Want To Give Hibiscus Tea A Try? Read This First

The taste of hibiscus tea is hard to resist: It's a little bit tart, a little bit sweet, and tastes mildly of cranberry. Want to learn more about hibiscus tea? Here's everything you need to know.

Sometimes called roselle tea, hibiscus tea originates in tropical areas like the Middle East and Central America. The U.S. Department of Agriculture reports that hibiscus plants can be one of 40 different species, and once the plant is grown, it has to be dried out before it can be made into tea. Once combined with boiling water, it makes a healthy, delicious beverage.

This recommendation by the AHA is based partially on a study conducted at Tufts University in Boston, which found that drinking three cups of hibiscus tea daily can significantly lower blood pressure. "We found that three cups a day of hibiscus tea significantly lowered systolic blood pressure among the group of people who consumed the tea daily for six weeks, compared with a placebo beverage containing artificial hibiscus flavor and coloring," explained Diane McKay, a scientist in the antioxidant lab at the Jean Mayer USDA Human Nutrition Research Center on Aging at Tufts University. "And the effect was even greater among people who had a higher baseline level of systolic blood pressure."

Hibiscus tea benefits don't end with its blood-pressure-lowering abilities. Because of the vitamins and minerals found in hibiscus tea (like flavonoids, the same pigment found in red wine), drinking hibiscus tea is a great way to ease symptoms of depression and anxiety. These combine to create a natural antidepressant, which can be helpful for anyone suffering from restlessness, feelings of sadness, insomnia, negative thinking patterns, and more.

The great thing about drinking water in hibiscus tea form is that you also get the benefits that come with drinking hibiscus tea, like lower blood pressure and eased symptoms of anxiety and depression. Additionally, drinking herbal teas is a great way to nip sugar cravings in the bud, and by now it's pretty obvious that the less refined sugar we eat, the better off we are.

Intrigued by the health benefits of tea? Here's how to use it to scale back on sugar.