Dried hibiscus, made from the petals and other flower parts of Hibiscus sabdariffa, can be used to make tea, cordial, and jam. It contains vitamin C, minerals, organic acids, and flavonoids. Hibiscus tea may help lower blood pressure. The most common way to ingest dried hibiscus is in the form of tea. Hibiscus is grown as an ornamental shrub and is cultivated in several countries.
Dried hibiscus generally refers to dried petals and other dried flower parts of a species of hibiscus with the scientific name Hibiscus sabdariffa. This hibiscus plant is also known as roselle, hibiscus flower, sorrel, and red sorrel. Both dried and fresh Hibiscus sabdariffa can be used to make hibiscus tea, hibiscus cordial, and jam, and the flowers can also be eaten cooked or raw, as in a salad. Dried hibiscus contains vitamin C, various minerals, various types of organic acids, and other substances such as polysaccharides and flavonoids that give hibiscus edibles a characteristic deep red color. Some scientific studies indicate that drinking hibiscus tea may help lower blood pressure, although exactly how this is accomplished is not known.
The dried flower parts that make up the dried hibiscus can be the actual petals of the hibiscus flower or, more commonly, the calyxes, also known as sepals, which are the petal-shaped leaves just below the flower. Both the calyxes and the petals provide the distinctive hibiscus flavor. The stems of the hibiscus plant do not have the same flavor or nutritional content, and it is recommended to discard them.
The most common way to ingest dried hibiscus is in the form of hibiscus tea, which has a sharp, sour flavor reminiscent of cranberries. To make the tea, boiling water is poured over fresh or dried hibiscus and the mixture is allowed to steep for several minutes before straining. The tea can be served hot or cold, and is often sweetened with honey or sugar. It’s important to note that hibiscus contains natural dyes that can stain clothing, skin, and surfaces.
Hibiscus tea and other dried hibiscus products are popular in many parts of the world, including Asia, the Caribbean, and Latin America, and are prized for both their flavor and their purported health benefits. In natural medicine, hibiscus is credited with several beneficial properties, such as reducing stress, improving digestion, and preventing various degenerative diseases such as Alzheimer’s. However, not all of these medicinal properties have been scientifically proven.
There are many hundreds of species of hibiscus, and the plant is often grown as an ornamental shrub. Many hibiscus species also have edible flowers, but Hibiscus sabdariffa is the species of choice when making dried hibiscus. This hibiscus is cultivated in several countries, including Thailand, China, Mexico, and Sudan. To buy dried hibiscus, you can order it online or look for it in grocery stores and specialty herbal stores in the Middle East.
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