Health benefits of hibiscus tea and the possible impact on your life
You cannot kick a day without drinking a cup of tea. It supplies the required energy for you to stay energetic all day long. One of the teas that are loved by the people is hibiscus tea. It is part of the East Asian culture. The tea leaves are extracted from the hibiscus sabdariffa flowers.
You can boil these leaves and extract the juice from it. However, you can enjoy hot or cold tea as per requirement. However, hibiscus tea is not originated in China but has gained huge popularity in recent times.
The color of this tea would be red and tastes sour. You would get the red color due to the presence of acidic polysaccharides and flavonoid glycosides in hibiscus. This is added to the tea as it gives some awesome color to the beverage.
The Chinese people call this flower a shoe flower since many of them would use the hibiscus plant to polish and sparkle their shoes.
What is Hibiscus Tea?
You can find a wide variety of hibiscus plant species. However, all of these species would fall into the family of Malvaceae. There is another name with which the hibiscus plant is called, i.e., the rose mellow, hardy hibiscus, and the list goes on.
There is a small tree to which these colorful flowers would blossom. There are different hibiscus flower species known as perennial hibiscus that would blossom in the summer months.
These plants would enjoy the sun and would grow mostly in the moist soil. The plant will blossom flowers only when it is exposed to the sunlight and when you supply them with the much-needed plant food. You can find them being cultivated in China, the Hawaiian Islands, Florida, and Africa.
The plant would grow widely in tropical conditions globally. The petals of the flower would be dipped in the water to prepare tea. The hibiscus tea is also known as the herbal tea prepared from different parts of the plant. You can prepare it from the petals, sepals, and the green bulb you find in the petals’ midst.
These must be boiled in hot water to extract the red color juice. The other types of hibiscus tea that you can enjoy include Jamaica, Karkade, and Roselle, and so on, apart from chamomile tea. The hibiscus is a blend of both green and black tea.
The flavor of sweet, sour, fruity and has a tinge of astringent note. The tea tastes similar to that of the cranberries due to its sweetness and tartness. It tastes excellent when you brew it or have the iced tea.
Nutritional Value of hibiscus Tea
Hibiscus tea has high nutritious value. It has to be added to a healthy diet to stay fit and active throughout the day. The nutritional value of the tea is around 8.0 fl oz to 237 grams. The water content you find in this tea is around 236 grams, whereas ash is 1.00 grams.
When it comes to the minerals present in this tea, you can enjoy the high calcium content of 19 mg. It is also rich in iron, wherein you get 0.19 mg. It is power-packed with other minerals such as magnesium, phosphorous, potassium, sodium, zinc, and manganese. The vitamins that you can enjoy consuming this tea regularly include niacin, folate, and Choline.
Hibiscus tea caffeine content
The best part of drinking this tea regularly to enjoy its health benefits of hibiscus flower tea and stay fit is that you do not have any caffeine content, unlike the other types of teas such as green tea, white tea, black tea, and many more. Before going to bed, you can sip the hot cup of this tea to relax your mind while keeping the stress at bay.
Health benefits of hibiscus tea
There is a myriad of health benefits you can enjoy by drinking this miraculous tea like green tea. A few of them are listed below:
Hibiscus tea benefits for weight loss
The hibiscus tea tastes like a tart and is the tea prepared from the flower of the hibiscus plant. By adding this tea to your weight loss program, you can see satisfying results in a few days. This tea is power-packed with different types of components such as phenolic compounds, anthocyanins, and flavonoids, which would keep lipid metabolism under control and eliminate body fat.
It keeps adipocyte hypertrophy at bay and cut down the size of the fat cells. Though, this does not reduce the appetite but promotes weight loss. This tea also reduces inflammation, increase of which results in weight gain.
The inflammation stops the body to process glucose, which eventually results in putting on the weight. It also alleviates the stress levels and acts as an anti-depressant.
The water content present in hibiscus will keep serum triglycerides at bay and put a check on the cholesterol. This is possible when you prevent lipid absorption in the gut. Many lab trials were conducted to test the effectiveness of this tea. People who are given 100 mg of this tea every day have noticed a reduction in the cholesterol level for a month. There is another species of hibiscus that helps you to cut down the abdominal fat.
Hibiscus tea benefits for your brain
Hibiscus tea will improve the cognitive ability of a person. So, you have to consume this tea every day to avoid memory issues as you grow older.
Hibiscus tea benefits for your heart
When you consume hibiscus tea every day, it will keep the systolic blood pressure (SBP) and diastolic blood pressure (DBP) under control in the people. It is one of the health benefits of hibiscus tea blood pressure.
