Roses (Rosa spp.) are the gifts that keep on giving. After you’ve enjoyed the beautiful, fragrant blooms of summer, the flowers drop off and small fruit known as hips takes its place. These tasty, tart little berries are packed full of antioxidants, vitamins such as calcium, phosphorus and iron, and are also one of the most concentrated sources of vitamin C available – a teaspoon of rose hips can contain the equivalent of 5-6 oranges! Nutrient and medicinal properties vary by rose species and where it’s grown. For example, some studies suggest that roses grown at high altitudes contain more ascorbic acid (aka vitamin C) than ones grown at lower altitudes.

Jam is one of our favorite ways to harness rose hips’ immune-boosting goodness. This 2-ingredient jam recipe is so simple and doesn’t even require a thickener, since it relies on rose hips’ own natural pectin content!