Rosemary

Studies in people

• Benefit

  Mood and mental energy³

  In men with poorer mental health, rosemary extract improved mood, energy and sleep quality scores.

Animal and lab studies only

• Benefit

  Fat and sugar digestion⁶

  In lab studies, rosemary slowed the enzymes that break down fat and sugar.

Study type not stated

• Open question

  Brain health and memory⁵

  Scientists do not yet know whether eating rosemary helps protect the brain from Alzheimer's disease.

How it’s made and used

• How much children eat²

  Scientists worked out how much rosemary extract children likely eat from food, and say the real amount is probably lower.

• Food preservative effects⁴

  Rosemary extract is used in food to help stop spoilage, though its smell, colour and taste can limit how much is added.

The signal at the top counts the findings in people and in animal and lab studies. A concern in studies of people outranks animal and lab studies, and “No concerns” needs at least two findings in people. Findings whose study type is not stated are shown but not counted. This page is a reference, not medical advice. It describes what regulators and published research say. Talk to a doctor or dietitian about your own diet.