This helps them to get rid of the heart issues that they are susceptible to the growing age. Many studies are conducted on the consumption of this tea on the heart’s health. People who have consumed this tea regularly have seen a drop in the systolic blood pressure (SBP) by 7.2 points.
The tea is power-packed with a lot of potentials that helps to reduce the risk of cardiac diseases. Even this hibiscus tea has the ability to lower the impact of lipid to a greater extent. The anthocyanins component that is filled in this flower is responsible for the lowering of the lipid effect. When you can prevent the lipid plaque formation, it eventually helps you to keep the heart safe.
Hibiscus tea benefits against cancer
You can avoid being susceptible to different types of cancers by consuming hibiscus tea every day. Many studies are conducted on this tea and found that this fights against prostate cancer, gastric cancer, and carcinoma, one of the health benefits of hibiscus and rosehip tea. The high anti-oxidants that are present in this tea will inhibit cancer, causing cells.
The polyphenols present in these hibiscus flowers have anti-cancer properties. The richness of polyphenols can stop the growth of cancer-causing cells. A study was conducted on breast cancer, where it was found that the hibiscus has shown its effect only on the malignant part of the cells while keeping the healthy ones intact.
Hibiscus tea benefits against diabetes
There is a specific hibiscus species that you have to buy and prepare the tea due to which you can fight the diabetes problem and keep this under control. It also improves insulin sensitivity, which is one of the major health benefits of hibiscus leaf tea.
The hibiscus flower petals are power-packed with various components such as rutinocod, delphinidin, hibcitin, cyanidin 3, galactose, beta-carotene, and sitosterol. You have to drink this tea thrice every day and continue for four weeks to see evident results. This is best for you to fight type-2 diabetes. When you drink this tea, it helps the pancreatic beta-cells to function optimally.
Another reason for the increase in diabetes level is oxidative stress, which can be controlled by drinking hibiscus tea. The studies have proven that drinking hibiscus tea and jasmine tea every day would increase insulin sensitivity.
Hibiscus tea benefits for your sleep
The hibiscus plant extract using which you prepare tea would help you have a restful sleep after a tiresome day. Many could not have proper sleep due to which they get irritated in the morning.
However, when you have a complete 8 hours of sleep for the day, you can happily take up the next day’s challenges. The sedative and anti-anxiety effect present in the hibiscus tea would promote sound sleep. It also relieves you from severe pain, helps you get rid of headaches and fever. These are a few health benefits of red hibiscus tea.
Hibiscus tea benefits for your skin
There are a wide variety of hibiscus species you can find. You can get the hibiscus tea extract made of different species. One of the species of hibiscus would help fight skin imperfections. The wound healing property in hibiscus is higher when compared to the ointments.
The extract of hibiscus is widely used to treat wounds. Different hibiscus species help you fight herpes zoster, such as blisters and painful rashes on the skin. These are a few skin health benefits of hibiscus iced tea.
The hibiscus tea is power-packed with vitamin C, which would produce collagen in an ample amount. This is what is required for you to gain youthful and glowing skin. Drinking the hibiscus tea regularly will produce many collagen molecules that radiant the skin for a long time.
Moreover, this tea would detox the whole body naturally. The hydrating properties of this tea would help you get rid of the itchy and flaky skin. The skin would be soft, and there would be an increase in the blood flow. The tea would help transfer the nutrients required for the skin to glow along with oolong tea.
Hibiscus tea benefits for your hair
The hibiscus flowers are known to help you attain luscious locks. They strengthen the roots and let the hair grow strong. By consuming this tea regularly, you can keep hair fall at bay and see evident hair growth in a short time. The studies conducted on the people drinking this tea revealed that hair growth stimulating properties are higher in hibiscus.
The hibiscus tea that you drink would promote both scalp and hair health. You know the hibiscus tea would supply you with ample vitamin C that would produce collagen, which helps hair growth.
Drinking this tea regularly will help you gain healthier and stronger hair. The amino acids packed in this tea would supply the essential nutrients required for hair growth. The amino acids will generate red blood cells that supply oxygen and nutrients to the hair’s roots and keep it stronger. These are the health benefits of hibiscus berry tea.
Hibiscus tea benefits for your mental health
There are many psychological problems through which people prone due to the busy life schedule. However, consuming hibiscus tea regularly would boost the mental health of people. It is one of the amazing health benefits of hibiscus tea. This also gives ample support to the nervous system.
