Rosemary - The Herb Of Remembrance

Well known to the ancient Greeks and Romans for its health benefits and culinary magic, rosemary has now caught the attention of modern-day scientists.

- Kerry Boyne

In southern Italy, on the beautiful western coast, nestles the small seaside village of Acciaroli. Of its 2000-odd residents, 300 have reached the great age of 100. If that doesn’t impress you enough, it’s estimated that about 20 per cent of those centenarians have actually achieved the age of 110. In addition, the incidence of heart disease and Alzheimer’s is comparatively very low in Acciaroli.

The village is now the subject of ongoing study to determine what it is about its people’s genetics and/or lifestyle that has caused this. What is known already is that many of them smoke and spend a large part of their day drinking coffee until it’s wine o’clock, when they switch to alcohol. Many are overweight but you rarely see them exercising (intentionally).

On the other side of the ledger, being Italian, they follow a Mediterranean diet; they are very active (when not drinking coffee or wine) in getting about their hilly landscape; they lead an unstressful, clean-air lifestyle; and there are two things they eat at almost every meal: anchovies and rosemary.

HEALTH BENEFITS

Scientists have been interested in Rosmarinus officinalis, a member of the very large mint family Lamiaceae, for a while and their interest has paid dividends.