Hibiscus Tea (Roselle) - Health Benefits, for Hypertension and More

Hibiscus tea has many names, in large part because it has a long history of use in many different countries and cultures. In parts of the Caribbean, it is called Agua de Flor de Jamaica, which is often shortened to just Jamaica. In Egypt, it is called Karkade, which just means hibiscus. The flower is commonly called Roselle, and the drink is sometimes called Roselle tea..

Hibiscus tea can be drunk hot or iced.

It has a strong sour flavor, a deep red-orange color, and a particularly aroma that is warmer, richer, and more vegetal than the aroma of most flowers. It is usually sweetened because it has such a sour flavor.

Image courtesy of B. Simpson, Cairocamels on Wikimedia Commons, used under CC BY 3.0 license.

Not only is hibiscus tea a healthy drink, but it has potent medicinal properties. One of the most well-documented of these medicinal effects is that drinking hibiscus tea can significantly lower blood pressure. In medical terms, this means it has an antihypertensive effect. Hibiscus has even been compared to prescription medications used to treat hypertension, in controlled clinical trials. The results of these studies are promising: hibiscus performs as well as some of the weaker prescription drugs, and is much safer. Its effects are milder than the strongest drugs available, but are still measurable.

Hibiscus tea is safe to consume regularly, and the studies on it noted a complete absence of strong side-effects. The main side-effects of concern are due to its acidity. The acidity can make it unpleasant for some people to drink hibiscus tea, although others love the sour flavor. People who have problems with acid reflux or stomach acidity should be cautious with drinking hibiscus tea, and drink it slowly and with other acid-neutralizing foods or drinks.

For more information about the health benefits and antihypertensive effects of hibiscus, and citations to the studies mentioned, you can visit RateTea's page on hibiscus tea. If you suffer from high blood pressure, you may also want to read my guide on lowering blood pressure without drugs. Herbs such as roselle can help lower your blood pressure, but a holistic approach of diet, exercise, and stress reduction will ultimately be much more effective than just using one herb.

Image courtesy Meutia Chaerani / Indradi Soemardjan from Wikimedia Commons, used under CC BY-SA-3.0 license..

In addition to being consumed as a drink on its own, hibiscus is frequently included as one ingredient among many in herbal tea blends. Hibiscus is the main ingredient in Celestial Seasonings' Zinger teas, such as Red Zinger, pictured on the right, and is responsible for their distinctive sour taste and deep red hue.

Hibiscus is also sometimes blended with true tea from the Camellia sinensis plant, such as black tea or green tea.

Regardless of the other ingredients, hibiscus tends to impart a strong sour flavor, a deep reddish-purple color, and a distinctive aroma to the blends in which it is included.

Roselle, or Hibiscus sabdariffa, is a perennial plant native to the tropical regions of the old world. In cooler climates, it can be grown as an annual. It grows as a fibrous plant with a woody base. It is sensitive to cold and cannot take a frost. It requires full sun and cannot grow well in shade. It is easily choked out by weeds. It is less picky about soil types: it prefers well-drained, moist soils, but it can grow in a wide range of soil types. Other than its sun requirements, it is a resilient plant, and can handle temporary flooding as well as strong drying winds.

Roselle is easy to grow from seed, and it can also be grown from cutting. Pick the right cultivar! If you grow roselle for hibiscus tea, make sure you buy a cultivar that is meant for tea: some cultivars have been selected for their fiber properties and have small, tough, inedible flowers. The sabdariffa cultivar is grown for the flowers, whereas the altissima cultivar is grown for fiber.

Commercially, Roselle flowers for hibiscus tea are only grown in tropical areas, where the plant is best adapted to grow. Casual gardeners, however, can grow this plant in a wider range of areas. Roselle can be grown both as an ornamental plant as well as for use as an herbal tea. The U.S. and other temperate climates are not ideal for growing this plant, as the growing season can be too short, and light levels are often lower than ideal.