Are you a Zobo drink lover who’s wondering, “is Zobo drink good for ulcer patients?” In this article, we will explore the health benefits, risks, expert advice, and tips for enjoying Zobo safely without stomach irritation.
As an ulcer patient, you may need to change your diet, especially what you drink, as some ulcer foods or drinks can make you feel better and heal faster, while others can irritate your stomach lining and worsen your symptoms.
The Mayo Clinic states that while acidic foods and drinks don’t cause peptic ulcers, they can make symptoms worse. Therefore, if you enjoy Zobo drink but have signs of an ulcer, it’s time to talk to your gastroenterologist or dietician to get professional advice.
Zobo drink is a popular Nigerian drink made from the calyces of Hibiscus sabdariffa. It is red, acidic and usually sweetened with sugar and flavoured with ginger, pineapple or honey. It is served chilled on hot days to cool the body and can be made at home as a tasty treat.
This drink is not only tasty but also rich in nutrients. Zobo is abundant in antioxidants, specifically anthocyanins, which are known to help fight oxidative stress.
It also contains vitamin C and other bioactive chemicals that are thought to improve digestion, metabolism, and gut function.
An ulcer, particularly a gastric ulcer, is a wound in the stomach or small intestinal lining that is caused by a bacterial infection, Helicobacter Pylori (H. Pylori) or NSAIDs, and often worsened by spicy foods or acidic beverages.
In order to repair it, you need to stop the irritation, reduce the inflammation, and make the protective mucosal barrier stronger. Because of this, any food or drink a patient eats or drinks must be looked at to see if it could help or hurt these important healing processes.
Zobo drink has many health benefits. Here are some of them.
Some scientific research has found that Hibiscus sabdariffa extracts have anti-ulcer properties in animal trials. For example, high doses of hibiscus extract significantly reduced gastrointestinal ulcer indices in rats. This suggests potential protective mechanisms, but remember, these are extracts, not regular Zobo.
This 2022 study has shown that extracts of Hibiscus sabdariffa can significantly protect against gastric mucosal injury caused by various agents, such as ethanol, NSAIDs, and stress. The protective effect is attributed to the plant’s ability to decrease gastric acid secretion and increase the production of gastric wall mucus, which acts as a protective barrier.
The anti-inflammatory benefits of hibiscus have been thoroughly proven in a number of studies. Because an ulcer is an inflamed wound, taking a substance that reduces systemic inflammation may contribute to a more favourable healing environment.
Oxidative stress can harm cells and disrupt the body’s repair mechanisms. Antioxidants in zobo, such as anthocyanins, may help reduce free radicals, protecting the stomach lining from additional oxidative damage and boosting cellular regeneration.
The low pH of zobo drink is its most problematic trait for ulcer sufferers. As an open wound, the ulcer is directly exposed to the stomach contents. Introducing a very acidic beverage may create direct irritation to the sore, resulting in greater discomfort, burning sensations, and possibly inhibiting the healing process.
According to research published in the American Journal of Food Technology, the pH of many zobo types is relatively low, ranging from around 2.50 to 2.67.
While the stomach is naturally acidic (pH ranges from 1.5 to 3.5), the protective mucosal barrier keeps it from digesting itself. Ulcers are a breach in this protective barrier.
Zobo is also rich in vitamin C, which, though beneficial, may increase stomach acidity, potentially aggravating a sensitive ulcer.
The most important step is to consult with a doctor or a registered dietitian. If your doctor approves and you tolerate it well, you can include the following recommendations:
Begin with only half a glass. Wait between 30 and 60 minutes. If you don’t feel any pain or discomfort, you may have reached your tolerance level.
Consider chamomile, green, turmeric, ginger tea, or cabbage juice. These are softer on the stomach and often recommended for gastrointestinal problems.
In the end, there is no one food or drink that can fix everything. The best way to treat an ulcer is by following a healthy diet that is low in acidic and spicy foods, high in fibre, and includes foods that are good for your gut health, like probiotics found in yoghurt and fermented foods (if you can handle them).
Many people around the world use herbal medicine and home remedies to treat a variety of ailments. However, there is still a need to seek medical attention, especially if you have an ulcer.
KompleteCare provides a way for you to connect with a doctor from the comfort of your own home.
Telemedicine connects a patient and a healthcare provider via telecommunications. Healthcare experts can use telemedicine to recommend treatments, prescribe medications, and offer advice on lifestyle changes.
If you need medical advice on the consumption of zobo drink and how it would affect your ulcer healing, click on this link to get connected to a doctor.
In conclusion, Zobo drink may not be good for ulcer patients. On the one hand, its strong acidity increases the danger of acute irritation and pain for an open ulcer. On the other hand, its potent anti-inflammatory and antioxidant qualities may help to promote a healthy healing environment.
For a patient with an active or sensitive ulcer, the immediate risk of irritation is likely greater than the long-term advantages. Therefore, zobo should be approached with caution.
It is neither a recommended treatment nor a completely safe beverage for this illness. For persons with a less severe ulcer, a very diluted, unsweetened version may be tolerated, but only under the supervision of a doctor and with careful self-monitoring.
Zobo (hibiscus water) is known to be good in many ways, like being high in antioxidants and possessing ulcer-protective properties. It has also been shown that it may help heal ulcers in some animal studies. However, while it may have some anti-ulcer properties, it is not a proven ulcer treatment for humans.
It is possible that zobo drink may interfere with ulcer medications. Always discuss any regular zobo drink intake with your doctor to avoid any complications.
People who have stomach ulcers should be very careful when drinking hibiscus drink, also known as zobo. Even though the drink has some good properties, its high acidity makes it very likely to irritate a stomach ulcer.
Proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) are one of the recommended ulcer treatments because they reduce the amount of acid produced by your stomach, limiting further harm to the ulcer as it heals naturally. They are commonly recommended for four to eight weeks. The most popular PPIs used to treat stomach ulcers are omeprazole, pantoprazole, and lansoprazole.
Avoid hibiscus if you are allergic or sensitive to it. You have ulcers or diabetes, are pregnant, or suffer from low or high blood pressure. This is to avoid any complications that may result from consuming it.
References
Nwankwo. C. S.,et al. (2023). Natural spices and flavour substitution in zobo tea and drink production: A review
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