Roselle juice
 Bottles of sobolo | |
| Alternative names | Bissap, tsobo, sobolo, sorrel |
|---|---|
| Serving temperature | Cold |
| Main ingredients | Roselle flowers, water, sugar |
| Variations | Ginger |
Roselle juice, known as bissap, wonjo, foléré, dabileni, tsobo, zobo, siiloo, or soborodo in parts of Africa,[1] karkade in Egypt, sorrel in the Caribbean, and agua de Jamaica in Mexico, is a drink made out of the flowers of the roselle plant, a species of Hibiscus. Although generally the "juice" is sweetened and chilled, it is technically an infusion and when served hot can also be referred to as hibiscus tea.[2][3][4]
Description
[edit]Roselle juice, often taken refrigerated, is a cool drink found in many West African countries and the Caribbean.[5][6] It is a dark red-purple coloured juice. The Burkinabes, Senegalese, and Ivorians call it bissap,[7] the Nigerians call it zobo while the Ghanaians call it Zobolo.[8] It tastes a bit grapey and a little like cranberry juice and can be served with mint leaves.[1] It can also be served with any flavouring of one's choice — sometimes with orange essence or ginger, pineapple juice, cloves, tea grass, vanilla, and many others. In Ghana, Nigeria, and Senegal, roselle juice is served cold, while in Egypt, it is served warm.[2]
Health benefits
[edit]Roselle juice, which acts as a diuretic, has been shown to regulate blood pressure and reduce hypertension.[9] It also has high levels of vitamin C, so is used to treat the common cold and otherwise boost the immune system.[4][2] Some studies have also shown antimicrobial activity.[10]
Zobo
[edit]
Zobo is a local beverage drink in Nigeria. It is made from dried hibiscus leaf and other ingredients.[11] The drink is commonly sold in restaurants and on roadsides. [12][13][14][15]
Overview
[edit]Hibiscus drink is made by boiling the hibiscus leaf alongside ginger, garlic for less than an hour.[11] It is served hot or chilled depending on the weathered condition of the area it was produced. Other ingredients used in making zobo drink include nutmeg, cinnamon, cloves, lime, pineapple and artificial colours. The particles are sieved leaving behind the zobo juice. The roselle drink has flavour similar to cranberry juice and it is ruby red in colour.[16][17][18]
The zobo drinks are packaged in clean bottles which can be sealed to prevent spoilage .[19][20]
Hibiscus sabdariffa
[edit]This is the major ingredient used in making zobo drink. It is a leafy vegetable similar to spinach that originates from West Africa.[21] Hibiscus sabdariffa, also known as roselle, is an annual herb that can be planted all year round especially between November and the April of the next year.[22]
Hibiscus sabdariffa is otherwise known as spinach dock, sour grass, or sour grabs.[23]
Other names
[edit]Zobo drink is also known as hibiscus tea, hibiscus drink and roselle drinks because the beverage drink is gotten from hibiscus leaves. Also it is known as local Chapman since other fruits and artificial colours are added. Due to the sour taste of zobo drink, it is refer to as sour tea as well.[24][25]
Preservatives
[edit]There are two types of preservatives used in production of zobo tea, the natural ones are the nutmeg, lime and cloves which keeps the drink fresh .[16][26]
Sodium benzoate at a concentration of 0.1% or mixture of citric acid and magnesium sulfate are the chemical compounds used in preserving zobo drink for a longer time and make it carbon-free. The artificial preservatives are neutralized with fruit juice in order to conserve the sour taste of the leaf during production.[27][28]
See also
[edit]
References
[edit]- ^ a b "(Bissap Drink)". Retrieved 19 March 2015.
- ^ a b c "My Sobolo". Graphic Online. Retrieved 2020-06-07.
- ^ Online, Peace FM. "Health Benefits Of Sobolo". www.peacefmonline.com. Retrieved 2020-06-07.
