Know2eat

Roselle

Hibiscus sabdariffa

What roselle has been studied for

2 associations assessed — 1 with at least some human evidence behind it. Strongest first.

  • 1 Limited
  • 1 Insufficient
3 things to know first — allergies, interactions and intake limits

About roselle

The fleshy red calyx that surrounds the seed pod of a hibiscus species, sharply acidic and cranberry-like. Rarely eaten as fruit in the ordinary sense; almost all of it is dried and infused into the drink sold as hibiscus tea.

Also known as Sorrel, Bissap, Karkade, Jamaica flower, Agua de Jamaica

Heart Health

The evidence in depth

Best supported: Limited

What each association actually rests on, and the papers behind it. A rating describes the state of the research, not how impressive the food is. How we rate evidence.

Healthy blood pressure

Heart Health
Limited evidence

Evidence is limited for the raw calyx specifically. Pooled analyses of hibiscus tea trials do report small reductions in systolic and diastolic pressure, but those trials use standardised infusions, the studies are small and heterogeneous, and nobody has tested eating roselle as a food.

Limited evidence. Early human work, or mostly lab and animal research.

4 sources

Deep research mode adds each paper’s own conclusion and stated limitations.

Blood lipid profile

Heart Health
Insufficient evidence

Some hibiscus infusion trials report lipid changes and others report none, and pooled estimates are unstable. No study has looked at the calyx as an eaten food rather than a drink.

Insufficient evidence. Not enough human research to say anything useful yet.

4 sources

Deep research mode adds each paper’s own conclusion and stated limitations.

Ask about Roselle

Ask about Roselle

Answers are written only from the entries on this page — the same nutrients, compounds, claims and citations you can read above. Nothing is added from outside the database, and every answer lists what it was built from.

AI explanations are not switched on for this site, so there is nothing to ask here. Everything above is read straight from the database and does not need them.

Key nutrients

Nutrient content per 100 grams
NutrientAmount% DV
Macronutrients
Calories49 kcal2%
Protein0.96 g2%
Total fat0.64 g1%
Carbohydrate11.3 g4%
Water86.6 g—
Fats
Cholesterol0 mg0%
Vitamins
Vitamin A14 µg2%
Vitamin C12 mg13%
Thiamin (B1)0.011 mg1%
Riboflavin (B2)0.028 mg2%
Niacin (B3)0.31 mg2%
Vitamin B120 µg0%
Minerals
Calcium215 mg17%
Iron1.48 mg8%
Magnesium51 mg12%
Phosphorus37 mg3%
Potassium208 mg4%
Sodium6 mg0%
Other measured compounds
Ash0.51 g—

Nutrient values are per 100 g of the USDA reference entry named on this page and vary with variety, growing conditions, storage and preparation.

Source record: Roselle, raw (USDA FoodData Central, FDC ID 168170).

% DV uses the FDA Daily Values for adults and children aged 4 and over. A dash means no Daily Value has been established for that nutrient.

Bioactive compounds

Compounds present in meaningful amounts. Presence is banded rather than quantified, because whole-food levels vary enormously with variety, growing conditions, storage and preparation.

How preparation changes things

Only effects with real support are listed. If a preparation method is missing, it is because nothing dependable is documented — not because it makes no difference.

  • brewedChanges anthocyanin extraction

    Steeping dried calyces in hot water extracts most of the anthocyanins and organic acids into the infusion. Extraction depends heavily on water temperature and steeping time, which is one reason trial doses are hard to compare.

Things to know

Allergies, interactions and intake concerns. Every food gets this section — a reference where everything is uniformly good is not a reference.

  • Interaction

    Additive effect with blood pressure medicines

    Because hibiscus infusions have been shown to lower blood pressure modestly, drinking large amounts alongside antihypertensive medication can add to the effect. Pharmacokinetic studies also report that hibiscus alters absorption of some drugs, including chloroquine and paracetamol.

  • Worth knowing

    Generally avoided in pregnancy

    Hibiscus sabdariffa has traditional use as an emmenagogue and animal studies raise questions about reproductive effects. Human safety data in pregnancy is absent, and the conventional advice is to avoid concentrated preparations.

  • Worth knowing

    The calyx is not what most people consume

    This USDA entry is the raw calyx. Almost everyone encounters roselle as a sweetened infusion, in which the sugar content and the dilution both matter more than the calyx composition.