Hibiscus Tea
This hibiscus tea is more than just a pretty, colorful drink. It’s also loaded with lots of health benefits, flavor, and more. Serve it plain or with a bit of fizzy water for the ultimate drinking experience.
I love a refreshing drink, especially when it adds a nutritional punch. That’s exactly what you’ll get with this tart hibiscus tea recipe. See more on the nutritional benefits below.
Because hibiscus flowers flourish in hot, humid climates, this drink is oftentimes referred to as Agua de Jamaica, the water of Jamaica. You can almost taste the fresh beach air in every glass!
What Makes This Recipe Shine?
- Fresh ginger adds a zesty flavor, softening the tart flavor of the hibsicus flowers
- Adding fresh mint means this delightful drink has even more appeal
- Use dried hibiscus flowers or tea bags to create this easy and refreshing beverage
Key Ingredients
You can find the full printable recipe, including ingredient quantities, below. But first, here are some explanations of ingredients and steps to help you make this recipe perfect every time.
Here are the ingredients you’ll need for this recipe, including substitution ideas:
- Water — If your tap water has flavor, I recommend using filtered water.
- Dried hibiscus flowers — You can get dried hibiscus flowers online or substitute hibiscus tea bags, such as Celestial Seasonings Red Zinger (the primary ingredient is hibiscus)
- Sweetener — I oftentimes make the concentrate without sweetener so I can add it to individual glasses. My favorite sweeteners are maple syrup, agave, zero-calorie sweeteners like stevia, or even sugar.
- Lemon — Having a fresh lemon handy gives each glass some pizzazz, but you can substitute bottled lemon juice or even lime.
- Fresh mint leaves — You can buy fresh mint in the produce section of many grocer stores all year long. Of course, fresh mint is optional, but it adds color and flavor. I do not recommend using any kind of mint extract as its flavor would overpower this drink.
- Fresh Ginger — Adding fresh ginger to the steeping tea adds a hint of flavor to the finished glass. If you don’t have fresh ginger handy, you can substitute ½ to 1 teaspoon of dried ginger.
How to Make Hibiscus Tea
- Heat water in a saucepan or microwave until hot but not boiling, then remove from heat.
- Add the hibiscus tea and ginger to hot water. Steep for 2 to 4 minutes.
- Strain the hibiscus syrup into a pitcher or mason jar. Cover and refrigerate for up to 2 hours until chilled.
- Serve it hot or cold with sweetener, lemon juice, lemon slices, and fresh mint leaves.
Marly’s Tips
Don’t have dried hibiscus flowers? You can substitute hibiscus tea bags and steep those in the hot water with the ginger. I recommend using at least 2 tea bags to get the intense flavor and color.
Storage Tips
Store the hibiscus concentrate in an airtight, lidded container like a mason jar, for up to 10 days in the fridge.
Make Hibiscus Tea Latte
Here’s how to transform this into a latte drink:
- Pour hibiscus concentrate into a glass filled with ice until it’s about ⅔ full
- Add sweetener, lemon juice, lemon slices, and fresh mint
- Pour vanilla-flavored soy milk (or your favorite plant-based milk), until the glass is mostly full.
- Garnish with lemon slices and fresh mint sprigs.
Health Benefits
This is a crimson herbal tea that comes with lots of nutritional benefits. Here are some of the nutritional benefits to pay attention to:
- Polyphenols — these are powerful organic micronutrients such as flavonoids that can be found in many plants
- Antioxidants — these organic compounds slow down the act of oxidation occurring in our systems.
- Vitamin A
- Vitamin C
Because it’s caffeine-free, you can consume hibiscus tea before bedtime. Some even use this drink to soothe a sore throat.
As with anything, it’s wise to drink this tea in moderation. For me, this means I might have a glass a day for several days, and then I take a few days off. But I like variety in my beverages!
Favorite Beverages
That’s it for this hibiscus iced tea recipe. Enjoy!
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Hibiscus Tea
Ingredients
- 4 cups filtered water
- ½ cup dried hibiscus flowers
- 2 thin slices fresh ginger (see note)
- sweetener
- 1 medium lemon
- 1 tablespoon fresh mint leaves
Instructions
- Heat water in a saucepan or microwave until hot but not boiling.
- Remove from heat and add the hibiscus flowers and ginger. Steep for 2 to 4 minutes.
- Strain into a pitcher or mason jar. Cover and refrigerate for up to 2 hours until chilled.
- To serve add sweetener, juice of one lemon (or lim½e) and lemon slices, and fresh mint leaves.
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Notes
The nutrition information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator and should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
My favorite drink!