With its sour taste, hibiscus tea is carrying full-packaged benefits for your health due to the numerous nutrients contained including vitamin C, antioxidants and minerals. Because of the benefits, hibiscus tea is even used medically for treating some diseases.
Hibiscus flowers or also called as Roselle, which was firstly dried, is boiled to end up as healthy tea you can drink hot or cold, both are still good for wellness. Being free of caffeine and low in calories, dieters can even take the benefits of hibiscus tea for healthier daily meals.
Health Benefits of Hibiscus Tea
- Treating Diabetes
Diabetes and high blood pressure are closely related. Drinking hibiscus teas can help to lower blood pressure, which means those with diabetes can reduce their risks of experiencing this disease. Simply add two cups of hibiscus tea to your daily meals would provide the benefit. Not only it is lowering blood pressure, hibiscus tea is also effective in improving the good cholesterol and reducing the bad cholesterol. So if you want to get a safe treatment for diabetes, just try this tea.
- Managing Blood Pressure
It has been proved by a study in 2008 that hibiscus tea is great in reducing blood pressure. People with hypertension can get the benefits of this herbal tea since it has cardio-protective, anti-inflammatory and anti-hypertensive properties. However, if you want it to lower blood pressure drastically, increase your intake by 3 cups daily, three times a day; each of it is consisting of eight-ounces of tea. See the result in a couple of weeks by regularly drinking it every day and you will find your blood pressure stabilized. So rather than taking blood pressure medicines, this one is better since it is much more natural and safer. However, if you already had low blood pressure or also called as hypotension, try to avoid drinking this tea since it might lead to dizziness or even brain and heart damage.
- Protecting Liver
Containing antioxidants, hibiscus tea is excellent in protecting your liver. Antioxidants are useful to prevent some diseases caused by free radicals since they work by neutralizing them and cleaning the liver. It has been proven with a study using mice that hibiscus tea can protect the liver from damage. Not only your liver, but also other important organs in your body can be protected from free radicals with the help of the antioxidants.
- Lowering Cholesterol
Since hibiscus tea is effective in increasing good cholesterol, it is automatically effective in reducing the bad one. High blood pressure or hypertension leads to many harmful diseases such as heart disease. This disease is usually unpredictable, so keeping your blood pressure stabilized can lower the risk. The content of bioflavonoids in hibiscus tea preventing plaque buildup in your arteries’ walls, which is the cause of many harmful diseases, making your cholesterol low and your health better.
- Aiding Digestion
Hibiscus tea is containing diuretic properties that can help to increase urination. Moreover, these properties can also improve the movement of your bowel and prevent constipation. Those who are trying to lose weight would get some benefits from this herbal tea. When you are experiencing constipation, try getting some cups of hibiscus tea and some constipation symptoms such as constipation pain can be addressed.
- Helping Weight Loss
One of the reasons why you gain weight is because you eat too much carbohydrate. However, living without carbohydrates is not easy. Sometimes you just can’t control the intake. So if you feel that way, drink hibiscus tea can be a good solution for reducing the glucose and starch absorption containing in carbohydrates. Glucose and starch are absorbed by amylase and hibiscus tea is working by inhibiting its production. If you want to still eat more carbo, but are afraid of your weight, include hibiscus tea to neutralize it. No wonder that many products for weight loss out there use hibiscus tea as one of their ingredients. Moreover, hibiscus tea can make your body absorb fat slower, allowing you to burn more fat than storing it. The weight caused by water can be also reduced as hibiscus tea can flush out the impurities. So it is very helpful in cleaning your system, reducing your weight and keeping you healthy.
- Relieving Menstrual Pain
It is very common to feel some cramps when you are getting your period. However, this is very uncomfortable and that is why you need a reliever and hibiscus tea is a natural solution. Not only relieving the pain, hibiscus tea is also good in balancing your hormones to reduce your depression during menstruation. The minerals and vitamins in hibiscus tea are also offering anti-depressant properties, which are good in calming your nervous system. Your mind and body can feel more relaxed even when you are having your period, so drink it and feel the calming sensation. Some problems related with mental can be calmed down simply by drinking 8-ounce of hibiscus tea daily. It is very easy and simple.
