Hibiscus tea is an herbal tea that’s caffeine-free. See health benefits and how to properly brew this bright red tea properly, step-by-step, with expert tips from a certified Tea Sommelier.

What is Hibiscus Tea?

Hibiscus tea is an herbal, caffeine-free drink made from steeping dried hibiscus calyces (the part of the plant that supports the petals and protect the bud) in water.

The tea is naturally red. The bright red hibiscus colors the water and flavors it. The hibiscus plant is known for its large, bright colored flowers and it is grown in regions with tropical temperatures.

Hibiscus tea is an excellent source of antioxidants, has been found to lower blood pressure, may help lower blood cholesterol levels and reduce high blood sugar levels. It’s also rich in vitamin C, a nutrient that’s essential for healthy immune function.

Since the tea reduces blood pressure, ask your doctor if it’s ok to drink hibiscus tea if you’re taking blood pressure medication. You should also check with your doctor if you have blood sugar issues, as the drink can affect blood sugar.

Hibiscus contains compounds that have estrogen-like properties. If you’re pregnant or have reproductive health concerns, talk to your doctor before drinking hibiscus tea.

Recipe Highlights

• A simple herbal drink, this hibiscus tea takes 7 minutes to make from start to finish.
• Hibiscus tea is refreshing, tart, and non-caffeinated, so you can drink it any time of the day.
• This recipe yields 1 cup, but you can double or triple the ingredients to make a bigger batch.

RELATED: Hibiscus Syrup

Hibiscus Loose Tea vs Tea Bags

The more of the whole hibiscus calyces you can see, the better the quality. Loose hibiscus tea is higher quality since you can see the shape of the flower calyces.

Hibiscus tea bags are of lower quality since they’re filled with crushed hibiscus.

Always use food-grade hibiscus to make sure they weren’t treated with pesticides.

Step-by-Step Instructions

1. Boil water.
   Using an electric kettle with temperature settings to boil water for tea makes it easy to get the water temperature just right. Boil more than needed since you want extra to warm up the teapot.
2. Warm up teapot.
   Pour some hot water into the teapot and swirl it around a bit. Discard the water.
3. Put dried hibiscus into the teapot and add hot water. Cover teapot and steep.
4. Strain hibiscus solids and pour hot tea into a teacup.

Tea Sommelier’s Tips

Use good quality water.
The better the water, the better the tea. I recommend using filtered water.

Warm up the teapot.
Warming up the teapot helps to brew the tea properly, keeping the water temperature hot.

Serve it with or without sugar.
Hibiscus tea can be served with or without sugar and hot or iced. If you want to sweeten hot tea, you can use any kind of sweetener.

Adjust as needed.
For a stronger cup of hibiscus tea, add a couple of more minutes to your steep time or add 1/2 teaspoon more of hibiscus.

Herbal teas don’t get bitter like green tea.
Herbal teas like hibiscus are a lot easier to brew than other types of teas since it doesn’t get overly bitter if brewed for more than 5 minutes so don’t worry if it steeps for longer.

Brew it in a glass teapot.
Use a glass teapot to make herbal tea so you can see the pretty herbals in water.

Store it properly.
Hibiscus tea can be brewed and stored in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Keep it covered or airtight glass container or pitcher. Loose dried hibiscus and tea sachets should be stored in an airtight container away from light, odors, humidity, and heat.

RELATED: Hibiscus Lemonade

Questions You May Have

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