Hibiscus Tea also known as Karkade Tea or Jamaica Tea is a refreshing and super healthy beverage made using Hibiscus Flowers. This agua fresca is considered a super food and when drank in moderate amount has amazing benefits to the body. Here is how to make Hibiscus Tea Recipe at home.
If you are tea lover like me, do try my Mango Iced Tea or Indian Ginger Tea with Milk.
What is Hibiscus Tea?
Hibiscus tea is also known as Agua de Jamaica or Jamaica Tea. It is made from fresh or dried hibiscus flowers and is a gorgeous deep red in color and has sour tart taste like cranberries.
It can be consumed hot or cold, sweetened with sugar or honey.
Although commonly called hibiscus tea, it’s actually a tisane – a beverage made from steeping dried flowers, leaves or other parts of a plant in boiling water.
Hibiscus Tea is one of the popular beverages in the world and is known for its medicinal uses.
Hibiscus Tea from Fresh Flowers
To make hibiscus tea recipe from the fresh flowers, remove the calyx or the green part from which the flower is attached to the plant.
Also remove the stamen, the part from which the seeds are attached. Remove petals and wash them properly to get rid of any dirt.
Then steep the petals in hot water. Add lemon juice and honey at the end.
Can you use any color Hibiscus to make the tea?
Hibiscus comes in approx 40 varieties but mostly red hibiscus is used to make Hibiscus Tea recipe for their nutritional benefits.
All hibiscus are edible but try to use Hibiscus Sadbariffa or Roselle to make this tea for best result.
I used the red hibiscus that we get in India.
Hibiscus Tea from Dried Flowers
To make hibiscus tea from the dried flowers, check for stems in dried flowers and discard.
There are two ways you can make the tea. You can add dried hibiscus flowers to cold water and allow to rest for 1-2 days, until the flowers have faded.
Then you can strain the mix and make cold hibiscus tea by adding sugar or honey.
You can also add dried flowers to boiling water and let them bleed all the color.
Now strain the mix and add cold water, sugar or honey and your hibiscus cold tea is ready. This is an instant way of making hibiscus tea.
Note: hibiscus leaves stains, so keep this in mind when you are preparing hibiscus tea.
If you live in the US, you can source the dried hibiscus flower online from here and if you live in India, from here.
Most Mexican stores also carry these dried flowers. So check the Spanish section of the super market.
How to dry your own hibiscus flowers to use for tea later?
If you have a hibiscus bush in your garden like I do, you can dry the flowers and store them to use later to make hibiscus tea.
To dry the flowers, remove the stem and stamen. Keep the calyx intact.
Line the flowers on a kitchen towel and cover with a muslin cloth.
Keep the towel in a shaded area for 1-2 days until the petals dry out and turn crisp.
Store the dried flowers in a glass jar. Refrigerate for upto a month.
You can also use a dehydrator or an oven at very low temperature to dry the flowers.
Can you drink Hibiscus Flower Tea in pregnancy?
Hibiscus tea should be avoided during the pregnancy. Since this tea is known to alter the oestrogen hormone in the body, it is advisable to not consume it while pregnancy.
It is always advisable that you consult your doctor before having any herbal teas in pregnancy.
Hibiscus Tea Benefits
Hibiscus flower tea is known for its many health benefits. It’s known to be good for people with high blood pressure and high cholesterol.
It is good for your digestive and immune systems.
This tea brings down the sugar level and helps in controlling the blood sugar level of the body.
Hibiscus tea is known to be helpful in weight loss.
Hibiscus is rich in vitamin C, minerals, and antioxidants and is helpful in the treatment of hypertension and anxiety.
It is also known to have anti-cancer properties.
Side Effects of Hibiscus Tea
Although hibiscus tea has many health benefits, it is known to have some side-effects. High dosage of hibiscus tea can cause damage to your liver.
It is advisable that people with high blood pressure and high blood sugar level should regularly check their blood pressure and sugar level, if consuming hibiscus tea, as it may decrease blood sugar and pressure level.
Pregnant and breastfeeding women should also avoid hibiscus tea as it affect oestrogen level of the body.
If you are on any birth control pills or on any kind of hormonal treatment, please avoid taking this tea.
Hibiscus Tea Hallucination is a rare side effect caused by excess consumption of this tea.
Will Hibiscus Tea stain your teeth?
Hibiscus tea is known to stain teeth if consumed regularly and in high quantity, over time.
How to serve Hibiscus Tea?
You can either serve this tea hot or you can add a lot of ice in a glass and pour this over the ice and serve chilled. Either way, it tastes delicious.
You can also choose to add honey or stevia or any other sweetener to this tea.
I like to add some mint leaves, few lemon slices and a whole hibiscus flower in the serving glasses to make it look even more beautiful.
To serve it to kids, make popsicles of this tea. They will just love it.
How often should you drink Hibiscus Tea?
Like any other herbal teas, you shouldn’t take this tea in excess too. 1-2 cups of tea per day is good enough.
Do not go overboard since this tea has some side effects as well and can harm you instead of benefitting if taken in too much quantity.
Hibiscus Tea Variations
You can make this tea long with dried rise flowers, any berry that you prefer like fresh strawberry, raspberry etc or with some lavender flowers.
You can also add some cinnamon, orange blossom water, lemon grass or pomegranate juice in it.
For sweetening this tea, you can use stevia in place of honey or sugar.
Try adding some sparkling water once the tea is brewed.
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How to make Hibiscus Tea Step by Step
Remove the calyx or the green part from which the flower is attached to the plant. Also remove the stamen, the part from which the seeds are attached. Wash the petals well and add them in a pot.
Boil the water and once it comes to a boil, pour it over the petals.
Cover the pot and let the colour from the flowers steep into the water.
Steep for 10-12 minutes.
Strain the tea.
Add lemon juice in it and mix well.
Hibiscus Tea Video Recipe
Hibiscus Tea Recipe
Hibiscus Tea Recipe
Hibiscus Tea also known as Karkade Tea or Jamaica Tea is a refreshing and super healthy beverage made using Hibiscus Flowers. It's is considered a super food and when drank in moderate amount has amazing benefits to the body.
Ingredients
- 8 Hibiscus Flowers
- 3 cups Water
- 1 tbsp Lemon Juice
- Honey As per taste
Instructions
Remove the calyx or the green part from which the flower is attached to the plant.
Also remove the stamen, the part from which the seeds are attached.
Wash the petals well and add them in a pot.
Boil the water and once it comes to a boil, pour it over the petals.
Cover the pot and let the colour from the flowers steep into the water.
Steep for 10-12 minutes.
Strain the tea.
Add lemon juice in it and mix well.
You can add honey if you wish to.
Add ice cubes in a glass and pour the tea over.
Serve chilled.
Recipe Notes
Do not drink hibiscus tea if you are pregnant or on any hormonal medication.
Do not drink tis tea if you blood pressure is low.
You can use dried hibiscus flowers in place of fresh ones to make this tea as well.
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