- Sport Drink Substitution
Drinking tea after doing exercises maybe uncommon, but if this is hibiscus tea, then you can just go with it. Hibiscus tea can make your body cool down quicker in satiating thirst, so you don’t need to drink your packaged sport drinks anymore. Drink iced hibiscus tea and you will not only feel its freshness, but also its benefits in flushing out the toxins in your body.
- Preventing Cancer
Still about its antioxidants, hibiscus tea can prevent the growth of cancer-caused cells. So before these cells are turning to cancer, they would be stopped by killing the free radicals. Especially in cancer cells causing cancer stomach, hibiscus tea can be quite effective considering it is rich in polyphenols.
- Treating Disease
Drinking hibiscus tea 14 cups in a week minimally can reduce the risk of getting heart disease. It has been shown through some studies and that is why this herbal tea is used widely for lowering heart attack risk and symptoms.
- Boosting Immune System
The contents of asvitamin C, antibacterial and anti-inflammatory properties in hibiscus tea are excellent in boosting your immune system and preventing flu and cold. If you are having fever, drink hibiscus tea to reduce the symptoms and make you feel better. This is cool, healthy and natural, so taking this safe medicine can heal your cold while stimulating your immune system to be more powerful in fighting diseases. You don’t have to wait till you get cold, drink the tea once the symptoms coming. This will quicker and more effective.
- Good Taste
Hibiscus tea is sour, but it is nice. The sourness makes it more flexible because you can easily add some sweetness like honey or sugar to improve the taste. If you like you can also add more spices such as ginger or cinnamon to make its flavor stronger. So just explore and be creative.
- Anti-Aging
Antioxidants are not only effective in killing the free radicals in the body, but they are also excellent in preventing aging signs. That is why in some countries, hibiscus tea has been widely used for beauty treatment in place of anti-aging products. Aging signs are mostly caused by free radicals, so when they are eliminated, surely the signs can be reduced.
- Flexibility Consumption
Hibiscus tea is very easy to consume. Hot or cold, sweet or sour, this is all healthy. It doesn’t matter whether it is winter or summer, you can simply make it warm or cold depending on the season. Preparing hibiscus tea is also very easy and simple, so you don’t need to master certain cooking skills.
- Powerful Antioxidants
It has been mentioned before that hibiscus tea is effective in fighting the free radicals and protect your body from many diseases such as cold, flu and even liver and heart disease. Also, hibiscus tea is beneficial for your skin as it slowing down the aging signs. The most powerful reason why it has such amazing benefits both for your health and beauty is because the richness of antioxidants. Your body needs antioxidants in stimulating the immune system to work better in protecting your health. When you get enough of it, at least you have maintained the guard of your body against many diseases. It is very simple, just drink a cup of cold or hot hibiscus tea and those benefits can come in. you can also use this as a treatment after working hard in the office and you are feeling under pressure to calm down your nerves and get relax.
- No Caffeine
Caffeine is actually good for your health especially in boosting your energy and increasing your concentration. However, there are more side effects to be aware of especially for those who can’t stand caffeine. Getting insomnia or headache are some common symptoms of taking too much caffeine. Since it is commonly contained in tea and coffee, you can’t avoid taking caffeine unless you are choosing hibiscus tea, which is fully free of caffeine. So you don’t have to worry about your caffeine intake because there is nothing you should be aware of from this herbal tea.
- Richness of Vitamin C
While antioxidants have provided many benefits for your body, vitamin C can do the same thing. The combination of antioxidants and vitamin C in hibiscus tea can help you maintain your wellness without having to struggle too much. Like antioxidants, vitamin C is also boosting your immune system and lowering the risks of some chronic diseases.
With those healthy benefits of hibiscus tea offered, you should include a cup of hibiscus tea daily in your healthy daily meals.
Hibiscus Tea Side Effects
Everything in this world, no matter how wonderful it is, always has some disadvantages. It is true that hibiscus tea is all natural, healthy, safe and good for your health, but there are some things to be aware of if you are under certain conditions.
