One of the most important benefits of taking vitamin C with rose hips is the increased antioxidant support provided for the body. Other very important benefits include the ingestion of other nutrients, such as vitamin A and the minerals iron and calcium; increased absorption of organic iron; the "formulation" of a mild antibiotic that is very gentle on the immune system; and an extra supply of vitamin C from a completely natural source. It should be remembered that one of the benefits of rose hips lies in the fact that they are themselves a supply of vitamin C.
Rose hips and vitamin C compliment each other in several ways. For example, it is believed that rose hips, which are an antioxidant, increase the effectiveness or potency of antioxidant nutrients such as vitamin C. Antioxidants play a vital role in preventing the destruction of the body's cells from unstable molecules known as free radicals; these molecules are naturally formed when the body burns oxygen. Cellular destruction from free radicals lead to the development of various forms of cancer and to accelerated aging, as well as the diseases that are frequently associated with aging. The combination of vitamin C and rose hips can be one of many natural ways to help prevent cancer and age-related diseases.
Vitamin C can help the body absorb organic iron when it is taken with a meal containing this mineral. Organic iron should not be confused with inorganic iron of which almost all iron supplements are composed; rather, it is the iron that naturally occurs in plants, herbal teas, and decoctions prepared from herbs rich in the mineral, such as yellow dock root. What is interesting is that rose hips offer significant amounts of all natural iron; therefore, taking a combination of vitamin C with rose hips ensures that iron is not only ingested but also absorbed.
Rose hips offer significant amounts of vitamin A as well as bioflavanoids, which are are sometimes referred to as vitamin P, and calcium. They also are a food that — by many people's standards — are very palatable. People who don't like to take supplements should know all citrus fruits and most vegetables are rich sources of vitamin C, and rose hips can be gathered from the wild to be used in recipes, or they can be purchased in a dried state from many health foods stores. The dried rose hips can be used to make an herbal decoction that, along with a food high in vitamin C, offers a much higher nutritional value than a supplement.