Moreover, the flavonoids agents present in hibiscus will improve the mood and keeps you calm and happy. It also balances the hormones. It has to be consumed by women, especially during their menstrual cycle, to avoid emotional breakdown.
Hibiscus tea benefits for kids
No best medicine giving your kids hibiscus tea during the monsoon and winter months. It keeps the cough and cold at bay. This would boost the immune power of kids. Hibiscus tea is also rich in vitamin C and anti-oxidants. Kids would love the strong taste and red color.
Hibiscus tea benefits for men
Hibiscus tea is better than chai tea for men. It helps them fight infertility problems. It also treats hypertension problems, which is the main reason for erectile dysfunction, low sperm production, and hormones imbalance. However, by consuming this tea regularly, you can improve the fertility level and stay confident.
Hibiscus tea benefits for women
The minerals and vitamins present in the hibiscus tea would help you get relieved from the cramps that you go through every month during the menstrual cycle. This balances the hormones that go imbalance during the menstrual. More importantly, it helps you to get rid of the pre-menstrual symptoms.
Though it is safe, pregnant women with medical conditions should consult the doctor and consume this tea. There are health benefits and side effects of hibiscus tea. You can read about the side effects in the below section.
Hibiscus tea and your diet
How to add Hibiscus tea to your diet?
Yes, you can add hibiscus tea to the diet. However, before adding, it is best to consult the doctor, especially for medical conditions. You can consume hot and cold hibiscus tea that tastes like cranberry. However, you can add this to the diet to lose weight. If you cannot drink the tart tasted tea, you can add sweetener or squeeze lime juice to nullify the tartness.
What is the best time to drink hibiscus tea?
The best time to drink the hibiscus tea is at night, i.e., after your dinner. The flavonoids present in the tea would absorb the fat. When you drink this during the night times, the body won’t be accumulating the fat despite you having a hearty meal.
By drinking this tea every day, you can reap a myriad of health benefits of drinking hibiscus tea, such as control of blood pressure, reduce cholesterol levels, fight free radicals that are accumulated in the body, lose weight and promote liver health.
How many cups of hibiscus tea should I drink a day to lose weight?
If your main aim for drinking hibiscus tea is to cut down the extra fat from the body, you must consume at least 3 to 4 cups of this tea every day. You have to consume the tea half-an-hour before taking your full meals.
You must drink this tea without adding any sweetener. This helps you promote effective weight loss results. You can reap extraordinary results when you add exercise and diet to the regime.
Is it safe to drink hibiscus tea every day?
Yes, it is safe to drink hibiscus tea. However, you should limit the consumption of this tea to 2 to 3 cups per day.
Hibiscus Tea recipes
How to prepare hibiscus tea?
Here are the two delicious hibiscus tea recipes that you can try out at home:
Hot brew hibiscus tea
The ingredients that are required for you to prepare this tea include:
- Two teaspoons of hibiscus flowers
- 3 to 4 cups of water
- Pot to boil the water and prepare tea
Note:
- If you want to add some aroma to the tea, you can use cinnamon, lime wedge, or mint leaves.
- You can enjoy the sweetness in the tea by adding sugar or honey
The process to prepare hot brew hibiscus tea
- You must boil the water in the teapot
- Next, add two teaspoons of hibiscus flower that are dried up to the boiling water
- You must allow the water to extract the juice from the flower for five minutes. You can see the color of tea turning out to be red. You may boil for a long time to enjoy the strong taste of the tea
- Strain the flowers and enjoy the hibiscus tea before bed
- You can add sweetener if you want to have a tasty tea. However, you should drink the tea without adding any sweetener to reap the additional health benefits of hibiscus flower tea.
- You can garnish the tea with mint leaves or cinnamon
Iced hibiscus tea
Here is the list of ingredients that you would need to prepare iced hibiscus tea:
- Hibiscus tea powder or flowers. You must soak the flower or powder in the water overnight in the pitcher and mix well.
- Refrigerate the mixture for 8 to 12 hours to enjoy its flavor thoroughly
- Cover the pitcher with the lid
- Remove this from the refrigerator to check whether or not the flavor or color is developed thoroughly.
- Strain the residue out and drink this cold tea
Note: If you want to add some sweetness to the tea, you can always use sweeteners. It is best to have two cups of hibiscus tea every day.