- Hallucinations
It doesn’t happen to all people consuming this tea, but a few of them experienced some mild hallucination effects. To prevent such thing happens because you don’t know how your body will react to the tea, it is better to not driving a car right after drinking the tea. Just wait and see what happens. Keep in mind that those all benefits mentioned above along with the possible side effects are only coming from red hibiscus. Make sure you drink the red one considering there are hundreds of hibiscus types.
- Pregnancy
Pregnant women shouldn’t drink hibiscus tea as it might give blood flow stimulation leads to menstruation since it can make your estrogen low. If you take birth control pills or other types of hormone replacement, it is also not recommended for you unless you have consulted it with your doctor or specialist to see whether or not it is safe.
- Interactions from Medicines
If you are taking medicines, you must ensure that their side effects wouldn’t get worse by drinking hibiscus tea. This is because the tea can improve the side effects risks of certain medicines such as drugs use for nervous system like anti-depressant. Cancer drugs also can’t be combined with hibiscus tea since it might danger your condition. So always check it with your doctor first before drinking the tea.
- Drowsiness
Hibiscus tea is effective in calming your nerves, making you feel more relaxed. However, sometimes the effects can make you fall asleep, which means it is not recommended to drink hibiscus tea before driving or going to work. Drink this when you are at home and don’t plan to do something. This would be a great treatment to help you rest better.
- Hypotension
Many people might be suffering from high blood pressure and that is why they are trying to get some ways to get their blood low. However, getting low blood pressure is not good either. So if you are suffering from hypotension or low blood pressure, don’t drink hibiscus tea. You can make it even lower, which is not good for your health. Normal blood pressure is always best, so take it when you are experiencing hypertension and leave it when you are already having hypotension.
- Allergies
There are some allergic symptoms such as sinus and red eyes. If you don’t know whether you are having allergies, you shouldn’t drink it too much to see the reactions of your body. When these symptoms are coming, stop consuming this herbal tea.
Hibiscus Tea Recipes
If you want to start drinking hibiscus tea for improving your health, there are some ways you can do to consume it. Preparing this herbal tea is quite simple and easy, so you don’t need to spend a lot of time and energy.
Simple Recipe
This simple recipe is the most common or regular hibiscus tea to consume.
- You just need to use around 8 ounces of boiling water
- Pour it into a cup filled with four dried hibiscus flowers.
- Let the water and tea mixed in for five minutes before adding sweeteners like sugar or honey in your desired amount.
- If you want you can make it tastier by adding lemon.
Mint Recipe
- Pour four cups of water into a saucepan and bring it to boil.
- Add four bags of hibiscus tea and half a cup of mint leaves to the water
- leave it for 10 minutes to sit.
- If you think the flavor is not strong yet, then you can add more minutes to make it just as strong as you wish.
- When it gets your desired strength, add two cups of cold water and 2 cups of apple juice.
- Put in the refrigerator to keep it chilled and enjoy.
Jamaican Recipe
Your regular hibiscus tea can become more special using Jamaican recipe by adding a half of cinnamon stick and a pinch of ginger. However, you should add more water, about eight quarts for one cup of dried hibiscus flowers. If you want to make it in smaller amount, then you should cut the amount of cinnamon stick, dried tea and ginger to prevent it becoming too strong. How to make this Jamaican tea is also a bit different. The water should be boiled with the ginger, sugar and cinnamon and add in the dried hibiscus flowers afterward. Leave the mixture for 20 minutes before straining it. Add more flavor with orange or lemon if you want. Boiling this tea should be done by dividing the amount of water into two parts, four quarts for the mixture and the other four cups added after the tea strained because this tea is better when chilled.
For more ideas and recipes, you can just explore and be creative. Hibiscus tea is quite flexible and you can mix it with many kinds of flavors to suit your taste. Considering that it has some benefits and side effects, get to know whether or not you can drink this tea. If you are having hypertension, diabetes, high cholesterol or liver problems, this can be good for your diet, surely with the guides from your doctor if you are under treatments or medicines. Those who want to lose some weight should also include this tea for taking the benefits. So don’t just drink it, but think first.