Nutritional and Health Importance of Hibiscus Sabdariffa: A Review and Indication for Research Needs

Abstract

Hibiscus sabdariffa commonly named as "red sorrel" or "roselle" is a member of malvaceae family. It is a medicinal plant with a worldwide fame and has more than three hundred species which are distributed in tropical and subtropical regions around the world. Roselle can adapt to a variety of soil in a warmer and more humid climate. Roselle is rich in organic acids including citric, malic, tartaric and allo-hydroxycitric acids. The plant is also known for its Beta carotene, vitamin C, protein and total sugar. Roselle, having various medically important compounds called photochemical, is well known for its nutritional and medicinal properties. Many parts of Roselle including seeds, leaves, fruits and roots are used in various foods as well as in herbal medicine as a potential non-pharmacological treatment. Different extracts from Roselle plays a crucial role in treating different medical problems including many cardiovascular disorders, helmenthic disease and cancer. The plant also act as an anti oxidant and used in obesity management.

Edible Leafy Vegetables from West Africa (Guinea-Bissau): Consumption, Trade and Food Potential

“…Concerning the five species found at Bandim market, the use of leaves, fruits and flowers of Adansonia digitata, Amaranthus hybridus, Hibiscus sabdariffa and Sesamum radiatum is reported in West Africa and elsewhere, and their composition and dietary characteristics have been analyzed by several authors [9,10,12,33,34,35,36,37,38]. Bombax costatum is also referenced in some studies, but the compositional data is only available for flowers and young fruits [12,39,40,41].…”

Effect of roselle extracts on the selected quality characteristics of ice cream

“…[9] Roselle is native to Asia and tropical Africa [10,11] and comprises 300 species which are grown in tropical and subtropical regions throughout the world. [12] In South Africa, roselle is widely grown in Limpopo, Mpumalanga, the Eastern Cape, and KwaZulu-Natal provinces. About 59 species are found in South Africa, but roselle is not widely known as food, especially in native African communities.…”

Nutritional Analysis of <i>Hibiscus sabdariffa</i> L. (Roselle) Leaves and Calyces

“…Hibiscus sabdariffa or more commonly known as Roselle in English is a shrub plant that is grown in tropical countries. It belongs to the family Malvaceae, [3,4] of the Hibiscus genus. It can be planted in a wide range of soil conditions.…”