Hibiscus Tea is also known as Agua De Jamaica is a sweet, tart, and refreshing Mexican iced drink. This tea is usually made with dried hibiscus flowers, lemon, ginger, cinnamon, and sugar. The recipe I have shared here shows how to make Hibiscus Tea with easy step-by-step instructions for you to try and enjoy at home.
I have also shared a detailed video of this recipe to make the cooking process simple and clear. This Hibiscus Tea is a perfect detox drink to enjoy on hot summer days or even to keep yourself warm on cold winter days. And the best part is it is also loaded with a lot of health benefits.
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What is Hibiscus Tea (Agua De Jamaica)?
Hibiscus Tea is also known as Agua De Jamaica is a sweet and tart Mexican Iced Tea. The term Agua De Jamaica is nothing but "hibiscus water". It is also called agua fresca Jamaica which translates to fresh and cool hibiscus water.
This Hibiscus Tea is one of the popular agua frescas usually consumed as an alternative to sodas in Mexico. It is usually made with dried hibiscus flowers, water, sugar and sometimes it is also flavored with cinnamon, lemon, and ginger. And it is usually enjoyed as a refreshing thirst quencher with a lot of ice cubes on summer days and as accompaniment for a mid-day meal.
Not only this tea is refreshing but also loaded with a lot of health benefits when enjoyed in moderation. And it is also a caffeine-free drink that can be enjoyed all season. So let's see how to make this drink at home with easy step-by-step instructions.
More Iced Drinks
Ingredients
The ingredients you will need to make this Hibiscus Tea are basic and some should already be in your pantry. The dried Hibiscus Flowers should be easily available in most Mexican grocery stores. If not, you can also find them online.
- Hibiscus Flower - Even though you can make this tea using fresh hibiscus flowers, finding the edible ones are little bit tricky when comes to fresh ones. So to be on safer side, I would recommend to buy dried flowers that are meant for making tea
- Lemon - I have used 2 slices of lemon to achieve a slight lemony taste to the drink
- Cinnamon Sticks - Gives a slight heat and warmness to your drink
- Ginger - Good for digestion and good for cold , and cough
- Sugar - I have used only minimal amount of sugar here, but if you are planning to make a stronger conentrate then feel free to increase the sweetner
How to make Hibiscus Tea?
The recipe I have shared here is the healthy and comforting Hibiscus Tea made with dried flowers. The authentic Agua De Jamaica is usually strong, but here I have made it mildly strong that you can enjoy the tea as it is without diluting with a lot of ice cubes.
Following are the high-level instructions to make this drink but for detailed step-by-step instructions with photo and video, please check out the recipe card below.
- Add in the ingredients - In a saucepan, add 3 cups of water and add ginger, lemon slices, cinnamon sticks, and sugar
- Boil - Allow the mixture to boil for 2 to 3 minutes and switch off the heat
- Add in the Hibiscus Flower - Now add the dried hibiscus flowers and give a good mix
- Brew the mixture - Close the saucepan with its lid and allow the mixture to brew for 5 to 7 minutes
- Filter and Serve - Now open the lid and remove the Hibiscus tea from heat. You can filter and enjoy this Agua De Jamaica as it is hot or allow the drink to cool down and enjoy it with a lot of ice cubes
Tips
- For Flavor and Taste - Even though the authentic Mexican recipe calls for only hibiscus flower, water, and sugar, I have added ginger, cinnamon, and lemon to enhance its flavor and taste
- For Strong Concentrate - I have used only ¼ cup dried hibiscus flower which delivers the perfect concentrate to 3 cups of water. But you can also increase it up to ½ cup for a stronger concentrate. And make sure to dilute the stronger decoction with a lot of ice cubes before serving it
- Sweetener - This Agua De Jamaica tastes usually tart and adding sugar, honey or other sweeteners helps to balance out the tartness
- Serving - Serve this healthy Agua De Jamaica Tea with a lot of ice cubes as a refreshment on summer days or enjoy hot as a comforting drink on winter days
Benefits Of Hibiscus Tea
What is Hibiscus Tea good for? It is the most frequent question that comes to our mind. According to NCBI US National Institute of Health, the research study shows consuming Hibiscus Tea in recommended amount may,
- Reduce the risk of high blood pressure
- Lowers the Bad Cholestrol Levels
- Improves Cardiovascular Health
Also according to Healthline, Hibiscus Tea are rich in antioxidants that help to prevent cell damage, lowers high blood pressure, improve heart health, lower bad fat, detoxifies enzymes and promote liver health and also help in weight loss.
