How to brew hibiscus correctly - how many times can you drink it, in what proportions to cook

Hibiscus tea, or Sudanese mallow, are delicate fragrant rose petals, dried using a special technology. The drink is characterized by a non-standard taste with sourness and is colored in shades from soft burgundy to rich cherry with blue, depending on the amount of brewing. They eat the treat cold or warm, depending on the weather conditions. Hibiscus buds are useful for strengthening the immune system and maintaining all life support systems. To get the maximum amount of nutrients from a fragrant cup and get a powerful boost of energy for the whole day, you need to know how to brew hibiscus tea correctly and in what proportions.

What you should pay attention to

Today, the product is packaged and sold in several countries. In eastern countries, inflorescences can be bought by weight. There are mainly bagged and packaging methods of packaging. When choosing dried Sudanese mallow on the shelves of tea stores, be guided by the following principles:

The larger the buds, the more beneficial properties the flower has accumulated. If you purchase the product fresh, aim for an inflorescence diameter of at least 10 cm.
Carefully inspect the rolled and dried buds. If the petals are damaged, then it is quite possible that the preparation technology was violated and some of the healing properties were lost.
A bright red hue indicates a high concentration of anthocyanins. If the flowers sold to you are whitish and not deep burgundy, the content of useful components in them is low.
Avoid shopping in beautiful, colorful boxes that don't allow you to see the contents. Usually the tea leaves are packaged in transparent plastic bags.
Despite the fact that tea bags are much more convenient to use, it is better to avoid such packaging. The ground flower is no longer useful, and its original form and origin are unknown.

Only by using high-quality raw materials will you be able to feel the real aroma of Sudanese rose and saturate your body with useful components. Always fresh, high-quality supplies of hibiscus in the assortment of the Russian Tea Company.

Hibiscus care at home photo

The hibiscus plant is also called “hibiscus”; this name is more popular among lovers of home flower crops, as they know firsthand this unpretentious plant, which is strewn with large red flowers; we buy these flowers in dried form in a store called red tea or hibiscus. It is usually grown in large pots, the plant is a magnificent “decoration” of the interior, the only thing that needs to be taken into account is that hibiscus drops flowers very abundantly, so you will have to constantly sweep around the plant.

There are several types of hibiscus, the main ones are: tree hibiscus, Syrian hibiscus, herbaceous hibiscus. These crops are grown both in open ground and at home in the form of flowers in flowerpots and pots, as well as tree-like plants in floor pots.

Composition and benefits

Arab doctors consider hibiscus a cure for many diseases, so it is common in local traditional and alternative medicine. It contains vitamins A, groups B, C, PP, various antioxidants, anthocyanins, as well as a number of elements from the periodic table. The petals are rich in organic acids. It is not surprising that such a set of useful components allows tea to cope with many health problems:

Lowers body temperature during colds.
Stabilization of blood pressure.
Prevention of diseases of the genitourinary canals.
Increased potency.
Improving the functioning of the heart, blood vessels and gastrointestinal tract.
Cleansing of toxins and strengthening individual organs of the body.
Effective hangover relief.

The positive effect of the flower on health has been scientifically proven and confirmed by many facts.

Brewing rules

To get a tasty and at the same time healing drink, you need to know how to brew hibiscus correctly and how many times. A few tips will help you with this:

You can pour the buds in glass, ceramic or enamel containers, but not in metal ones.
You cannot boil hibiscus for a long time, especially over high heat, otherwise, instead of a bright burgundy color, you will get a gray, unsightly liquid that has lost all its nutritional elements.
Always steep the tea for at least 10 minutes - this time is enough for the buds to fully give off the color of the liquid and a pleasant spicy aroma to develop.
You can add honey, lemon or zest, sugar to the finished consistency.

Where to buy hibiscus?

I wouldn’t recommend buying tea bags, it’s not the same at all! It is necessary to find whole large dried hibiscus flowers, preferably, of course, if you brought it yourself or someone brought you hibiscus from Sudan itself, but if this is not possible, do not despair, now I will explain why

In my city, I first looked for hibiscus in special tea departments where they sell tea by weight, but there was no hibiscus in its pure form. But one day, while visiting another hypermarket, I discovered dried large whole hibiscus leaves in transparent bags for only 26 rubles - 26 rubles for a huge package of a magical healing drink, such a bag is enough for me for 10 liters of tea!

Therefore, do not rush to buy ordinary tea bags with a label - hibiscus, look for similar bags in your city, perhaps they are on sale in your city, take 3-4 bags at once just in case, like me

How to cook correctly

There are certain rules for how many times and at what temperature you can brew hibiscus. There are several ways to convey the incredible aftertaste that occurs when drinking just a couple of sips of an invigorating infusion:

hot method;
cold;
decoction

Below are some of the most popular recipes.

Classic brewing

To implement it you need:

place dry buds (approximately 1 tbsp) in a container with cold purified water and leave for 2 to 5 hours;
Place the composition with swollen flowers on the stove and bring to 100 degrees;
then cook for 3-5 minutes and set aside. While the mixture is hot, strain it through a sieve into a cup and serve the finished infusion.

