The commonly seen bright red hibiscus or shoe flower has amazing health benefits. Hibiscus tea is an excellent blood purifier, it can supply a good dose of anti-oxidants and can cool the body. Hibiscus tea can be made with fresh or dried hibiscus flowers at home. You can drink hibiscus tea with ice and mint leaves as a cool summer drink or drink it warm in the evening. It has a refreshing flavour and can make you feel energized.
Hibiscus tea has the below health benefits for the body:
- It can reduce body heat and make the body cool down.
- Hibiscus tea reduces blood pressure and stress levels.
- Hibiscus flower and the acids present in it and has been seen to have significant effects in controlling diabetes – Types I and II.
- Two cups of hibiscus tea daily can reduce bad cholesterol levels significantly.
- Hibiscus can improve immunity levels in the body by providing lot of anti-oxidants and can help to reduce infections.
Research evidence(s)
Evidence 1
Results showed that the Hibiscus extract decreased blood pressure from 146/98 mm/Hg to 130/86 mm/Hg. Blood pressure reductions were lower than with lisinopril, but the Hibiscus extract did not modify plasma potassium levels and did not have the mineralocorticoid effects. Based on the study data, the authors concluded that the Hibiscus extract did have a significant antihypertensive action.
Source
Herrera-Arellano A, Miranda-Sanchez J, Avila-Castro P, et al. Clinical effects produced by a standardized herbal medicinal product of Hibiscus sabdariffa on patients with hypertension. A randomized, double-blind, Lisinoprilcontrolled clinical trial. Planta Med 2007;73:6-12.
Evidence 2
Achieving a 7.6% decrease in total cholesterol, an 8.0% decrease in LDLc, a 14.9% decrease in triglycerides, a 3.4% decrease in Apo-B100, a 4.2% increase in ApoA1 and a 16.7% increase in HDLc is no small accomplishment with merely two cups of tea per day.
Source
Mozaffari-Khosravi H, Jalali-Khanabadi B, Afkhami-Ardehani M, Fatehi F. Effects of sour tea (Hibiscus sabdariffa) on lipid profile and lipoproteins in patients with Type II diabetes. J Altern and Comp Med 2009;15(8):899-903.
Evidence 3
The flowers and leaves of H.rosa-sinensis contain substantial quantities of flavonoids which are associated with antioxidant, fever-reducing (antipyretic), pain-relieving (analgesic) and spasm-inhibiting (spasmolytic) activities.
Source
Chopra RN, Nayar SL, Chopra IC (1986). Glossary of Indian Medicinal Plants (Including the Supplement). Council of Scientific and Industrial Research, New Delhi. India.
Here is the recipe to make a relaxing Hibiscus tea at home using dried hibiscus flowers.
