Rose water (organic?, raw?)

Rose water is dissolved essential oils from certain types of roses, which are mainly used to flavor pastries and sweets. Rose water is also used for cosmetic purposes. Make sure it is organic quality.

Use in the kitchen

Rose water or rose blossom water has a velvety, floral, rosy scent. Can you drink rose water? Rose water is not usually drunk straight away. As an important component of oriental cuisine, it is mainly used to flavor baked goods, sweets, desserts and ice cream. Rose water is an essential ingredient in the Indian semolina pudding "Halwa", the Israeli dessert "Malabi" or the Turkish dessert "Güllac". Although these traditionally contain animal milk, they can all be prepared in a tasty vegan version. Rose water goes wonderfully with spices and fruits from its home region, such as cinnamon, cardamom, pistachios, figs, almonds and honey. Rose water also gives that certain something extra in sorbets or as an ingredient in icing on vegan cakes, such as the raw Happy Birthday Carrot Cake with pistachio, orange and coconut topping. When added to fruit juices such as apple juice, peach juice, apricot juice or in smoothies, rose water can elegantly unfold its floral aroma. The famous Gulabi Lassi in India also owes its taste to rose water. A vegan version is possible, for example, with soy yogurt (see recipe). Rose petals frozen in rose water can also be used for various non-alcoholic drinks, such as a rose lemonade spritzer. Rose water has gained additional fame as one of the three main ingredients in the drink "Warrd" - a non-alcoholic champagne substitute made from pomegranates, bitter oranges and rose water, which is used in Formula 1 races in Bahrain. In European latitudes, the use of rose water as a food is less common, but it is an important ingredient in certain types of marzipan.

Can you make rose water yourself? Distilling rose water requires special equipment that is not available in most cases. It is therefore easier to make a rose petal macerate (extract) with water. Real rose water is not raw, but distilled, i.e. heated, but rose petal macerate is available in raw food quality, but mostly also heated, as it can be produced more quickly.

Making your own rose petal macerate

Real rose water is not the same as a macerate made from rose petals, but it tastes very similar. We'll list two simple ways to make it here. Both have in common that the white parts of the rose petals and the base of the petals must be removed, as they can contain bitter substances. For both methods you will need about 45-50 g of rose petals:

1. Gentle, slow (raw) variant: In this variant, you use 2 to 2.5 dl of water in addition to the roses. Remove the above-mentioned components from 50% of the roses and put them in a container with lukewarm water, which you then cover and leave to stand for 2-3 days. Then remove the old rose petals and prepare the remaining 50%, which should also be put in the water in a closed container for 2-3 days.

2. Faster version : Boil water, put a third of the rose petals in a bowl and pour the water over them and let the infusion steep for 1-2 hours. Remove the roses, boil water and pour over another third of the roses. Let steep and repeat with the last third. With this version you can also use more water (300 ml or 3 dl), as some of the water evaporates when heated.

Vegan recipe for rose water cucumber soup

Ingredients (for 4 people): 2 large cucumbers, ½ cup rose water, ¼ cup fresh lemon juice, ¼ cup rapeseed oil (cold pressed), 1 garlic clove (chopped), salt andpepper to taste, fresh green mint leaves to garnish.

Preparation: Peel the cucumbers and cut them into small pieces. Put the cucumber pieces in a blender together with the rose water, lemon juice, rapeseed oil and garlic. Blend everything well until it reaches a smooth consistency. Season the soup with salt and pepper and chill in the fridge for at least an hour. Before serving, pour the soup into bowls and garnish with fresh mint leaves.

Vegan recipe for Gulabi Lassi

Ingredients (for 2 servings): 300 g soy yoghurt, 100 ml water, 1-2 tbsp rose water, 2 tbsp agave syrup (or to taste), rose petals (optional), ice cubes (optional).

Preparation: Put the soy yogurt and water together with the rose water and agave syrup in a blender and mix until you get a creamy consistency. If desired, add a few ice cubes and mix again to keep the lassi cool. Pour the lassi into four glasses, using rose petals for decoration if desired. Serve immediately and enjoy.

Vegan recipes with rose water can be found under the note: " Recipes that have the most of this ingredient ".

