3 Other Benefits and Uses of Rosella
Rosella, or Javanese jute, is scientifically named Hibiscus sabdariffa. Internationally, this plant is popularly known in English as roselle.
Rosella is a plant that can reach a height of 3 to 5 meters. Although it is a perennial species, rosella is usually cultivated as an annual and grows from seeds. It thrives best in clay soils with good drainage, particularly in tropical climates, and requires an average rainfall of about 25 cm per month during the growing season. This plant is very sensitive to dew.
Rosella plants grown for food purposes are usually spaced wider apart, are shorter, and have many branches, with their calyces harvested when they are plump and fleshy.
The fiber strands can grow to a length of 1 to 3 meters. Rosella fibers are generally strong and glossy, with colors ranging from cream to white to grayish.
Rosella as a Food Ingredient
In many tropical regions, the red calyces of Hibiscus sabdariffa of the altissima variety are widely used for beverages, sauces, jellies, and sweets. They can also be eaten directly, as their taste is similar to that of cranberries. The leaves and stems are consumed as salad or cooked as a vegetable to season curries. In tropical regions of Africa, the seeds, which contain oil, are also consumed.
Rosella as a Medicinal Ingredient
In addition to being consumed as food and beverages, rosella is also processed into porridge and liquid forms. When applied externally, rosella is said to have anti-inflammatory and exfoliating properties, making its products an important raw material for organic and natural cosmetics (Allied Market Research, 2021).
Its leaves, which are very mucilaginous, can be used as a moisturizer and cough suppressant. Similar to the leaves, the fruit also possesses antiscorbutic properties. Meanwhile, the flowers contain anthocyanins, hibiscin glycosides, and gossypetin (Ilyas et al., 2021).
Rosella has been scientifically proven to contain compounds that may help lower cholesterol, combat obesity, exhibit high antioxidant activity, reduce insulin resistance, lower blood pressure, provide anti-aging effects, possess antinociceptive and antidiarrheal activity, have anti-inflammatory and antiproliferative properties, act as an anticarcinogen, and show chemopreventive effects against skin cancer (Tahmina Sadia Jamini & Islam, 2021).
Rosella as a Material for Making Jute Bags
Rosella is classified as a fast-growing plant and a renewable biological resource, often utilized as a material combined with jute for thread bags and fabrics. The mechanical properties of rosella are considered very good, especially when reinforced with polymer composites through the integration and hybridization of rosella hybrid composites (Ilyas et al., 2021).
This plant is known to have grown in the Dutch East Indies since the 16th century and spread to Asia after the 17th century CE. Further cultivation in the Dutch East Indies (now Indonesia) began in 1920 under a subsidized program established to obtain fibers for making sugar sacks (The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica, 2023). From the Dutch East Indies, rosella subsequently spread widely and was naturalized in various countries around the world.
Daftar Pustaka
Allied Market Research. (2021). Allied Market Research. https://www.alliedmarketresearch.com/roselle-market-A12358
Ilyas, R. A., S.M. Sapuan, W. Kirubaanand, Z.M. Zahfiq, M.S.N. Atikah, Ibrahim, R., A.M. Radzi, R. Nadlene, M. R. M. Asyraf, M.D. Hazrol, Sherwani, K., Harussani, M. M., J. Tarique, A. Nazrin, & R. M. O. Syafiq. (2021). Roselle: Production, Product Development, and Composites. Elsevier EBooks, 1--23. https://doi.org/10.1016/b978-0-323-85213-5.00009-3
The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica. (2023, September 24). Roselle | Plant, Fiber, Leaves, & Facts. Encyclopedia Britannica. https://www.britannica.com/plant/roselle-plant
Tahmina Sadia Jamini, & Islam, A. (2021). Roselle (Hibiscus sabdariffa L.): Nutraceutical and Pharmaceutical Significance. Elsevier EBooks, 103--119. https://doi.org/10.1016/b978-0-323-85213-5.00001-9