Flu season has arrived, and I’ve been under the weather for the past couple of weeks. The cold finally shifted to the side I’d been trying to avoid, so I’ve been relying on plenty of fluids—especially herbal teas—to stay hydrated and comforted.
I love the deep, natural red of hibiscus tea. It’s vivid color straight from nature—no artificial dyes—so it’s a welcome alternative to brightly colored sports drinks or gelatin made with artificial colorings.
If you can’t find pure hibiscus tea, many blends include hibiscus along with other ingredients. For example, Raspberry Zinger combines hibiscus, rosehips, chicory, orange peel, and natural raspberry flavors for a bright, fruity cup.
Tazo Passion Tea has been a longtime favorite of mine. With hibiscus, rosehips, lemongrass, mango, and passionfruit notes, it’s bright, fruity, and comforting when you’re feeling low.
Out my backyard, my tangelo tree is loaded with fruit—beautifully colored but a little tart. They’re perfect for juicing, though, because I need a good dose of vitamin C right now. Any sweet orange citrus will work: oranges, tangelos, or tangerines. Right now, tangerines tend to be the sweetest, but I’m using tangelos from my tree.
Left: hibiscus tea with tangelo juice; Right: Raspberry Zinger with tangelo juice
To make a refreshing batch, steep a strong hibiscus tea, sweeten it to taste with honey, stevia, or another sweetener, then mix in an equal amount of freshly squeezed tangerine, tangelo, or orange juice. Taste again and adjust sweetness if needed, then chill.
The pitcher made with pure hibiscus yields a deeper red color, while the blend with hibiscus and rosehips is still bright and appealing. Both are cheerful and refreshing, and they store well in the refrigerator.
You can also use this vivid tea-and-juice mixture to make naturally colored gelatin or agar desserts. Simply dissolve gelatin or agar according to package instructions, mix in the tea-juice blend, pour into a pan, and chill until firm. I prefer them extra firm and cut into cubes; they taste best with a touch more sweetness than the drink version.
A bright, cheery drink like this can really lift your spirits on a dreary day and give you a pleasant vitamin C boost.
- 4 hibiscus or hibiscus-blend tea bags
- 3 cups boiling water
- 3 cups freshly squeezed tangerine or orange juice
- Honey, stevia, or sweetener of choice, to taste
- Steep the tea bags in the boiling water for 5 minutes. Remove the tea bags and add sweetener. Let the tea cool to room temperature.
- Mix the fresh juice into the cooled tea. Add more sweetener if needed. Serve chilled.