Ethnobotany of Sasak traditional beverages as functional foods

Abstract

Sasak is a native tribe of Lombok Island, West Nusa Tenggara, Indonesia. Like other tribes in the world, Sasak tribe has a variety of traditional cuisines that can also function as functional foods, including the beverages or drinks. The purpose of this study was to explore the Sasak traditional drinks that function as functional foods, from ethnobotany aspects. This study used the etnosains method, namely purposive sampling method which includes observation, interview, documentation and literature review. There were 8 types of Sasak traditional drinks that are commonly consumed by the public as functional drinks, which can provide positive benefits for the human body. There was also an observation on plants used in the preparation of the drinks. Sasak traditional drinks basically have the potential as functional drinks, and further multidisciplinary studies are needed. This study is one form of preservation efforts on culture, plant resources and traditional botanical knowledge related to its use in human health.