Shopping - Storage

Where can you find rose water in the supermarket? Rose water is generally not available at major retailers such as Coop, Migros, Denner, Volg, Spar, Aldi, Lidl, Rewe, Edeka, Hofer, Billa or organic supermarkets such as Denn's Biomarkt and Alnatura.

Where can you buy rose water? In addition to the option of buying rose water online, you can also buy it in pharmacies/drugstores and sometimes find it in larger supermarkets or Turkish grocery stores. Rare in Switzerland, but more common in Germany and Austria, a Bulgarian grocery store can also be a good place to go. However, you should make sure that the rose water is made from rose petals by distillation. Rose water is often on offer that only consists of shaking essential or artificial rose water. ¹

The availability of rose water varies depending on the size of the store, catchment area, etc. If you are interested, click on our recorded food prices for the DA-CH countries (above under the ingredient image). There you will find current prices and their price development from various shopping options.

Storage tips

Once opened, rose water should be stored in the refrigerator or at least in a dry and cool place. How long does rose water last? The shelf life of rose water is limited to up to two years after opening. ¹

Ingredients - Nutritional values - Calories

The floral, rosy scent of rose water is mainly due to the ingredient phenylethanol. This is also responsible for the slightly analgesic effect. It also contains phenyl ester, citronellol, geraniol and nerol (golgemma). ¹ Another nutrient contained in rose water is sodium, which only occurs in small amounts. ²

The complete ingredients of rose water, the coverage of the daily requirement and comparison values with other ingredients can be found in our nutrient tables. In the article Nutrients explained you will get a detailed insight into the topic.

Health effects

Plants from the rose family (Rosaceae) are rich in natural molecules whose beneficial biological properties have a wide range of applications. ³ Due to their richness in secondary plant substances such as flavonoids (eg flavones, flavonols, anthocyanins), fragrant components (essential oils, eg monoterpenes, sesquiterpenes) and hydrolysable and condensed tannins, roses have valuable medicinal properties. The essential oils and extracts act as respiratory antiseptics, anti-inflammatories, expectorants, decongestants and antioxidants and are capable of acting as prophylactics and medicines. ³

In one study, the use of rose water in combination with lavender oil showed significantly positive effects in the treatment of postpartum depression. ⁴ In contrast to rose oil, however, there are only a few usable scientific studies that have examined the effects of rose water. On the other hand, rose water is widely used in naturopathy and folk medicine for various symptoms.

Dangers - Intolerances - Side effects

Rose water is characterized by excellent tolerability, which is why no side effects or health disadvantages are known when taken in an appropriate dosage. ¹

Folk medicine - naturopathy

Is rose water healthy? Rose water is a versatile remedy in folk medicine and naturopathy. Used as a spray (can also be combined well with cedarwood water), it has a balancing, comforting, stress-reducing, soothing and relaxing effect on the human psyche. It therefore helps to reduce tension and reduce feelings of fear and insecurity, which is why it is used both during pregnancy and, for example, for the seriously ill or dying. The physical effects can be described as decongestant, cooling, anti-inflammatory and pain-relieving, among other things. In aromatherapy, it is therefore also used as a remedy for inflamed or over-irritated eyes. The rose water is either placed on the closed eyes in the form of a cool compress or sprayed with the hydrolate. However, you should not use rose water that contains alcohol or other preservatives. ¹

Thanks to the phenylethanol it contains, which has a pain-relieving effect, rose water is also used as a care product for skin diseases and itchy skin. Whether as a wound spray for minor abrasions and insect bites, for overheated skin due to burns such as sunburn or as a desensitizing agent for skin allergies. Rose water can be used as a rinse for sore throats, thrush ( Candida albicans) of the mucous membranes of the mouth and throat or for vaginal thrush. It moisturizes cracked or reddened skin and is also suitable for the care of acne-affected skin areas. In the form of calf compresses, rose water can help reduce fever, especially in children, due to its cooling effect, and in combination with sage water or peppermint water, it can reduce the feeling of heat or hot flashes. In cases of heart failure or nervous heart problems, rose water is used in combination with lemon balm water as an external rub in the heart area. Last but not least, rose water helps to build up a healthy intestinal flora, for example after taking antibiotics. Interestingly, it is also suitable for ear care in dogs, as long as it does not contain alcohol. ¹

