Kinah's Hot Kitchen : Zobo, your natural herbal drink.

Roselle, the Nigerian Zobo leaf

Zobo is a very popular Nigerian drink. It is quite easy to prepare, most Nigerians prepare it at home. Since the Zobo leaves as most people call it, is abundant in the market thus it's not expensive to buy in the Nigerian market.

Zobo leaf is scientifically known as Hibiscus Sabdariffa and is also known globally as Roselle plant.

Approximately 15–30% of the plant is made up of plant acids, including citric, malic, and tartaric acids, as well as and allo-hydroxycitric acid lactone (ie, hibiscus acid), which is specific to this plant. Other chemical constituents include alkaloids, L-ascorbic acid, anthocyanin, beta carotene, beta sitosterol, citric acid, polysaccharides (arabins and arabinogalactans), quercetin, and gossypetin, as well as small amounts of galactose, arabinose, glucose, xylose, mannose, and rhamnose.

Health benefit of Zobo( Hibiscus Sabdariffa)

Zobo drank for body weight loss

Zobo extract when drank have an effect on the body's metabolism which would result to weight loss. It is thus used to prevent obesity and fat build up in the liver.

Zobo has anticancer properties

Research work published by Yun-Ching Chang et al. Toxicol Appl Pharmacol in 2005 indicated that Zobo leaf pigment extract(this can be obtained by squeezing Zobo leaf after it have been soaked in water for a while) is rich in anthocyanins which causes cancer cell apoptosis, apoptosis plays an important role in the treatment of cancer as it is a popular target of many treatment strategies. Hence Zobo leaf extract show huge potential for cancer treatment.

Zobo tea, used to reduce blood pressure

Just like Okra, zobo leaf shows promises in the reduction of high blood pressure. Zobo extract drank as a sour tea by the Iranian have for long been used as a natural treatment for high blood pressure.

Published scientific research on zobo leaf indicates that it water extract have been found to have a relaxation effect on the uterus and also lower blood pressure.

In 2007, a clinical trial showed that Hibiscus reduced cholesterol by 8.3% to 14.4% after just 1 month. In 2009, research work in Saudi Arabia showed that Zobo leaf extract reduce diabetes.

Zobo leaf extract used in other countries for treatment of other health issues

Egyptians drink Zobo as a tea to lower blood temperature, treat heart and nerve diseases and also as a diuretic to increase urine production.

In other African countries, Zobo tea is used to treat constipation, liver disease, and cold symptoms. Pulp made from the leaves was applied to the skin to heal wounds.

Safety concerns while taking Zobo tea or drink.

While Zobo have proven to be a herbal remedy in treating many illness, it's important to note that pregnant women, breast feeding mothers as well as people with liver and kidney diseases should drink it with a carefully prescribed dosage from a health expert.

Hibiscus tea is very tart and might be more so to sensitive tissues. Listen to your body and if it makes you feel ill, discontinue use. Some research also suggests that hibiscus may affect the way the body processes acetaminophen (Tylenol), but this effect is likely very minimal.