Hibiscus Tea + Its Benefits

by Natasha Evans April 14, 2023

Hibiscus Tea + Its Benefits

What is Hibiscus?

Hibiscus is a flowering plant found in parts of the world with warm and tropical climates. These plants are known for their colourful and large flowers. In fact, there are so many species of Hibiscus, the flowers come in all shapes, sizes and colors.

While most commonly used as a decorative element, these flowers also offer culinary and medicinal uses.

There are far too many species of the Hibiscus plant, the most popular variety however is Hibiscus sabdariffa which is what we use. These come in plenty of colors such as white, yellow, pink, orange, red etc. The pink and red colored flowers are most commonly used for culinary purposes.

What parts of the hibiscus are edible?

We recommend you only eat the petals. The stamen (includes anther and filament), calyx (the green base attached to the stem), the pistil (includes the stigma, style and ovary) and the pollen are discarded and not used for cooking. Some do suggest the pistil can be used as it is edible.

Benefits of including hibiscus tea in your diet:

The hibiscus plant is known to have a number of medicinal properties making it a safe and healthy addition to your everyday routine. Like all herbal teas, this quick and easy to make Hibiscus tea also offers a wide range of benefits:

Lowers blood pressure - reduces risk of heart disease
Super rich in antioxidants - helps protect your cells and prevents damage from free radicals
Immunity booster - stimulates T cells and B cells
Lowers cholesterol - hibiscus tea helps reduce blood fat levels
Helps with period pains - also decreases hormonal imbalance
Removes toxins from body - improves liver functions

Side effects of hibiscus tea

Hibiscus Tea can affect oestrogen levels which means that it has an effect of both pregnancy and fertility. If you are trying to become pregnant or are pregnant, you should probably avoid hibiscus in your diet. It also lowers blood pressure which can be harmful if you already suffer from low blood pressure.

With anything that has medicinal properties, its really important to see if it works for you.

hibiscus tree with flower

Hibiscus Tea

Prep Time: 5 Minutes Cook Time: 20 Minutes Total Time: 25 Minutes

Servings: 5 portions Calories: 89kcal

Ingredients

1/2 cup Hibiscus Flowers

8 cups of Water

1/4 cup Honey (more if you like your tea sweeter)

3 Tablespoons of Fresh Lime Juice

Instructions

1. Bring the hibiscus flowers and water to a boil in a large pot. Once the water starts boiling, switch off the flame and cover the vessel. At this point, you can also add other herbs or add ins such as basil, lemon grass, lemon zest etc. Let the tea steep for 15-20 minutes. Mix in the honey and lime juice till completely combined. Strain the tea.

2. You can either serve hibiscus tea warm or you can chill it in the refrigerator for a couple of hours. Either way it tastes delicious!

Notes

Add Ins: You can add some of your favorite flavors to this tea. Basil, lemon grass, lemon zest and mint all taste really nice with hibiscus

Sweetness: We prefer our tea moderately sweet but feel free to add more honey or even replace it with sugar if you likeDo not steep the petals for too long as this will make it bitter tasting.

Honey can be substituted with sugar or jaggery. Tea should always be served hot immediately.

Nutrition

*Information and statements about the product in email and on this site have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration and are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. You should not use the information herein for diagnosing or treating a health problem or disease, or for prescribing any medication. We recommend that you consult with a qualified healthcare practitioner before using any herbal products, particularly if you are pregnant, nursing, or on any medications.