Chay-e Torsh (Hibiscus tea)

Chay-e Torsh (Hibiscus tea)

Hibiscus tea, Red tea or Rozell tea provided from the sepals of Hibiscus tea plant and it is used in the many parts of the world as the hot or cold Drink. In Latin America and especially in Jamaica it has the conventional usage and it is famous as the Jamaica flower either, in North of Africa as the Sudanese tea and in the Egypt, it is known with the name of  Karkade. It has the sour taste and it is usually drunk with sugar.

Specifications of the plant

Jamaica flower (Roselle) is an annual plant with the bushes and the height of 2-3 m. with 3-5 leaves faceted with Glaucous, yellow flowers with green sepals that after fruit ripening sepals come to be red. People used for providing vehicles from stem fibers of them in some countries. This plant comes to be in Iran as the migratory species and it was planted for the first time in the Golmorti (Dlgan) region of Sistan and Baluchestan Province.

Another name for this tea is “Maki” because it is widely planting and using in the Arabia either.

World consumption

It has consumption in most parts of Africa, Asia, it is conventional in Jamaica, selling in the shape of tea and as the cold beverage either. In Panama, it is used as beverages with or without the addition of alcohol in Christmas and Chinese New Year with the name of Saril that is taken from the Jamaican name of Sorrel. It is consumed as the tea in the United States of America and it was coming through the Mexican people and especially it is in great amount in the California. In all of the North Africa countries its offer daily and in tea houses along the street or Ambulatory shapes.

Hibiscus tea consumption is in most Asian countries such as China, Thailand, India, Malaysia and the Middle East.

Medicinal properties

The sour taste of that is because of the existence of citric acid, vitamin C and also anti-lipid antioxidants.  The people believe that because of large quantities of Anthocyanins in the plant sepals it has the important role in lowering blood pressure and it has anti-cancer properties. Much research was done on its effectiveness on hypotension of peripheral and diuretic of them. Some scientific reviews also did in Iran and it showed the effectiveness on reducing blood pressure in patients with diabetes. Also in some of the scientific articles, Sour tea property has the question.