Ecological footprint - animal welfare

The ecological _CO2 footprint of rose water depends on numerous factors. The type of agricultural production (conventional vs. organic), the processing method and also different types of packaging play a decisive role. ⁵ A study on the environmental impact of rose oil and rose water production in Iran showed that the consumption of natural gas and rose petals during distillation, along with the procurement of rose petals, represent the greatest burden on the environment. ⁷ Despite extensive research, however, we were unable to find any precise figures on the ecological _CO2 footprint of rose water. The largest producers of rose oil in 2012 were Bulgaria, Turkey, Morocco and Iran. ⁸ If you buy rose oil or water from these countries, this is associated with a correspondingly long transport route and emissions. Ideally, you should look for regional goods when shopping, where available. In addition, it is important to prefer products that are fairly produced and sustainably grown over products of lower standards.

The production of rose oil and water requires the hand-picking of rose petals, which is a very labor-intensive activity. To produce 1 kg of rose oil, at least 4000 kg of rose petals are needed. Droughts or heat waves can increase this amount to up to 8000 kg of rose petals. ⁹ Since the flowers only contain very small amounts of the desired oil, very large amounts of waste are generated during production. This is often improperly disposed of in nature, although more environmentally friendly alternatives exist, such as composting, use as animal feed or biogas production. ¹⁰

Worldwide occurrence - cultivation

Roses are grown widely in temperate climates. In addition to their role as ornamental flowers, they are primarily used as an industrial product. Most rose species are native to Asia (in the Middle East, including Damascus, Hama, Aleppo and Homs in Syria, and Iran). In Europe they are grown in France, Italy, central Bulgaria (in the Rose Valley of Kazanlak), Turkey and Russia. Other important growing areas include North America and northwest Africa (Morocco), China, Japan, Korea and India (Kashmir, Bihar, Uttar Pradesh and Punjab). Different rose species are used to make rose water, but mainly the damask rose ( Rosa damascena). The apothecary rose ( Rosa gallica officinalis) and the dog rose ( Rosa corymbifera) are also frequently used for extraction purposes. The main cultivation areas of the Damask rose are in Bulgaria. Rose water available in stores mainly comes from the Damask rose and comes from Turkey, North Africa, Iran or Bulgaria. Rose water from Turkey and France comes from the Rosa centifolia. ¹

Industrial production

What does rose water consist of? Rose water consists mainly of water and contains a minimal amount of oil (approx. 0.02-0.09%), the composition of which differs from that of normal rose oil due to the high content of phenylethyl alcohol. ³

Does rose water contain alcohol? The phenylethyl alcohol it contains is a chemical compound that belongs to the alcohol family, but it is considered a volatile aromatic substance and not alcohol, as is generally known. Pure alcohol can be added to a homemade macerate to extend the shelf life, but is not usually a component of commercially available rose water.

How is rose water made? Rose water is a by-product obtained from the distillation of rose oil. Rose oil is produced by water distillation from fresh flowers, e.g. Rosa damascena Mill. For this, the flowers are harvested early in the morning when the volatile oil content is at its highest. The complex distillation process, which lasts one and a half to two hours, runs through several distillation flasks made of tinned copper or stainless steel. The addition of fresh steam can speed up the process even more. The distillate that remains at the end is used as rose water after the actual rose oil has been removed. ⁶

Further information

The approximately 20,000 different types of roses today all originate from wild roses. ¹ Which roses have the most intense scent? The roses with the most intense scent include the varieties Rosa damascena Mill., Rosa alba L., Rosa centifolia L. and Rosa gallica L. used to make essential oils, hydrolates and extracts. These are particularly popular in the cosmetics and perfume industries. ³ All of these varieties have a strong, sweet and floral scent. Roses with a lemon scent are not used to make rose water. However, roses with this characteristic, such as the climbing rose "Golden Showers", are very popular as ornamental roses in your own garden.

Alternative names

Rose water, sometimes also called rose blossom water, is referred to in English as "rosewater" or "rose water".

Other uses

As distilled water for cosmetic purposes, rose water is a valuable ingredient for facial toners, lotions, creams, gels, second skin or healing clay masks. ¹ It is also used as a basis for homemade natural perfumes.