- ^ a b "Reasons to drink more Sobolo". Ghana Web. 17 March 2017.
- ^ "GES investigates teacher's assault of student who criticised her 'sobolo' drink". MyJoyOnline.com. 2020-02-17. Retrieved 2020-06-07.
- ^ Online, Peace FM. "Woman Quits Journalism To Sell 'Sobolo'". www.peacefmonline.com. Retrieved 2020-06-07.
- ^ https://www.createaction.org/blog/bissap-senegals-national-drink/
- ^ Agyeman, Adwoa (2020-02-17). "GES investigates teacher's assault of pupil over 'sobolo' drink". Adomonline.com. Retrieved 2020-06-07.
- ^ Hopkins, A. L.; Lamm, M. G.; Funk, J. L.; Ritenbaugh, C. (2013). "Hibiscus sabdariffa L. In the treatment of hypertension and hyperlipidemia: A comprehensive review of animal and human studies". Fitoterapia. 85: 84–94. doi:10.1016/j.fitote.2013.01.003. PMC 3593772. PMID 23333908.
- ^ Oboh, G.; Elusiyan, C. A. (2004). "Nutrient Composition and Antimicrobial Activity of Sorrel Drinks (Soborodo)". Journal of Medicinal Food. 7 (3): 340–342. doi:10.1089/jmf.2004.7.340. PMID 15383229.
- ^ a b "How To Make Zobo Drink In Ten Easy Steps". The Guardian Nigeria News - Nigeria and World News. 2017-08-31. Retrieved 2022-09-05.
- ^ "Benefits of taking Zobo". The Nation Newspaper. 2019-10-02. Retrieved 2022-07-01.
- ^ "How To Make Zobo Drink In Ten Easy Steps". The Guardian Nigeria News - Nigeria and World News. 2017-08-31. Retrieved 2022-07-01.
- ^ "How to harness health benefits of zobo drink". Daily Trust. 2021-03-16. Retrieved 2022-07-01.
- ^ Online, Tribune (2021-02-18). "Why regular consumption of zobo drink with hypertension medication should be avoided —Expert". Tribune Online. Retrieved 2022-07-01.
- ^ a b "How to prepare zobo drink". The Nation Newspaper. 2019-07-20. Retrieved 2022-07-01.
- ^ onnaedo (2015-09-08). "How to make Zobo drink". Pulse Nigeria. Retrieved 2022-07-01.
- ^ "Goodlife introduces another drink; Zobo Ginger variant - Premium Times Nigeria". 2022-03-02. Retrieved 2022-07-01.
- ^ "FIIRO has developed over 250 food processing techs, says DG". The Guardian Nigeria News - Nigeria and World News. 2018-11-12. Retrieved 2022-07-01.
- ^ "Nigerian author hawks zobo drink on the streets - Premium Times Nigeria". 2018-02-23. Retrieved 2022-07-01.
- ^ "Roselle - plant". Encyclopedia Britannica. Revised and updated by Melissa Petruzzello. Archived from the original on 2022-04-20.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: others (link) - ^ "The good and the bad sides of 'zobo' drink". Punch Newspapers. 2016-12-29. Retrieved 2022-07-01.
- ^ Online, Tribune (2022-03-05). "Chilled zobo drink for the weather". Tribune Online. Retrieved 2022-07-01.
- ^ "Goodlife Zobo Ginger drink unveiled during Showtime Friday". Vanguard News. 2022-03-01. Retrieved 2022-07-01.
- ^ omotolani (2022-03-03). "7 health benefits of zobo drink (Hibiscus tea)". Pulse Nigeria. Retrieved 2022-07-01.
- ^ "Physical and chemical preservation of zobo drink". ResearchGate.
- ^ "Making Money From Zobo Drink Production". Independent Newspaper Nigeria. 2022-05-20. Retrieved 2022-07-01.
- ^ "Preservatives in zobo drink". ResearchGate.