Side Effects
According to WebMD, consuming this Hibiscus Tea in overdose may cause gas, constipation, and stomach upset. They also recommend not to consume this tea during pregnancy as it might stimulate the menstrual cycle and potentially terminate the pregnancy. Studies also suggest staying away from this tea when you are breastfeeding or before, during, and after surgery. They also suggest there is no reliable information on whether it is safe to consume for children under 12 years.
Calories
This Hibiscus Tea I have shared here contains 36 calories per serving and it is an estimation by the nutrition calculator. The calorie count may change if you change or replace any of the ingredients. You could also find detailed nutritional information in the recipe card below.
Storage Suggestions
You can store this tea in a closed airtight pitcher for up to 3 to 4 days in the refrigerator. And I would recommend you filter the tea before storing it in the refrigerator for preserving its freshness.
Serving Suggestions
Serve this refreshing tea either hot to keep yourself warm on cold days or with a lot of ice cubes to quench your thirst on hot summer days.
Related Recipes
You could also find similar Tea Recipes below and more at Summer Drinks and Winter Drinks.
- Turmeric Tea
- Lemon Ginger Tea
- Ginger Tea
- Mint Tea
- Barley Tea
- Masala Chai (Masala Tea)
- Boba Milk Tea (Bubble Tea)
- Taro Milk Tea (Taro Bubble Tea)
- Strawberry Milk Bubble Tea
More Mexican Drinks:
Hibiscus Tea Recipe video
I have also shared a detailed video of this Hibiscus Tea Recipe also called Agua De Jamaica that I hope will help you to make the comforting drink at home. And you could also find this recipe in story format.
📖 Recipe
Hibiscus Tea (Agua De Jamaica)
Ingredients
- 3 cups Water
- 1 tsp Ginger
- 2 Lemon slices
- ½ Cinnamon Stick, small
- 2 tbsp Sugar
- ¼ cup Dried Hibiscus Flower
Instructions
To make Hibiscus Tea (Agua De Jamaica)
- In a saucepan, add 3 cups of water and add ginger, lemon slices, cinnamon sticks, and sugar
- Allow the mixture to boil for 2 to 3 minutes and switch off the heat
- Now add the dried hibiscus flowers and give a good mix
- Close the saucepan with its lid and allow the mixture to brew for 5 to 7 minutes
- Now open the lid and remove the Hibiscus tea from heat. You can filter and enjoy this Agua De Jamaica as it is hot
- Add a lot of ice cubes to enjoy the iced version of this hibiscus tea
Video
Notes
- For Flavor and Taste - Even though the authentic Mexican recipe calls for only hibiscus flower, water, and sugar, I have added ginger, cinnamon, and lemon to enhance its flavor and taste
- For Strong Concentrate - I have used only ¼ cup of dried hibiscus flower which delivers the perfect concentrate to 3 cups of water. But you can also increase it up to ½ cup for a stronger concentrate. And make sure to dilute the stronger decoction with a lot of ice cubes before serving it
- Sweetener - This Agua De Jamaica tastes usually tart and adding sugar, honey or other sweeteners helps to balance out the tartness
- Serving - This healthy Hibiscus Tea is one of the perfect detox drinks that can be enjoyed with a lot of ice cubes as a refreshment on summer days or enjoyed hot as a comforting drink on winter days
Nutrition
FAQ
Hibiscus Tea is also known as Agua De Jamaica is a popular agua fresca in Mexico. It is usually made with dried hibiscus flowers, sugar, and water. Agua Fresca is nothing but a cool and fresh drink made with fresh fruits that are consumed alternate to soda. This Hibiscus Tea is usually served cold with a lot of ice cubes as an accompaniment for a mid-day meal.
Yes, this tea is loaded with a lot of health benefits when taken in moderation. It has high antioxidants properties that help to fight cell damage, helps in lowering blood pressure, maintains cardio health, and a lot more.
Yes, you can use fresh hibiscus flowers to make this tea but make sure to use the edible ones. There are a lot of varieties in hibiscus flower which is not intended for consumption, so I recommend using the dried ones that are meant for making tea to be on the safer side.
No, both hot and iced versions of this tea do not have any caffeine in them.
This Hibiscus Tea I have shared here contains 36 calories per serving and it is an estimation by the nutrition calculator. The calorie count may change if you change or replace any of the ingredients. You could also find detailed nutritional information in the recipe card above.
I hope you enjoyed the recipe that I have shared here and I would love to hear from you on how it turned out for you. Please let me know.
If you have any other questions, feel free to post them in the comment section below and I will try to get back to you as soon as possible.
Enjoy!
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