Fast brewing

Not everyone has the desire to wait half a day until the petals give up all their liquid properties. The easiest way involves pouring a few teaspoons of raw materials into a cup and pouring boiling water over them. After steeping for just a couple of minutes, it is ready to drink. To make the mixture even more healing, you need to add a slice of lemon or lime to it and dissolve a spoonful of honey.

Cold brew

This method requires that the mixture be prepared in cool water. However, this takes much longer. In order for the prepared mixture to be as healthy as possible, you need to understand how to brew cold hibiscus correctly:

Pink buds are poured in the proportion of one and a half tablespoons per half liter of liquid.
The composition is sent to the burner, boiled and simmered for 5 minutes.
Next, covered with a lid, it is cooled to room temperature and placed in the refrigerator.

This is a great way to quench your thirst, refresh yourself and restore your strength. It is indicated for use by hypertensive patients during the summer heat, as it effectively reduces blood pressure and gives a feeling of lightness.

Cool, viscous, sweet and sour, with a hint of tartness, in eastern countries it is considered the best summer drink.

In Thai

Take a saucepan and pour half a liter of ice water. Drop 3-4 teaspoons of rose and 2 mint into it. Place on the burner, bring to a boil and remove from heat. Add a little cinnamon, 6-7 cloves, and a cardamom star. Cover the container and wait 10-15 minutes, strain and pour into cups.

In Egyptian

Egypt is the birthplace of hibiscus. It is there that you can find spreading bushes with lush colors from soft peach to crimson red. The Egyptians know how to brew hibiscus deliciously using the simplest recipe, but at the same time maintaining a rich flavor and delicate aroma.

For this, collected and dried inflorescences in quantities of up to 1 tbsp. pour 0.25 liters of ice water and leave to infuse for a couple of hours. Next - already reddened, it is put on the fire and boiled for 4-5 minutes. Afterwards, the composition is filtered into a cup, and it is ready for consumption. It is drunk both cold and hot.

In Turk

This unusual cooking method will exceed your expectations. Everyone knows that the most delicious coffee is made in Turk, according to the classic Turkish recipe. Such a vessel really gives any drink a unique aroma and a pronounced taste, while preserving the maximum of useful elements. The same can be said about hibiscus. To brew it, you need:

Take a Turk, pour 3 teaspoons of buds into it and pour a 200-gram glass of boiling water.
Put the mixture on the fire and boil, remove to cool and add 2-3 cloves, a little cinnamon or cardamom to taste.
You need to boil the drink at least 3 times to achieve the taste.

Cinnamon and cardamom not only add a spicy note, but also help normalize blood circulation and promote weight loss. It is recommended to drink tea hot.

Decoction of petals

Another way to enjoy the sweet and sour invigorating taste. 1 tbsp. Dried leaves are first poured with half a liter of cold liquid. Afterwards, put on low heat and bring to a boil, wait for up to 3 minutes. Thanks to heat treatment, the water turns crimson-red and delights gourmets with its pronounced sourness, which comes in handy during the summer heat.

How to prepare hibiscus tea: recipe from “Book of Tasty and Healthy Food” by V.V. Pokhlebkin

Compiled by a famous Soviet figure in the field of cooking in such a way as to preserve all the healing properties of oriental petals in the cup:

Hibiscus buds are crushed in any convenient way.
2 tsp pour half a liter of warm water (not boiling).
Turn on the oven so that the hob heats up from the high temperature.
Place the container with the contents on the stove and keep it there for about 10 minutes.

Prepared in this way, it turns out to be a rich red color, and with a spoonful of sugar per cup, it resembles natural cherry juice.

Original cooking recipes

Orange and ginger give any drink not only a subtle and delicate taste, but also a rich aroma. To combine them with an invigorating consistency, you need:

squeeze the juice of 1-2 limes;
grate a small piece of ginger root;
prepare a glass of fresh orange juice;
boil 4 cups of broth;
mix all the ingredients, put on the stove, as soon as boiling begins, cook the hibiscus for another 3 minutes;
Next, strain the mixture and the tea is ready.

Another popular fruit often used with Sudanese rose is apples. To implement an unusual recipe, you need:

pour boiling water over the kettle;
pour 4-5 tbsp into it. dried roses;
pour boiling water 2/3 full;
close the lid and leave for 15 minutes;
at this time you need to cut 1 apple into slices;
add it to the composition and fill with hot water to the brim of the container.

After 5 minutes, the invigorating mixture is ready for tea drinking. For more sweetness, you can add 1 tsp. honey for 1 cup.

If you don’t want to look for ingredients yourself, you can purchase ready-made fruit and berry mixture “Kir Royal” on the Russian Tea Company website.

Property to lower blood pressure

More recently, studies were conducted that involved volunteers aged 30 to 70 years.
Each of the experiment participants suffered from hypertension of varying degrees.

The subjects were divided into two groups, with participants in the first taking “dummy pills” (pills that lack active ingredients), and the second taking a hibiscus drink.

