Just like fashion, drinks can also have their seasons of popularity. Think pumpkin spice latte for fall, hot chocolate for the rainy season, and Tang Yuan during our Lantern festival. Now the latest drink that is slowly rising in popularity is Hibiscus tea. Many claim that there are plenty of benefits to having this beverage. Here are some benefits as well as how to make your own Hibiscus tea.
Hibiscus Tea Benefits
The Hibiscus is a plant and is native to warm and tropical regions of the world. In addition, back in 1960, the Malaysian government officially declared that it would be the national flower. This is because the Malay name, bunga raya, literally translates to celebratory flower.
Parts of the plant as well as the flowers are commonly used to make medicine and herbal teas. In fact, it is a common practice in some parts of the world. People mainly use it to treat high blood pressure as early research shows that consuming it 2-6 weeks decreases blood pressure by a small amount in people with normal or high blood pressure.
Other than that, many claim that the chemicals in the Hibiscus flower can also treat high cholesterol, increase the production of breast milk, and many other conditions. However, there is no solid scientific evidence to support these claims and there is still room for further research.
Making Tea at Home
Moving on, to make your own Hibiscus tea, start with 20 grams of dried Hibiscus and add 150ml of boiling water. Steep it for about 10 to 30 minutes and it’s ready. You can also add some sugar to sweeten it. Moreover, some people like to add other flavours such as cinnamon sticks, slices of ginger, or lime juice. These can be adjusted according to your own taste.
For a quicker alternative, you can also grab some pre-made teabags such as these. Of course, the easiest option would be to purchase a bottled drink. The tapping tapir offers a Hibiscus & Lime drink which features layers of fruity and floral flavours.
