Drink of the pharaohs in your cup: herbal tea with hibiscus

If you like slightly sour drinks, try herbal tea with hibiscus petals. This bright, tropical flower not only pleases the eyes but is also capable of delivering immense pleasure to the admirer of exquisite tisanes. Hibiscus tea, or “drink of the pharaohs”, has a rich red colour, expressive taste and many beneficial properties.

Tisane is also known as karkade. It can be a little confusing, since not every hibiscus flower can become the basis for herbal tea. Hibiscus is a botanical genus from the Malvaceae family. For example, the hibiscus that is often grown on windowsills is not suitable for brewing. To create drinks, they take the petals of Hibiscus sabdariffa, or the Sudanese rose. It is its petals and a drink from them that are called karkade.
Hibiscus tea can be served both hot and cold. It has a cooling effect in hot weather, especially since sour drinks seem cooler. Moreover, in the cold it is nice to drink a cup of ruby tea, which resembles flames in a fireplace.

Keep in mind, though, that cold hibiscus can lower blood pressure, while hot hibiscus can increase it.

Hibiscus goes well with regular tea, spices and various medicinal plants that are used to create herbal teas. It creates interesting flavor compositions. For example, “Chayane” has a blend called “Fruit Cocktail”, which includes dried apricots and apples, selected raisins and hibiscus flowers. Pleasant sourness and fruity sweetness complement each other harmoniously, and the delicate aroma of Sudanese rose reminds of fairy tales of the mysterious East…