A top university doctor says that his research shows that a tasty smoothie made with rose hip powder is often just as effective as powerful pain-killing drugs.

Dr. Marc Cohen, health sciences professor at RMIT University in Melbourne, Australia, said that rose hip powder works without the dangerous side effects of pain medications. Rose hip also comes in capsule form, which has shown to be just as effective as powder.

“I use rose hip myself,” he told Newsmax Health. “I have arthritis, but I’m not bothered by pain because I make myself a smoothie every morning. I add a tablespoon of rose hip powder. It has a pleasant taste.”

Denmark is a major producer of rose hip and it is featured in traditional Scandinavian foods – in soups and other dishes as well as in drinks.

Dr. Cohen did a detailed meta-analysis of university studies regarding rose hips. His conclusion: “Rose hip works.”

Rose hip works in reducing arthritis inflammation and associated pain because it contains a strong galactolipid, maximizing retention of phytochemicals.