An organic Portuguese infusion of hibiscus, horsetail, blueberry and rose petals — deep red in the cup, genuinely tart, and caffeine-free.
Hibiscus does the heavy lifting. The dried calyces of Hibiscus sabdariffa — not the flower petals, but the fleshy sepals left behind after the flower drops — produce one of the most striking infusions in the world: a deep crimson, sharply sour drink known as karkadé in Egypt, agua de Jamaica in Mexico and bissap in West Africa. The colour comes from anthocyanins, the same pigment family as in blackcurrants and red cabbage, and it is pH-sensitive: add lemon juice and it brightens, add something alkaline and it shifts towards purple. The sourness is real organic acid, not tannin, which is why hibiscus never turns bitter no matter how long you brew it.
Blueberry and rose petals soften the edges — blueberry adds fruit sweetness and more anthocyanin, rose adds a floral top note that keeps the blend from being purely sharp.
Horsetail, and an honest word about it. Equisetum arvense is a genuinely ancient plant — the last survivor of a lineage that formed the coal forests of the Carboniferous — and a long-standing European traditional remedy. Two things are worth knowing. First, horsetail contains thiaminase, an enzyme that breaks down vitamin B1, which is why it is not recommended for prolonged continuous use. Second, one closely related species, marsh horsetail (Equisetum palustre), is toxic and is a known adulterant of poorly sourced material — which is a strong argument for certified organic herbs from a named producer rather than loose material of unknown origin. It is not recommended during pregnancy or breastfeeding.
No health claims. The EU authorises none for botanicals of this kind. This is a beautiful, tart, caffeine-free drink. Note that hibiscus is acidic enough to be worth rinsing your mouth with water afterwards, as you would after fruit juice.
Available at Só Verde, an organic concept store in Foz, Porto.
Criatura
Biohême
Criatura
Biohême
