Rosella plant which has a Latin name Hibiscus sabdariffa, is one of the plants commonly used as medicine. This plant is often processed into tea which is good for health, but the benefits of rosella can also be obtained in the form of food.
Rosella has many health benefits, including being able to help lower body temperature and overcome constipation. Check out the following explanation to find out more about the benefits of rosella and how to process it.
Benefits of Rosella for Health
The high value of the benefits of rosella comes from natural chemicals found in the leaves, stems, and fruit of rosella. The natural chemicals in question are alkaloids, phenols, tannins, flavonoids, organic acids, anthocyanins, and polysaccharides.
These ingredients act as antioxidants and antibacterials that can be used to:
- Treating cold symptoms
- Overcoming difficult bowel movements or constipation
- Lowering high blood pressure
- Relieves fever
- Stimulate the immune system
- Prevents DNA damage and helps repair DNA
- Overcoming inflammation
- Slows down the growth rate of cancer cells
- Treating heart disease and neurological diseases
A study on rosella tea extract revealed that the anthocyanin content in this tea can also lower blood pressure and cholesterol levels. For this reason, rosella tea is used as herbal medicine for alternative therapy for people with high blood pressure and high cholesterol.
How to Process Rosella
The main part of the rosella plant that is often used is the flower petals, because this section contains anthocyanins which function as antioxidants. To process it into tea, you can cook dried rosella flowers to a boil.
In addition to being used as tea, rosella can also be used as a spice or complementary material to add flavor and aroma to dishes. Rosella processing in a modern way allows this plant to be used for wider needs, namely as medicines, finished spices and natural dyes.
There are various benefits of rosella that you can get by consuming it as a tea, cooking spice, or herbal medicine. You can process rosella yourself or buy processed products that are sold freely. However, if you have special health conditions, you should consult a doctor first before consuming it.
