What are the benefits of drinking Hibiscus tea?
What are the benefits of drinking Hibiscus tea?
You may know Hibiscus as being a plant (flower), but did you know you can drink and even eat the petals for health benefits? I am one of the people who did not realize this until recently. I was in my local health food store purchasing my regular bags of green tea and seen a new product they had, Hibiscus petals, so I decided to see how it tasted.
As I had never heard of drinking hibiscus, I researched the best ways to prepare it and found many different ways. However, the thing that really caught my attention was the health benefits. I wanted to share them with my fellow viewers because if you drink tea like me and you have not tried Hibiscus yet, I recommend you give it a try!
Hibiscus has been used for a very long time in places around Asia, however the benefits are just now becoming known. Hibiscus tea is made from the petals of the flower. Usually they are red, however there are over 200 types of Hibiscus and each have their own flavors (that's a lot!).
On to the health benefits!
· Lower blood pressure & reduce high cholesterol levels:
o Studies have shown that Hibiscus can help lower your blood pressure, along with reducing high cholesterol levels and the best part, it doesn't take much! They have seen these changes using as little as 2 tea bags per quart.
· Rich in Vitamin C:
o Hibiscus is rich in Vitamin C which is great for building and strengthens your immune system.
· High in Antioxidants:
o Hibiscus is high in Antioxidants, it has several different types of antioxidants actually. These antioxidants may help protect against free radicals which can cause cell damage.
· It's a natural coolant:
o It's been known for a while that drinking Hibiscus acts as a natural refrigerant. During summer or if you work in a hot area, drinking cold Hibiscus tea can help your body stay cool.
· Hibiscus is Caffeine free:
o Hibiscus is caffeine free, so if you are sensitive to caffeine, don't like caffeine or simply drink too much caffeine already and want something different, give this a try.
· Can be served many different ways:
o If you drink tea like me, you know some are only good hot, some only good cold. With Hibiscus tea you have options! You can have it hot or iced, sweetened or unsweetened (has a tart/sour taste).
Questions for readers:
· What types of tea do you drink?
· Have you tried Hibiscus tea, what did you think?
So as you can see, there are many benefits to drinking Hibiscus tea, some are health related, while others are convenience type benefits, and who knows what type of health benefits that have yet to be uncovered from Hibiscus, so why not see if it's "your cup of tea"?
This content is accurate and true to the best of the author’s knowledge and is not meant to substitute for formal and individualized advice from a qualified professional.
© 2012 Billy Haynes