Side effects of hibiscus tea
Though it is safe to consume hibiscus, when you go overboard and drink many cups than the prescribed dosage, it results in many side effects. Few of the side effects that you can notice include:
Pregnant women
The hibiscus tea would show side effects quickly on the pregnant and nursing women. The side effects would be in the form of urination, nausea, and stomach pain. However, before consuming any herbal tea, it is best to consult a doctor.
Allergies
Few people are allergic to hibiscus plants. If you see any allergic symptoms on the skin, it is better to stop consuming this tea immediately. You can notice rashes on the skin, itchy eyes, and find it challenging to swallow.
Mix with medication
There are high chances of hibiscus to reduce the blood sugar level. In case you are consuming medication to get rid of type-2 diabetes, you must get in touch with the medical practitioner before consuming hibiscus tea. You also have to stop consuming this tea before two weeks of you undergoing surgery.
Hibiscus tea side effects estrogen
Another side effect of consuming this tea is that the hibiscus plant is packed with plant-based compounds similar to that of estrogen in human beings. When you consume hibiscus tea occasionally, it does not cause much harm, but regular consumption would take a toll on estrogen effectiveness based on birth control.
Where to buy hibiscus tea
Different brands are selling hibiscus tea. Out of all the brands, two of the brands have gained huge popularity for their taste, i.e., Twinings and tea art. The twining hibiscus tea is rich in flavor and refreshing. This comprises of white hibiscus that boosts the immune system.
The art of tea also sells hibiscus iced tea pouches. You can enjoy the tartness, sweetness, and fruity infusion in every sip.
If you plan to buy hibiscus tea to enjoy its taste and rich flavor, you should go online. Many reliable stores are selling the hibiscus tea sold by various brands in one place. You can enjoy a cold and hot cup of this tea. Here is the list of places where you can buy the hibiscus tea:
FAQ
How much hibiscus tea should I drink per day?
You must drink only 2 to 3 cups of hibiscus tea every day. This helps you to keep side effects caused by the hibiscus tea at bay.
Is it safe to drink hibiscus tea every day?
Yes, it is completely safe to drink hibiscus tea every day. However, people who are under medication must contact the medication practitioner to drink this tea.
What is the best time to drink hibiscus tea?
The best time to drink hibiscus tea is in the night before going to bed.
Does hibiscus tea help you sleep?
The tart taste, deep red color, and little sweetness and tanginess make it the best drink to sleep. More importantly, the tart cherry extract comprises melatonin, which promotes sound sleep. So, if you are not feeling sleepy, you can consume a cup of hot or cold hibiscus tea to go into a deep sleep.
Does hibiscus tea help you lose weight?
Yes, there are many studies that have proven that drinking hibiscus tea will promote weight loss. It is the ideal beverage that a person who is obese can consume. By consuming this tea regularly, you can see evident results in no time. It cuts the body fat, reduces weight, and keep body mass index under control.
Is hibiscus tea good for the skin?
Yes, hibiscus tea is good for the skin. The hibiscus flower is packed with antioxidants, vitamins, minerals, and malic acid that help you gain glowing and youthful-looking skin. It retains the moisture in the skin and so the elasticity. More importantly, the blood flow to the skin would be high and supplies the essential nutrients required for the skin to stay healthy.
Is hibiscus tea good for hair growth?
Yes, hibiscus tea helps in hair growth. The vitamin C present in this flower would produce collagen that is essential for the healthy growth of the hair. The rich amino acids would nourish the hair, strengthen the roots, and makes the hair shiny.
What are the medicinal uses of hibiscus leaves?
The hibiscus tea for high blood pressure, hot or cold, is rich in the medicinal value that helps you keep the blood pressure under control. The red and white hibiscus would treat cough, fight hair loss, and reduce the hair’s graying. The anti-oxidants present in the hibiscus leaves would fight aging issues.
Is hibiscus tea good for the kidneys?
The anti-oxidants that are power-packed in the hibiscus would promote sound cardiac health and give ample protection to the other body parts, especially kidneys. The free radicals would cause damage to kidneys.
However, the anti-oxidants present in hibiscus would restore the damaged kidneys. Hibiscus tea also promotes a healthier urinary tract. Consequently, the kidney and liver would get cleansed.
Does hibiscus tea make you pee?
The hibiscus tea is a natural diuretic that would promote smooth urination after you consume this tea. When you pee regularly, it keeps the urinary infection at bay. However, drinking this tea would let you often pee than regular ones.
Does hibiscus tea cause kidney stones?
Yes, drinking hibiscus tea a lot could lead to the formation of urinary stones. However, consuming this in a small dosage would prevent the calcium oxalate crystals from forming the kidney stones.
