Hibiscus tea

Hibiscus tea is the infusion made from the calyces (sepals) of the "Hibiscus sabdariffa" flower, a herbal tea drink consumed both hot and cold by people around the world. It is also referred to as roselle (another common name for the hibiscus flower), jamaica in Latin America, karkady in the Middle East, bissap in West Africa, red sorrel in the Caribbean, and other names in other countries. Hibiscus tea has a tart, cranberry-like flavor, and sugar is often added to sweeten the beverage. The tea contains vitamin C and minerals and is used traditionally as a mild medicine.

Hibiscus tea contains 15-30% organic acids, including citric acid, maleic acid, and tartaric acid. It also contains acidic polysaccharides and flavonoid glycosides, such as cyanidin and delphinidin, that give it its characteristic deep red colour.

In Latin America and the United States

Jamaica (IPA IPA|/hə.ˈmaɪ.kə/ Anglicized), also called "agua de jamaica" and "rosa de jamaica", is popular in Mexico, Central America, and parts of South America. It is one of several common "aguas frescas", which are inexpensive beverages typically made from fresh juices or extracts. Jamaica is usually prepared by steeping the calyces in boiling water, straining the mixture, pressing the calyces (to squeeze all the juice out), adding sugar and sometimes lime, and stirring. [cite web |first= Heidi |last= Swanson |url= http://www.101cookbooks.com/archives/000172.html |title= Jamaica Flower Iced Tea Recipe |accessdate=2008-06-01 |publisher= 101 Cookbooks |date= 2005-06-06 ] It is served chilled.

In Panama both the flowers and the drink are called "saril". It is prepared by picking and boiling the calyces with chopped ginger, sugar, clove, cinammon and sometimes nutmeg and is traditionally drunk around Christmas and New Year, diverging from Mexico and Central America and much more in line with the Caribbean, due to the strong West Indian influence in Panamanian culture specially in Panama City and most of Panama's Atlantic coast.

Dried hibiscus calyces, often labeled "flor de jamaica", have long been available in health food stores in the United States for making this tea, especially in California and other areas influenced by the south of the border. Jamaica has a reputation for being a mild natural diuretic. [cite web |first= James |last= Duke |url= http://www.hort.purdue.edu/newcrop/duke_energy/Hibiscus_sabdariffa.html |title= Hibiscus sabdariffa L. |accessdate=2008-06-03 |publisher= Purdue University Center for New Crops and Plants Products |date= 1983 ]

In the Middle East, Africa, and the Caribbean

"Karkady", pronounced "KAR-kah-day" and also spelled "karkade", is served hot or chilled with ice. When cold it is commonly referred to as "einab". It is very popular in some parts of the Middle East, especially North Africa. This drink is said to have been consumed in ancient Egypt - a preferred drink of pharaohs. In Egypt and Sudan, wedding celebrations are traditionally toasted with a glass of hibiscus tea. On a typical street in downtown Cairo, one can find many vendors and open-air cafés selling the drink to both the local crowd and curious tourists.cite news |first= John |last= Feeney |authorlink= |coauthors= |title= The Red Tea of Egypt |url= http://saudiaramcoworld.com/issue/200105/the.red.tea.of.egypt.htm |work= Saudi Aramco World |publisher= Saudi Aramco |date= September/October 2001 |accessdate=2008-06-01 ] In Egypt, "karkade" is used as a means to lower blood pressure if consumed in high amounts. Fact|date=February 2007

In Africa, especially the Sahel, hibiscus tea is commonly sold on the street and the dried flowers can be found in every market. Variations on the drink are popular in West Africa and parts of Central Africa. In Senegal, "bissap" is known as the "national drink of Senegal". Similar beverages include "wanjo" in The Gambia, "dabileni" in Mali, and "zobo" or "tsobo" in northern Nigeria. [ [http://www.congocookbook.com/c0224.html Recipe at "Congocookbook.com"] Retrieved on 05-23-07.] Hibiscus tea is especially popular in Sudan, where more of it is drunk than true tea, and where it is often prepared by soaking the calyces in cold water for a few days and then straining the result. Hibiscus tea is often flavored with mint or ginger in West Africa.

In the Caribbean the drink, called sorrel, is made from the fresh fruit, and it is considered an integral part of Christmas celebrations. The Caribbean Development Company, a Trinidad and Tobago brewery, produces a "Sorrel Shandy" in which the tea is combined with beer.

In Asia

In Thailand, roselle is drunk as a tea, believed to also reduce cholesterol. It can also be made into a wine, especially if combined with Chinese tea leaves, in the ratio of 1:4 by weight (1/4 Chinese tea). It is also drunk cold and sugared.

Roselle is popular in Malaysia too.

References

External links

* [http://www.hort.purdue.edu/newcrop/morton/roselle.html Information about Roselle] by J. Morton (1987), part of the New Crop Resource Online Program at Purdue University
* [http://www.flordejamaica.org Informacion sobre la Flor de Jamaica] by Huisman/ Rodriguez (2004), vinculo a un sitio con informacion sobre la Flor de Jamaica en Colombia