Rosemary
Food · Vegetable · Food, Typed Supps
The herb behind "rosemary for remembrance" — genuinely rich in antioxidants, though the memory claim is weaker than the folklore suggests.
Stage by stage
- Intake (Oils & polyphenols released): Chewing and cooking release rosemary’s antioxidant polyphenols and aromatic oils.
- Stomach (Digested with the meal): Rosemary moves through digestion alongside the rest of the food.
- Small intestine (Carotenoids absorbed with fat): Provitamin-A carotenoids need dietary fat to absorb well; polyphenols absorb separately, with modest bioavailability.
- Bloodstream & tissues (Antioxidant activity): Absorbed compounds act as antioxidants in tissues; carotenoids convert to vitamin A as needed.
Timing
Cooked into a dish with some fat or oil, which helps its carotenoid content absorb.
Time to effect
- Hours to days: Antioxidant activity from a meal is relatively short-lived; regular use matters more than a single dish.
Allergens
None of the fourteen major allergens. Derived from what this food is, not from a product label.
Eating patterns
Fits: Vegan, Vegetarian, Pescatarian, Halal, Kosher, Gluten-free. Depends on the product: Keto, Low-FODMAP.
Satiety
Not scored: the satiety index is measured on 240 kcal servings, and nobody eats a 240 kcal serving of this. The question does not apply rather than the answer being unknown.
Environmental footprint
0.5 kg CO2e and 108 litres of freshwater per kg, matched to "Other vegetables" in Poore & Nemecek (2018), Science 360.
Cost band
Pricey — roughly £25 per kg, as a band midpoint rather than a price.
Key nutrients
Nutrition per 100g
- Calories: 131
- Protein: 3.3g
- Carbohydrate: 20.7g
- Fat: 5.9g
- of which saturated: 2.8g
- Fibre: 14.1g
- Sodium: 26mg
Food vs. supplement
A sprig or teaspoon of rosemary in a dish is a normal serving, well below the striking per-100g figures here — its antioxidant compounds are concentrated enough to be used industrially as a food preservative, a different scale from home cooking.
Kitchen tip
Add whole sprigs early in slow-roasted or braised dishes to soften the woody stems and release flavor; remove before serving.
Common myth
"Sniffing rosemary measurably boosts memory." In reality: Small human studies on rosemary aroma and cognition show mixed, modest results — an interesting research area, not an established memory booster. Its antioxidant chemistry, strong enough for commercial use as a food preservative, is the better-supported story.
Recipes that use it
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