The hibiscus drink popularly known as Zobo is a super drink which is slightly thick, colourful, pleasant and tasty. The Hibiscus leaf is used in many parts of the world to make both cold and hot drinks. It contains a high concentration of water-soluble antioxidants and is filled with huge amounts of vitamin C. Zobo, an ancient local drink, which has been consumed in several parts of the world for centuries, is also used to help treat several health problems such as high blood pressure, loss of appetite, liver diseases and fever among others.
Dried hibiscus flower
Zobo drink contains 15 to 30 percent organic acids which include citric acid, maleic acid, and tartaric acid. It also contains acidic polysaccharides and flavonoid glycosides, such as cyanidin and delphinine. The drink is popular as a natural diuretic and is used traditionally as a mild medicine. Dieters and people with kidney problems often take it without adding sugar for its beneficial properties.
A 2008 United States Department of Agriculture, USDA, study said consuming hibiscus tea or zobo drink lowed blood pressure in a group of prehypertensive and mildly hypertensive adults. According to The Journal of Ethnopharmacology, which was published May 2008, hibiscus tea improved the kidney’s ability to filter out waste products which are the uric and oxalic acid, both of which can form kidney stones if they accumulate to excessively high levels.
Also, nutritionists said the drink could be very effective in the management of hypertension because it has some anti-hypertensive properties, which helps to reduce cholesterol level, hypertension, high blood pressure, diabetes and constipation. It also helps to retain fluid in the body system and has antibacterial properties which help to kill bacteria and worms in the body system. It is caffeine-free and has riboflavin, niacin, carotene, calcium, and iron, which are all nutritionally necessary.
Now you know, drink more Zobo today!
Nice one