano, rosemary and thyme), and the Indian Garam Masala (coriander, cumin, black pepper, cardamom, cinnamon, clove, red chili and turmeric). (16)

I bring this up, because one of the ways I enjoy using essential oils is in my cooking. I have used Rosemary oil in marinades for meat, as well as a flavor enhancer alongside Oregano in spaghetti sauces. There are many other ways Rosemary Oil can be used in food production. Today I want to leave you with an appetizer that can be made for holiday parties. This dish is Baked Camembert, with nice gooey cheese. It can be served with crostini, garlic bread, or any kind of toasted and buttered bread. Camembert cheese originated from the Normandy region of France during the late eighteenth century. To make this appetizer you will need a package of Camembert cheese, a garlic clove, some fresh thyme, two tablespoons of olive oil and a bottle of Rosemary oil. Take the package of cheese, which typically comes in a wooden box. Unwrap the cheese, discard the plastic, and return the cheese to the box. Take a knife and score a crosshatch pattern on the cheese. Heat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit (177 degrees Centigrade). As the oven is heating up, take a clove of garlic and slice it thinly. Wedge the garlic into the cheese. Take the olive oil and add 2 drops of Rosemary oil. Drizzle the oil mixture over the cheese. Place the box on a baking sheet and place in the oven for twenty minutes. Once time is up, remove from the oven and let set for two-to-three minutes prior to serving.

Rosemary is a special historical plant with its oil having fascinating potential in our day. I hope you can appreciate having an oil that is 100 percent pure, that enables us to utilize in cooking applications. I also hope you can appreciate a company which stands behind its growers, both in times of plenty as well as times of drought. Co-Impact Sourcing has worked hard over the past fourteen years to support the growers and harvesters world-wide. To learn more about Co-Impact Sourcing, see the article we did earlier this year. Join us next time, when we head to the Philippines to learn more about Fractionated Coconut Oil and why this special oil is important to people who use essential oils. Until then have a wonderful holiday season! See you soon!

Sources

1. Browning, Sarah. “Rosemary, An Herb for All Seasons.” 12 December 2021. University of Nebraska—Lincoln Institute of Agriculture and Natural Resources. Online. <https://lancaster.unl.edu/rosemary> Accessed 20 October 2024.

2. Grant, Amy. “History of Rosemary—Learn About Rosemary Herbal Uses.” 21 March 2022. Online. <https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/tbt/history-of-rosemary-plants> Accessed 20 October 2024.

3. Ibid.

4. Nutritional Geography. “Rosemary.” Online. <https://nutritionalgeography.faculty.ucdavis.edu/rosemary/> Accessed 20 October 2024.

5. Grant, Amy. “History of Rosemary—Learn About Rosemary Herbal Uses.”

6. Ibid.

7. Ibid.

8. McCormick Spice Institute. “Rosemary.” Online. <https://www.mccormickscienceinstitute.com/resources/culinary-spices/herbs-spices/rosemary> Accessed 20 October 2024.

9. Nutritional Geography. “Rosemary.”

10. Ibid.

11. Ibid.

12. Note: Trials are still being conducted concerning these uses. This oil is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease.

13. Note: Trials are still being conducted concerning these uses. This oil is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease.

14. Copernicus. “Image of the Day: The prolonged drought in Morocco.” Online. < https://www.copernicus.eu/en/media/image-day-gallery/prolonged-drought-morocco#:~:text=The%20prolonged%20drought %20in%20Morocco%20is%20causing%20serious%20problems%20for,%2C%20shows%20the%20province%20...> Accessed 24 November 2024.

15. Unknown. “Herbs vs. Spices: Do You Know The Difference?” 14 April 2023. Online. <https://tastybite.com/blogs/news/herbs-vs-spices-do-you-know-the-difference> Accessed 20 October 2024.

16. Ibid.