I have been wanting to buy some Hibiscus flowers for tea for quite some time, and finally did last week. Yesterday, I brewed 4 cups of tea in my electric tea kettle, which is amazing because it has temperature controls for different types of tea. Plus, the kettle has a built-in strainer for loose-leaf tea, which is my favorite.
Tea Recipe:
1/2 cup of Hibiscus flowers
4 cups of water
1/2 tsp. honey or agave syrup
1 cinnamon stick
3 whole cloves (optional)
I found some recipes that added apple juice, limes, lemon, orange slices, pineapple rind, and ginger for added flavorings. I will definitely be pairing different flavors for future batches.
I steeped the tea for 6 minutes, and it turned out dark red and smelled so good with the cinnamon and cloves.
The Hibiscus tea has a bright red color and a little tartness, but I added a 1/2 teaspoon of honey, and oh my, I was pleasantly surprised at how delicious it was.
I enjoyed my first cup of Hibiscus tea, and my husband had a little, and he really loved it too. I stored the remainder in a glass jar in the refrigerator for iced tea. I will certainly enjoy having this throughout the summer months. I don't do well with citrus drinks, like lemonade, so this will certainly be my favorite.
With all the recent studies about the benefits of Hibiscus tea, with the vitamin C, minerals, polyphenols, and antioxidants, it is certainly worth adding to my diet.
It claims to lower bad LDL cholesterol, help with weight loss, and lower blood pressure. I will have to check my blood pressure when drinking the tea because I'm on medication for it, and I don't want it to get too low, right?
