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Roses! The Queen of Flowers. Beyond their aesthetic charm, fragrance and symbolic significance, these lovely blooms have a surprising array of health and beauty benefits when consumed as tea. Roses have, in fact, been used in teas and as traditional medicines for thousands of years. And let's not forget their beauty benefits. There are more than 130 species - and thousands of cultivars - in the rose family. All of these are edible and their fragrant petals and buds can be used in tea, although some varieties are sweet while others are bitter. Rose tea is rich in polyphenols, antioxidants that help to neutralize free radicals and may contribute to good health. Numerous health and beauty benefits are attributed to consuming rose tea, although many of these are not yet well supported by science. These benefits include: • Anti-Acne. The organic compounds in rose tea have antiseptic properties that may help to prevent and treat acne, as the tea helps your skin to become healthier from the inside. • Anti-Aging. The tea is a rich source of vitamins that act as antioxidants to eliminate free radicals, and thereby may help to slow the skin aging process. • Anti-Inflammatory. The vitamins in rose tea may promote collagen production, fight inflammation, restore skin damage, and reduce skin irritation and sunburn. • Hair Nourishment. The abundant vitamins in rose petals may act as lipid and protein antioxidants in hair molecules, and thereby help your hair to grow stronger and healthier. To make rose tea, whether to sip for pleasure, or for its possible health and beauty benefits, or all of these, consider one or more of the following rose species. The White Rose of York (Rosa alba): Rosa × alba has been cultivated in Europe since ancient times and originally may have been grown for the sweet scent of the flowers. Cabbage Rose (Rosa centifolia): Rosa × centifolia, also called the Provence rose or Rose de Mai, a hybrid rose developed by Dutch breeders between the 17th century and the 19th century, possibly earlier. Damask Rose (Rosa damascena): Rosa × damascena, sometimes known as Bulgarian rose, Turkish rose, Taif rose, Arab rose, Ispahan rose or Castile rose, a rose hybrid, derived from Rosa gallica and Rosa moschata with the possible genetic influence of Rosa fedtschenkoana. The Gallic Rose (Rosa gallica): Rosa gallica, also called French rose, or rose o