Wellness

[Tori3569]

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@JeanLouiseFinch wrote:

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@shoesnbags wrote:

@JeanLouiseFinch 

I'm really trying to like hibiscus tea because of the health benefits, but I don't like the taste.  I just love my Irish Breakfast tea and other black teas.  How long should I be brewing my hibiscus tea, and should the water be boiling or not as hot? I was gifted two bags of loose hibiscus tea for Christmas.

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@shoesnbags - right or wrong, I get the water super hot.  After I pour it over the teabag I let it steep for a good five minutes before I take my first sip.  I also stir in a couple drops of stevia.

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I'm laughing @JeanLouiseFinch because we're literally doing the exact opposite!  That's a great thing about tea...it's good all different ways! 

[AuntMame]

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@shoesnbags wrote:

@JeanLouiseFinch 

I'm really trying to like hibiscus tea because of the health benefits, but I don't like the taste.  I just love my Irish Breakfast tea and other black teas.  How long should I be brewing my hibiscus tea, and should the water be boiling or not as hot? I was gifted two bags of loose hibiscus tea for Christmas.

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For brewing herbal teas the water should be hot, but not boiling. 

But I make hibiscus tea and I don't think boiling water hurts it. 

I also prefer my Irish Breakfast. I didn't like hibiscus tea the first time I tried it. But it grew on me. I drink a cup nearly every day. It seems to sooth my elderly anxiety attacks. 

The brand I drink is from Traditional Medicinals.

Years ago I bought loose hibiscus blossom leaves from a local organic store. It was pretty potent stuff taste-wise. There's a wide variety in taste among different hibiscus varieties. Hibiscus from Traditional Medicinals is very mild.  

The Polish fruit teas that you can buy in a box, such as Malwa brand, are largely hibiscus leaves. These are delicious teas if you like a fruity tea. 

[Spacrazy]

We've been using this about a year and love it!  Regardless of a few other posters I just love the taste. It's a great pick-me-up in the afternoon.

[JeanLouiseFinch]

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@haddon9 wrote:

Since the summer I have been making myself a pitcher of hibiscus and green iced tea.  I had read that it will help bring blood pressure down and it really does seem to work for me.  I also mentioned it to my doctor and he agreed that it does help with high blood pressure.

I have 3-4 6oz. glasses a day of it.

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I'm going to have to up my game, @haddon9, and see if I can knock mine down.  I'm all coffee in the morning but I could add more tea in the afternoon.  

[JeanLouiseFinch]

@shoesnbags - I was looking for directions.  On my bag, it says boiled water and steep 5-7 mins.  Other packaging had similar instructions about boiled water.  A couple had an actual temperature noted but I'd never be that fussy about sticking thermometer in the water to be so precise.  I do believe allowing the recommended steeping time matters, though, for the full flavor to develop. 

[haddon9]

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@JeanLouiseFinch wrote:

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@haddon9 wrote:

Since the summer I have been making myself a pitcher of hibiscus and green iced tea.  I had read that it will help bring blood pressure down and it really does seem to work for me.  I also mentioned it to my doctor and he agreed that it does help with high blood pressure.

I have 3-4 6oz. glasses a day of it.

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I'm going to have to up my game, @haddon9, and see if I can knock mine down.  I'm all coffee in the morning but I could add more tea in the afternoon.  

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@JeanLouiseFinch The mix that I make is very good!  I wanted to drink more water to be hydrated and better for my kidneys but plain water when I'm not thirsty just wasn't cutting it.  I also didn't want any of those flavored add ins to water either.

When I stumbled across some videos claiming that hibiscus tea helps to lower blood pressure I thought I would give it a try.  Sure enough it works pretty well for me.

At first I bought a no name brand of hibiscus but I didn't like it.  If I don't like it, I'm not going to drink it.

I ended up buying "The Republic of Tea" brand "Hibiscus Superflower tea "and the same brand's "Lean Green" with Japanese Matcha, cinnamon, green tea.  It's a bit pricey but I love the taste.  I can also find a large bag of the same hibiscus tea on Amazon for a good savings.

I put in three glasses of 14 Oz of water into a teapot to boil, then I add three each of the hibiscus and green tea bags.  I let it steep for a while then I will add a scoop of ice to cool it down before putting it into a pitcher then into the fridge.

[shoesnbags]

Thanks to @JeanLouiseFinch and all who gave suggestions for the tea.  At least I know it's not the temperature, since you're all using different temps.  I may have put too much tea into the infuser; I'll try less next time. 

The teas that I have sound so good when I just read the ingredients - I don't know why my taste buds don't agree. 

Here's what I have, both from Chicago Teahouse:

Plum Spice (hibiscus blossoms, rosehip peels, apple pieces, plum pieces, elderberries, connamon, star anise)

Fireside Glow (Hibiscus, rose hip peels, apple, raisons, elderberries, pineapple, cinnamon, orange peel, papaya, cloves, mango, currants, blueberries)

Again, thanks everybody!

[Shelbelle]

My DH drinks a lot of this too, I get him 140 bags on Amz. 

I take one Hibiscus cap every morning, helps to lower my BP. 

[shoesnbags]

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@Shelbelle wrote:

My DH drinks a lot of this too, I get him 140 bags on Amz. 

I take one Hibiscus cap every morning, helps to lower my BP. 

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@Shelbelle What brand are your hibiscus capsules?  

[Sweet Kitties]

Like cilantro, it's something you either do or don't like.