Rosemary is a fragrant evergreen shrub native to the Mediterranean. The name ‘rosemary’ comes from the Latin ‘Rosmarinus’, meaning ‘dew of the sea’. The leaves can be harvested all year round, and its frost-hardy nature means it’s often used in winter broths or stews when other plants may have died off. Using rosemary has been associated with all sorts of health benefits throughout history, from improving memory to keeping the bubonic plague at bay. But what’s fact and what’s folklore?
One of the first recorded medicinal uses of the aromatic herb comes from a book written by Dioscorides, an ancient Greek physician employed by the Roman army around 70 CE. Dioscorides claimed that rosemary could fight fatigue and would enhance endurance if consumed prior to exercise. A useful plant if you’re looking after Roman soldiers. He also believed that rosemary had a warming effect that could cure jaundice, however, this is yet to be proven.
Rosemary was also a main ingredient in Four Thieves Vinegar, a medieval concoction of vinegar mixed with herbs and spices that was believed to prevent the bubonic plague (sometimes called The Black Death). The recipe is said to have originated in Southern France, created by a group of four thieves that would use the potion to avoid the disease while they robbed plague victims of their belongings. The original recipe is lost to history, but it’s plausible that variations of the odorous mixture may have had some properties that killed bacteria. Though unsubstantiated by modern medicine, Four Thieves Vinegar is still sometimes sold as a herbal supplement in France today.
However, it’s rosemary’s association with memory that seems to have the most credibility. The belief that rosemary could aid memory dates back to ancient Athens, where scholars would wear branches of the plant to help with their studies. This may even have been why Dioscorides believed it helped fight fatigue back in 70 CE. Nearly 2000 years later, researchers at the University of Northumbria have found that the scent of rosemary can, in fact, increase alertness and improve performance in tests. The study showed that participants in a rosemary-scented room scored 15% higher in a test than those without the smell. So next time you can’t remember where you put your keys why not see if a sprig of rosemary can help?