Roselle Citrus Tea

Sip on some goodness with my favorite tea, roselle citrus tea.

The first blooms on my roselle signal the beginning of fall. I look forward to the cooler temperatures and roselle harvests. One of my favorite things to make with roselle is roselle citrus tea. Brisk mornings are perfect for a warm cup of this delicious tea. It’s made from freeze-dried or dehydrated roselle, lemon verbena, stevia, lemon grass, and lemon peel. 

Roselle citrus tea is easy to prepare and can be enjoyed as a warm or cold beverage. This tea is a delightful combination of tart and sweet flavors. In this blog post, I’ll share my recipe and explore some health benefits of its delicious ingredients.

What is roselle? 

Roselle is a tropical hibiscus plant widely used for medicinal and culinary purposes. It goes by many names, including red sorrel, Jamaican sorrel, Hibiscus sabdariffa, and Florida cranberry. It is a beautiful plant that produces deep red fruit calyxes that can be used in various recipes, including jellies, jams, teas, and more. If you want to learn more about how to grow this amazing plant, check out our blog post on “How to Grow Roselle.”

Roselle citrus tea ingredients: 

Roselle Citrus Tea is a tasty and healthy drink you can make at home with just a few ingredients. Since it is made from all-natural ingredients, it is a great alternative to sugary packaged drinks. 

To make Roselle Citrus Tea, you will need a few essential ingredients, including freeze-dried roselle, lemon verbena, stevia, lemon grass, and lemon peel.

These things grow easily in my low desert garden throughout the year. I preserve them at harvest time by freeze-drying. Learn more about freeze-drying in this blog post. You can also preserve by dehydrating.

These ingredients may be available online if you don’t grow your own. Look for high-quality, organic ingredients to make the best-tasting and healthiest tea.

Health benefits

• Roselle is high in antioxidants, specifically anthocyanins. Studies have shown that antioxidants in the hibiscus plant have anti-inflammatory and anti-cancer properties.¹
• Lemon verbena leaves contain chemicals that may reduce swelling.²
• Lemongrass has flavonoids and phenolic compounds that possess antioxidant properties. It also exhibits powerful antibacterial and antifungal effects and anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties.³

How to make roselle citrus tea

To make roselle citrus tea, combine all the ingredients – freeze-dried roselle, lemon verbena leaves, stevia, lemon grass, and lemon peel – in a blender and pulse them for a few seconds until they are chopped. Once the ingredients are blended, store them in an airtight jar. 

To prepare a cup of tea, steep two teaspoons of the mixture in boiling water for 10 minutes. The smell that wafts up as you steep the tea is divine.

If you prefer a cold drink, make roselle citrus iced tea by steeping the tea mixture in boiling water for 10 minutes, cooling the tea, and adding ice cubes and lemon slices. This makes for a refreshing and healthy summer drink.

Roselle Citrus Tea Recipe

Ingredients

• 1 cup freeze-dried roselle
• ½ c freeze-dried lemon verbena leaves
• ¼ c – ½ c freeze-dried stevia (depending on taste)
• ½ c freeze-dried lemon grass
• ¼ c freeze-dried lemon peel

Directions

1. Combine ingredients in a blender.
2. Pulse ingredients for a couple of seconds to lightly chop.
3. Store in an airtight jar.
4. Steep two teaspoons in 8 oz of boiling water for 10 minutes. 
5. Enjoy! 

Add honey or orange slices to your tea to enhance the flavor and sweetness.

Dehydrated ingredients may be substituted for freeze-dried. The measurements are the same.

I hope you try this recipe and enjoy Roselle Citrus Tea as much as we do!

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Sources used in this article:

1. Health Benefits of Hibiscus Tea, According to a Dietitian, EatingWell.com
2. Lemon Verbena – Uses, Side Effects, and More, Web M.D.
3. Lemongrass Health Benefits, Web M.D.