Hibiscus tea, a summer drink rich in beneficial properties

Since we talked about how to make homemade iced tea with herbal teas and loose leaf tea, now we also need to know which drinks to prepare. In reality, all teas can be made cold... but there are some that turn out better; one of these is definitely hibiscus tea, and if you have ever been to Africa in the spring-summer period, you probably already knew that. Yes, because our dear African friends drink a lot of it considering that it is an excellent thirst quencher and with two/three tablespoons of leaves you can get a liter of drink.

                                                        SO WHAT IS KARKADE?

Hibiscus tea is an infusion of hibiscus flowers, a plant from the mallow family, native to tropical Africa. The origin of the word comes from the name "karkadeb" with which the plant is called in the Tacruri dialect, in Ethiopia. From the infusion of its petals, a refreshing and thirst-quenching drink is obtained, slightly acidic and with an unmistakable red color. Today science tells us that its properties are numerous: one of the latest studies has highlighted the hypocholesterolemic effect of this drink. In practice, it would reduce cholesterol buildup in the blood, bringing it back to normal levels. Another remarkable property is its hypotensive effect. Here is a summary of a study, published in Circulation, conducted by researchers at Tuft University in Boston who "tested a group of 65 volunteers between 30 and 70 years old with mild to moderate high blood pressure. The participants drank 3 cups a day of hibiscus infusion for 6 weeks: compared to the control group, an average reduction of 7.2% in systolic pressure was observed. In particular, in subjects with high blood pressure values, the reduction reached 13.2%. The results are in line with the outcome, recently published in the Journal of Human Hypertension, of tests conducted on hypertensive diabetic patients by a team of Iranian researchers: according to the data from the study, drinking two cups a day of hibiscus infusion led to a significant reduction in systolic pressure values. The properties of hibiscus, one of the best herbs that lower blood pressure, appear to be very important, especially considering that it has been calculated that a decrease in systolic pressure, even by just 3 mm Hg, is associated with an 8% decrease in the risk of stroke and a 5% decrease in the risk of coronary heart disease. The drink has no known side effects to date, and has a long list of healthy characteristics: it is diuretic and digestive, has antiseptic properties for the urinary tract, regulates liver function, is anti-inflammatory, soothing, and vitaminizing. Furthermore, it is very thirst-quenching (in Egypt it is consumed both hot and cold to combat dehydration and thirst) and in the form of an infusion it also has mild laxative properties. All this is added to the excellent taste of the drink, its high content of vitamin C, antioxidants in the form of polyphenols and flavonoids... in short, a panacea for summer. For more information on the product and possible purchase, you can consult its profile on the terza luna website.

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