I love preparing my zobo drink with more of natural fruits including the peels of the particular fruit I use for the flavour I want but you may add artificial flavours and sweeteners such as Foster Clarks, Nutri C, jolly juice e.t.c if you don’t have the natural substitute. The Concentration of the juice also depends on choice as some like theirs concentrated while others like their’s less concentrated like me. Also, the more concentrated the drink is, the more likely it is to sour and ferment quickly. Traditionally, Zobo drink has been used for years and therefore seen as a herbal health drink which has been known to help several health issues including high blood pressure, loss of appetite, circulation, liver diseases, cancers, fevers, and as a gentle laxative and diuretic. Modern research also supports the fact that hibiscus has multiple health effects. This definitely makes it one of the top 10 healthy drinks to make at home.

Related Posts: Hibiscus Recipes

Zobo Drink (How to make zobo drink)

Yield: 7 Litres

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 30 minutes

Total Time: 45 minutes

Zobo drink also known as Zoborodo or Hibiscus drink is a popular nutritious healthy drink to make at home. It's an Ox-blood or red wine coloured drink made from dry petals of the roselle plant (Hibiscus sabdariffa) which is a hibiscus specie. It goes by different names such as Rosella in Australia, Jamaican sorrel drink in the Caribbean, Sobolo in Ghana, depending on the region it's prepared. It's a rich and natural health drink filled with enormous benefits.

Print

Ingredients

• • 150g Zobo leaves (Hibiscus sabdariffa)
• • 7 Liters water
• • 30g Dry ginger or Fresh ginger 
• • 3 tbsps. Cloves a.k.a Konofiri
• • 1 Large Pineapple 
• OR
• • Honey

Instructions

Step 1: Before peeling the pineapple, wash the skin thoroughly and rinse with clean water. You can use both the inner part and the outer skin to get the added flavour. 

P.S: Use the skin only if you are sure of how it was stored or if it's been thoroughly washed.) Peel and Dice the fruit - Set aside

Step 2: Wash the dry leaves of the hibiscus severally with cold water. This is because the leaves are often times dirty due to the way they are stored. Once you're done washing, place the washed leaves in a large pot and add the water and turn on your burner.

Step 3: Add the chunks of pineapple, ginger and Cloves (Konofiri). The taste of the zobo really intensifies when it's boiled with the ingredients unlike when it's left to steep. Leave to boil for about 25mins

Step 4: Sieve out the extract into a bowl and leave the drink to cool. The boiled leaves in the pot can still be reused until the red colour of the zobo totally reduces. You'd know when the red colour becomes less intense.

Step 5: This is supposed to be a health drink so I ensure I use only natural sweeteners and flavours like honey, sugar cane juice, pineapple juice etc. Alternatively, if you don't have the natural juices, you can substitute with Artificial flavours and sweeteners such as Foster Clarks flavour, Nutri C, jolly juice e.t.c. 

Step 6: Refrigerate and serve cold.

Notes

• To enjoy zobo in it's purest form, it's best to use natural sweeteners such as honey, pineapple, dates, apple e.t.c. But if you don't have that available, sugar, artificial flavours and sweeteners such as (foster Clark’s Pineapple flavour, jolly juice e.t.c) can be used.

Directions::: 

Step 3: Add the chunks of pineapple, ginger and Cloves (Konofiri). The taste of the zobo really intensifies when it’s boiled with the ingredients unlike when it’s left to steep. Leave to boil for about 25mins.

Step 5: This is supposed to be a health drink so I ensure I use only natural sweeteners and flavours like honey, sugar cane juice, pineapple juice etc. Alternatively, if you don’t have the natural juices, you can substitute with  Artificial flavours and sweeteners such as Foster Clark’s flavour, Nutri C, jolly juice e.t.c. 

Step 6: Refrigerate and serve cold.

Nutritional and Health benefits:

• It has long been used traditionally as a natural diuretic and in the treatment of several diseases such as Urinary tract infections. It Promotes kidney functioning.
• Zobo drink is a veritable source of vitamin A
• According to nutritionists, it has been found to be very effective in the management of hypertension due to its anti-hypertensive properties.
• It also helps in lowering blood pressure as it contains an enzyme inhibitor which blocks the production of Amylase
• It’s good for diabetic patients
• It reduces the cholesterol in the body
• It aids in digestion and acts as a Natural health tonic
• It has Antibacterial properties
• It helps Decrease spams in the stomach
• It Soothes colds and provides similar cold relief obtained by consuming antioxidant drinks

Other names it is known as in different regions:::

• Bissap – In Niger, Senegal, Burkina faso, Benin, France, Congo and Guinea Bissau.