General Information
Gongura leaves are medium to large in size and are broad, flat, and pliable. The vibrant green leaves are deeply lobed with three to five serrated, finger-shaped leaflets. Gongura leaves come from a dense shrub-like plant that typically reaches heights of two to three meters. It has reddish-purple stems with dark green foliage and trumpet-shaped flowers. The flowers have five creamy yellow petals that fade to a deep maroon in the center. Smaller Gongura leaves offer a mild green and tangy flavor, whereas more mature specimens are robust and acrid. Warm temperatures also affect the taste of the leaf because the hotter it gets, the sourer the leaf will taste.
Gongura leaves are an excellent source of folate, riboflavin, iron, zinc, antioxidants, and vitamins A, B6, and C.
Gongura is a multi-purpose plant used medicinally and in celebrations around the world. The juice of its flowers has been shown to help reduce the absorption of alcohol and has been a hangover remedy in Guatemala for years. A mixture known as “Sudan tea” is used to treat coughs and digestive ailments in Africa while the bitter roots and seeds are more commonly used in Brazil and India to calm upset stomachs. A popular drink known as Sorrel Shandy is part of many Caribbean Christmas celebrations.
