Do you love the bold tart flavor of the hibiscus tea?
Would you want to learn how to sweeten hibiscus tea?
Hibiscus tea comes loaded with lots of health benefits. However, if you have a sweet tooth, you may have a challenge taking hibiscus tea due to its tart taste.
So, how do you make the taste more pleasant?
Have you ever tried some vanilla on it? Or honey? Or sugar?
What you can add to hibiscus tea to make it better?
1. Sugar
Sugar is a popular sweetener globally. After you have prepared your cup of hibiscus tea, you can make it better by adding sugar.
You can take your cup of hibiscus tea, either hot or cold. If you go for hot tea, it is easy to add solid sugar. Sugar will readily dissolve in the hot cup of hibiscus tea, making it sweeter.
Alternatively, you can have a cup of iced hibiscus tea. You can also add sugar to make it better. However, unlike its hot counterparts, solid sugar will not readily dissolve in cold water. Therefore, the best thing would be to use syrup to sweeten your tea.
To prepare your syrup, mix a cup of sugar and one cup of water. Place the mixture on a stove and heat until the sugar dissolves completely. With that, you have your syrup ready to sweeten your hibiscus tea.
Note, if you heat the mixture for long, you may end up with a caramel that you do not need for now.
2. Honey
Honey has a long-standing relationship with hibiscus tea. It has been widely used as a sweetener not only for hibiscus tea but also for other types of tea.
Apart from sweetening your tea, honey enhances the health benefits of hibiscus tea. First, honey comes with a lot of antioxidants that help fight illnesses in the body. It comes with antibacterial and antiseptic properties.
Thus you can use it in treating wounds.
A mixture of honey and lemon has come in handy as a remedy for cold and coughs for a long time. Additionally, you can use honey to fight infections, prevent acid reflux, and reduce the duration of diarrhea.
3. Vanilla
Nothing stops you from being creative with your cup of hibiscus tea. If you want to try out something new, then you can try out some vanilla.
The result will be a yummy combination that will leave you with a nostalgic memory of sweetness. The combination of the tart flavor from hibiscus tea and the vanilla makes a lasting statement on your throat.
4. Lemon
You can also use lemon to lift the taste of your hibiscus tea. Lemon is a worthy combination as it also comes with a ton of health benefits. Thus, it complements the immense health benefits that hibiscus tea offers.
For instance, you can use lemon to battle a cold and cough without using being on medication. Lemon also comes in handy as a worthy partner in your weight loss journey. It increases your metabolic rate and also decreases your chances of getting a heart disease.
Lemon is also a rich source of vitamin C. Vitamin C helps to boost your body’s immune system. It also helps to repair your teeth and bones.
Lemon water is also a remedy for a lot of skin issues.
Apart from using it to lift the taste of your hibiscus tea, lemon also comes in handy in the presentation. You can use it to garnish your cup of tea and make it more pleasant.
5. Ginger
Have you tried combining ginger with hibiscus tea?
If you have not, you are missing a lot.
A combination of ginger and hibiscus tea offers you a heavenly blend. You get a drink with a flavor that is irresistible.
Also, the combination of the two results in a drink rich in antioxidants, and vitamin C. You can serve it hot or iced depending on your preference.
Ginger brings on board spiciness. It also cools your body and aids in the digestive system.
A combination of ginger and hibiscus tea is suitable for people going through chemo treatment. Apart from cooling your body from the chemo effects, it also gets rid of the bad taste in the mouth due to chemo drugs.
6. Mint
A partnership between hibiscus tea and mint results in a heavenly flavor. You will be at a loss if you do not try out the delicious combination.
Plus, you can use mint to garnish your tea and also give it more appeal as you serve it.
Mint also performs well in the health benefits field. It helps in reducing breastfeeding pain, and it also masks terrible breath. Also, mint enhances brain function, deals with irritable bowel syndrome, among others.
7. Fruits
Oh boy!
What are you waiting for if you are not trying this?
A combination of hibiscus tea and fruits is irresistible. You can use fruits such as mangoes, apples, and so on.
If you choose to use dried hibiscus flowers to make your tea, you can go for the ones blended with fruits.
Otherwise, you can also dry fruits at home.
Dried fruits will give you a better flavor than fresh ones.
8. Milk
You will get all manner of advice some of it being that you should not prepare hibiscus tea with milk. Reason being that you will end up with lumps. And that the milk may separate the hibiscus tea.
Well, there is some truth in it.
Hibiscus tea is acidic. That is why people with stomach ulcers and acid reflux should be cautious with it.
The acidity may cause the milk to curdle.
But all this is if you do not have the right preparation procedure. In a nutshell, you should brew hibiscus tea separately. Then shake your milk and put it in a microwave for some minutes. Mix the two, and you are good to go.
Milk comes with calcium and phosphorus nutrients that are beneficial to your bones and teeth. It also contains Vitamin A, which boosts your immune system. Additionally, milk is a rich source of protein that gives your body the energy it requires.
9. Cinnamon
Try cinnamon with hibiscus tea for a rejuvenating feeling.
Cinnamon facilitates blood flow in your body, which leaves you feeling active and fresh.
Other tips that make the taste of hibiscus tea better
Water
The type of water you use can affect the flavor of your tea. For instance, tap water may be contaminated with chemicals. The chemicals will affect the natural tart flavor of hibiscus tea. Alternatively, you can use spring or pure water.
Type of hibiscus flower
If you want to get the best flavor, use loose hibiscus flowers. The loose flower spreads entirely to release all the flavor.
Teabags, on the other hand, contain broken flowers that are of low quality. They, therefore, don’t give the best flavor. They are, however, more convenient.
Amount of hibiscus flowers
The amount of hibiscus flowers you use should depend on the taste you want. If you want a strong flavor, use more flowers and vice versa.
You should also steep your tea for about five minutes to achieve the best flavor. If you steep for more minutes, you might end up with a cold, unpleasant drink.
Teapot
Use a specific teapot for brewing hibiscus tea. Thus, you will not get contaminations from other flavors.
Final thoughts
Nothing should stop you from enjoying your cup of hibiscus tea. If the tart flavor doesn’t please you, you can lift it using additives.
Above, we have given you a list of additives that you can use.
Plus, some of the additives such as honey, ginger, and milk, complement the health benefits of hibiscus tea.
