What are the benefits of an infusion of the hibiscus flower: the bissap?

Audio 05:02

Bissap is an infusion made from hibiscus flowers.

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Text by: Caroline Paré Follow

4 min

Find the nutrition column of Stéphane Besançon, nutritionist and director of the NGO Santé Diabète in Bamako, Mali.

This week we are talking about the hibiscus flower and the infusion from which it is prepared: the bissap.

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Can you tell us what the hibiscus flower is?

Bissap is produced from

which is also called "Guinea Sorrel".

This variety of hibiscus is a herbaceous plant, from the Malvaceae family, which appears in the form of small shrubs which measure on average two meters.

The Hibiscus Sabdariffa is native to West Africa, especially Guinea.

But its culture gradually spread on the African continent, for example in Egypt, in Sudan or in Congo, but also in other tropical zones of Asia, the Antilles or Latin America.

Today, there are two uses of this hibiscus for human consumption:

• The leaves of the

  green variety

  are used to prepare sauces that will accompany dishes

• And the

  red variety

  which is used to prepare the infusion of the hibiscus flower which is called Bissap in Senegal, Dabléni in Mali, Kakadé in Egypt or Currant in Martinique or Guadeloupe.

How is the bissap prepared from this flower?

• The first step in preparing the bissap is to boil the water then pour this boiling water over the dried flowers and then let the whole infuse for 15 to 20 minutes.

• The second step is to filter the red liquid obtained, which can then be consumed hot (it will be bissap herbal tea) or cold (it will then be bissap juice).

Today, there is also, in many countries, especially in Africa, the possibility of purchasing sachets of bissap herbal tea which are ready to be infused like tea.

What are the benefits of consuming bissap for our health?

Many positive effects linked to the consumption of hot or cold bissap are cited very regularly.

This is for example its possible action on blood pressure, on cholesterol, its anti-inflammatory action or to help lose weight.

Now, if we look in more detail at what has been the subject of scientific studies, we only find publications on its

.

A first study was published in 2009 by researchers at Boston University which demonstrated a drop in blood pressure in people with moderate hypertension who had consumed three cups a day of an infusion of bissap.

Since this study, several other studies have published results that present the same conclusions.

There have been, in parallel, some studies which suggest that certain substances contained in the hibiscus flower can have an antioxidant role which will protect our cells against the effect of free radicals and thus prevent many diseases, such as certain forms of cancer, cardiovascular disorders or even certain infections.

Are there any risks in consuming bissap?

The various research carried out on Hibiscus Sabdariffa shows that it does

. For health, however, there is an important point to take into account. Herbal teas or bissap juices are so-

that is to say that they do not provide calories, provided of course that they have been prepared without sugar or that they are consumed without sugar.

On the other hand, if sugar is added, especially if it is in large quantities, it will lead to excess sugar consumption and therefore excess caloric intake which can represent a health risk.

It is therefore very important to prepare and consume these hot or cold drinks without sugar!

There is also another risk for people with hypertension on treatment who would add antihypertensive treatment and consumption of bissap.

Based on all this data, how do you advise us to consume bissap?

In addition to the water that we consume daily, bissap juice or bissap herbal tea are drinks that will participate in our hydration by providing varied and pleasant tastes.

It will be possible to consume two glasses of bissap juice during the day and a bissap herbal tea in the evening after the meal provided of course, that in both cases, these drinks do not contain sugar.

But beware: this consumption must be adapted for people who have arterial hypertension and who take antihypertensive treatment daily.

Indeed, in this specific case, it is absolutely necessary to take a medical opinion to avoid any drug interactions and especially all the negative effects on health of these possible interactions.

To continue discussions on this column, go to:     

Stéphane Besançon's Twitter account 

The Facebook page of the NGO Santé Diabète

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