Hibiscus tea: how to brew? The answer to this and other questions regarding the presented drink we will give in the materials of this article. In addition, you will learn which plant underlies such a brewing component, as well as its beneficial properties and contraindications for use.
What it is?
Before you talk about how you need to brew a tasty, healthy and fragrant tea, you should find out what is hibiscus? Sudanese rose, or the so-called sabdarifa hibiscus, is an annual plant of the Malvaceae family. It was his dark red petals, sub-bowls and cups that became the main raw material for the preparation of the mentioned drink.
Where does it grow?
Hibiscus, the benefits and harms of which will be presented in the following sections of the article, refers to traditional Egyptian teas. This nuance is evidenced by its more ancient name, which sounds like a "drink of the pharaohs." During the excavations of various burials of noble Egyptians, its flowers were more than once found in tombs, among other valuable attributes. Today, hibiscus is grown industrially in tropical regions of the world such as Sudan, India, Sri Lanka, Egypt, Thailand and more.
How to harvest and sell?
So that in European and Asian countries people can drink the healing drink of Hibiscus, millions of workers work on plantations where the Sudanese rose grows. Raw materials for the brewing component are procured very simply. To do this, only large petals are torn off manually (up to 10 centimeters in diameter), and then dried in the open air or in a special room. At the moment, both large-leaf hibiscus and in powder form are on sale. The first form of release is better. Indeed, in powder brewing, very often you can find various additives that significantly impair the taste of the drink.
Hibiscus tea: benefits and harms
Such a drink received its popularity due to the presence of a large number of vitamins and other beneficial substances. Even in ancient times, tea presented was considered a cure for all ailments. Consider its useful properties in more detail:
- Hibiscus tea how to brew? No wonder this issue is of interest to many residents of our country. After all, Sudanese rose petals are very rich in fruit acids, namely: malic, ascorbic, tartaric, linoleic, citric and oxalic. It should be noted that the last component prevents stone formation in the urinary tract and kidneys.
- Anthocyanins contained in the drink strengthen the walls of blood vessels and regulate their permeability. In addition, such substances reduce the rate of fat formation and have antitumor activity.
- Hibiscus is rich in flavonoids, polysaccharides, as well as mucous and pectin substances.
- Polysaccharides also remove toxins from the body. In addition, they are natural immunostimulants.
- Hibiscus flavonoids are able to cleanse the body of toxins, as well as stimulate the gallbladder and protect the liver.
- Vitamin C, which is a huge amount in hibiscus, lowers blood cholesterol.
- The anti-inflammatory properties of this plant are successfully used to treat laryngitis, bronchitis and tracheitis.
- Flowers boiled in boiling water have a sweet and sour taste and are an excellent supplement that contains many pectins that help to eliminate toxins from the body.
- Often such a drink is used to prevent blood clots, improve the general condition of the body, circulate blood, and also to relieve general fatigue and even a hangover syndrome.
- Hibiscus extract is a powerful antibacterial agent against bacilli, intestinal bacteria, various strains and staphylococci. However, it does not damage the intestinal microflora.
- Hypertensive and hypotonic drugs are often used to drink hibiscus to normalize the pressure (hot tea - to increase, cold tea - to lower).
Contraindications to taking tea
Now you know what a hibiscus drink is. The benefits and harms of this tea are known to almost all the inhabitants of the Arab countries. After all, they very often use the Sudanese rose to treat various ailments. But, despite the many positive aspects, such a drink still has its contraindications. So, hibiscus tea is able to increase the acidity of gastric juice. In this regard, it is not recommended to drink it to people with gastritis and an ulcer of the digestive tract. In addition, the presented drink is contraindicated in patients with acute gallstone or urolithiasis.
Can I drink while carrying a child?
Hibiscus tea during pregnancy can be drunk, but only in the form of a slightly brewed drink and not in the last stages. Completely abandon it only if the future woman in labor has toxicosis.
Hibiscus tea: how to brew?
How to prepare such a healthy and tasty drink, they knew back in Ancient Egypt. The Egyptians laid out several tea leaves in earthenware, and then poured them with cold water, brought to a boil and cooked for about 3-5 minutes. Such a short digestion made it possible to extract from the petals their entire gamut of taste.
Today, not everyone knows how to brew hibiscus so that the drink is as tasty and healthy as possible. Usually housewives make tea as follows: put the powder or dried petals in a teapot, and then pour it with boiling water and insist for 5 minutes.
Experienced culinary specialist V. Pokhlebkin offers a somewhat laborious, but more effective way of preparing such a drink. He does not recommend a long time to boil hibiscus tea using high temperatures. After all, this treatment destroys nutrients. The culinary specialist V. Pokhlebkin recommends taking 10 dried hibiscus petals, putting them in a porcelain bowl, pouring boiling water into them, and then holding the dishes on a gas stove with the oven turned on. This method of brewing hibiscus will allow you to save all the useful substances of the plant and the best qualities of tea.
Another way to make a hibiscus drink
How to make tea without using boiling water? Many people use this method. To do this, put the hibiscus petals in a kettle, and then pour water at room temperature into it and insist for about an hour. This method allows you to save all the trace elements and vitamins in the drink.
What should I look for when brewing hibiscus?
During the preparation of such a healing drink, special attention should be paid to water. To make a really tasty and healthy tea, you only need to use a very mild liquid. After all, if you brew hibiscus with hard water, then in the end your drink will acquire an incomprehensible brown color. You will not succeed in enjoying such tea and all the variations of its taste.
It should also be noted that for the independent preparation of the presented drink, it is necessary to use only ceramic, porcelain or glass dishes. This is due to the fact that if you use a metal or aluminum container, then your tea will lose not only its taste, but also a rich bright shade.