You can buy hibiscus tea in ready-to-use tea bags or as a loose-leaf tea. If you like a richer, more flavorful tea drink, consider purchasing loose-leaf hibiscus tea in bulk. Using loose-leaf tea allows you to add more tea to your tea strainer to make a more concentrated beverage.
If you prefer a lighter tea, steep your hibiscus for a few minutes. For a stronger tea, steep loose-leaf hibiscus tea and hibiscus tea bags for 10-15 minutes.
Registered dietitian Lauren Manaker, MS, RDN, LD recommends making a large batch of hibiscus tea and keeping it in your refrigerator to enjoy throughout the day.
Most traditional hibiscus tea methods, such as Egyptian Karkade, a hibiscus tea drink made with sugar, are sweetened. However, you can enjoy your hibiscus tea unsweetened or with a squeeze of lemon or lime. Sugar alternatives like monk fruit can also be used to counter the tart taste of hibiscus tea.
Keep in mind that f you’re using a lot of sweetener in your tea, it may take away from hibiscus tea’s benefits. “Of course, we have to consider what we are adding to our tea when assuming we will reap the benefits of this cozy sip. Adding loads of added sugar may work against some of these health goals,” says Manaker. For example, while regularly drinking unsweetened hibiscus tea may promote heart health, a diet high in added sugar has been shown to negatively impact heart health15 by increasing blood lipid and body fat levels.
Jillian Kubala, MS, RD
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