After six weeks, scientists noted an improvement in the condition of people who took hibiscus tea with high blood pressure. It ranged from 7.6 to 13.2 percent, while for those taking placebo it was 1%.

Based on the results of the experiment, it can be argued that it is definitely worth using hibiscus to lower blood pressure. It was noted that both hot and chilled drinks exhibit the same properties. Regarding the question of how to drink hibiscus: hot or cold, it follows from the research results that you can drink the drink in any form, depending on the preferences of the hypertensive patient himself.

How to use

Hot brewed decoction of mallow is useful for preventing colds and low blood pressure. If there are no allergic reactions, rose decoction is drunk as standard black tea, combining the ceremony with delicious buns and cookies. To enhance the taste and delicate aroma, add lemon, dried pieces of fruit, and ginger.

The liquid is suitable for quenching thirst. The flower petals contain a slight citric acidity, which helps cool you from the inside. Restaurants often add mint leaves, berry juice, mineral drinks and ice to iced tea to create a cool cocktail. Do not overuse the decoction. It is not recommended to take more than 2.5 sheets per day.

Hibiscus is a good helper in the fight against a hangover. Two cups of the cool brew are great for treating alcohol poisoning. It is also recommended for hypertension, 2 glasses, an hour before and after meals.

Does the drink help with weight loss?

The infusion promotes weight loss, removes toxins from the body and normalizes digestion. After 40 days of constant use, about 3 kg will decrease. The fat will not go away, and weight loss will be the result of cleansing the body.

First, you need to drink 1 liter a day for 3 weeks, and then replace it with green tea. After 10 days, start brewing hibiscus again.

Another way to drink to lose extra pounds: half an hour before meals, on an empty stomach. The drink should be warm and the total dose per day should not exceed 60 ml.

Expert opinion

Ramaz Chanturia, General Director of the Roschaykofe Association

Our country is the main importer of tea in the world. Since we grow little of our own, we buy the product in Sri Lanka, India, China, Indonesia, Vietnam, a little less in Africa and quite a bit in Azerbaijan.

No matter where the tea was brought from, look on the packaging for information about the domestic company that packaged it, read which leaf is in the pack, and find the expiration date.

Tips from the experts

You will find several recommendations from experts useful on how to properly brew and drink incredibly healthy hibiscus tea, so that it fully reveals its taste and supplies the body with micro- and macroelements:

It should be brewed in porcelain, glass or enamel-coated containers. Metal vessels can distort the taste or give it artificial bitterness.
Hibiscus is not brewed several times. The soggy buds can be eaten or used in kitchen recipes. Filled with boiling water again, they will have no smell, aftertaste, or color.
With the constant use of Sudanese rose, metabolic processes, the functioning of the liver and gastrointestinal tract are stabilized.
Having a strong diuretic effect, it eliminates urolithiasis, has a positive effect on the genitourinary canals and relieves inflammation.

Remember that the organic acids contained in the composition actively destroy tooth enamel. Therefore, after the appointment, dentists recommend rinsing your mouth with clean water.

Does hibiscus tea increase or decrease blood pressure?

Sudanese rose has a unique effect on blood pressure. The fact is that hot hibiscus tea raises blood pressure, while cold tea lowers it.

Therefore, hibiscus tea is recommended both for hypertensive patients for natural, drug-free blood pressure reduction, and for people with low blood pressure, to maintain it in a stable state.

In general, of course, it is difficult to unequivocally defend one or another point of view regarding the effect of hibiscus tea on blood pressure. As readers correctly expressed in the comments, any hot liquids tend to sharply increase body temperature in the heart area and thereby increase a person’s blood pressure. Cold drinks always tone us up, act as painkillers and relaxers, but the composition of the hibiscus tea drink, which is significantly different from soda and regular tea, is also affected by the presence of a large amount of acid and vitamin C.

Contraindications

Despite the beneficial effect that the decoction has on the body, it has a list of contraindications. It is advisable to study them and take them into account when using them frequently:

Allergy. If you have been found to be intolerant to certain substances, before buying Sudanese rose you should conduct an experiment - drink a few small sips and watch the body’s response for a couple of hours.
The increased acidity of the petals does not allow people with ulcerative pathology to drink tea.
In case of urolithiasis, excessive consumption can cause active movement of stones.
Pregnant women should not abuse hibiscus. The dosage is 300 ml per day in several doses.
The invigorating consistency is prohibited for ladies who take contraceptive medications. It actively affects the level of estrogen production and may reduce their effectiveness.

Conclusion

Hibiscus is not just a colored exotic from the warm region of our planet, it is also a vitamin complex that cleanses the body, improves well-being, promotes rejuvenation, and improves metabolic processes. The drink is universal, as it is suitable for drinking hot on frosty, winter evenings and cold on hot summer days to quench thirst. To preserve the rich color, delicate aroma and maximum useful components, you need to understand how to properly prepare hibiscus. The above tips will help you enjoy the fully developed, sweet and sour taste of a rich viscous liquid. Before purchasing raw materials, carefully inspect the contents. Even compliance with all stages of brewing does not guarantee the expected aftertaste if the drying and storage technology is violated and the integrity of the buds is lost.