Hibiscus tea is a real classic among teas and is one of the most popular varieties in Germany. In addition to its delicious taste, the tea also has a variety of health-promoting properties. FITBOOK reveals what these are.
The delicious hibiscus tea is made from the blossoms of the hibiscus plant of the same name. It belongs to the mallow family and mainly grows in tropical and subtropical regions. There are hundreds of different variants of the hibiscus flower, but they all have the characteristic bell-shaped fusion of the five symmetrically arranged petals that form the base of the tea. Hibiscus tea can be enjoyed hot or cold and has – in addition to a fresh, fruity aroma – a very beneficial effect on health.
What ailments should hibiscus tea help with?
In healing and alternative medicine, people swear by the herbal drink for loss of appetite, circulatory disorders, certain skin diseases and colds. It is also said to have a soothing effect on circulatory and digestive disorders, to lower cholesterol levels and blood pressure and to strengthen the immune system. Hibiscus tea is even said to boost metabolism and thus help with weight loss.
What active ingredients are in the tea?
Hibiscus tea has a high proportion of citric, malic and tartaric acid, which gives it its acidic pH value and is a real vitamin C bomb. Vitamin C and the complex polysaccharides contained in hibiscus have been shown to strengthen the body’s own defences. The tea also contains flavonoids, which can potentially reduce the risk of cancer, and antioxidants, which counteract oxidative stress in the body.1,2
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Is the effect of hibiscus tea scientifically proven?
One of the most well-known benefits of hibiscus tea, its blood pressure-lowering effects, has been scrutinized by several studies. One of them came to the conclusion that the tea can lower both systolic blood pressure (the pressure during the heartbeat when the heart muscle contracts) and diastolic blood pressure (the pressure on the vessels when the heart muscle relaxes). In the study, 65 subjects with high blood pressure were given either hibiscus tea or a placebo for six weeks. The systolic blood pressure decreased significantly in the hibiscus tea group compared to the placebo group.3
In addition to the blood pressure-lowering effect, another study found that regular consumption of hibiscus tea can actually have a positive effect on cholesterol levels. The study required 60 diabetics to drink either hibiscus tea or black tea for a month. Those who drank hibiscus tea had more «good» HDL cholesterol and less «bad» LDL cholesterol and triglycerides in their blood after one month. In another study, 36 overweight subjects had to take hibiscus extract or a placebo every day for 12 weeks. After the 12 weeks, the hibiscus group had reduced body weight, body fat percentage, BMI, and hip-to-part ratio, and even improved liver function tests.4,5
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Are there possible risks and side effects?
Hibiscus tea is generally considered to be very safe and well tolerated. As always, pregnant and breastfeeding women should check with their doctor beforehand whether it is safe to eat. This also applies to people who have very low blood pressure or who regularly take blood pressure medication.
Where do you get the tea from and how is it prepared?
You can find the tea, either in tea bags or as dried flowers in any well-stocked supermarket. To prepare the tea with loose flowers, you only have to pour boiling water over five grams of the fine mixture in a 750 milliliter pot and let it steep for five to ten minutes. Then strain the tea with a tea strainer and enjoy the drink either hot or – after it has cooled down – cold.
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How does hibiscus tea taste?
The intense, sweet and sour taste of hibiscus tea is reminiscent of cranberries or currants and also has an awakening freshness due to its acidity. This is precisely why the drink is a popular basis for delicious ice teas on warmer days.
Sources
- 1. Riaz, G. & Chopra, R. (2018). A review on phytochemistry and therapeutic uses of Hibiscus sabdariffa L. Biomedicine & Pharmacotherapy
- 2. Chen, AY & Chen, Y, C (2013). A review of the dietary flavonoid, kaempferol on human health and cancer chemoprevention. Food Chemistry
- 3. McKay, D., L., Chen, C.-Y., Saltzman, E. et al. (2010). Hibiscus sabdariffa L. tea (tisane) lowers blood pressure in prehypertensive and mildly hypertensive adults. The Journal of Nutrition
- 4. Mozaffari-Khosravi H, Jalali-Khanabadi BA, Afkhami-Ardekani M et al. (2009). Effects of sour tea (Hibiscus sabdariffa) on lipid profile and lipoproteins in patients with type II diabetes. Journal of Integrative and Complementary Medicine
- 5. Chang, H.-C., Peng, C.-H., Yeh, D.-M. et al. (2014). Hibiscus sabdariffa extract inhibits obesity and fat accumulation, and improves liver steatosis in humans. Food & Function journal