Plant Profile - Hibiscus

Hibiscus plant in bloom

This beautiful, tropical flower known as Hibiscus originates from Northern Africa and Asia, is known as the flower of Jamaica, and is cultivated around the world nowadays. 2.

• Common name (Latin name): Hibiscus (Hibiscus rosa-sinensis).1

• Parts used: Calyx (like a rosehip - found below the flower petals, like a rosehip on a rose bush.

• Properties: Antibacterial, high in antioxidants, effective at reducing blood pressure.

• Energetics: Astringent, sweet, cooling. Pitta -, Kapha -, Vata +

• Chakras: Root and Sacral Chakras

• Tissues: Plasma, Blood, Muscles, Marrow, Nerve, and Reproductive

• Systems & Organs: Circulatory, Lymphatic, Female reproductive, Nervous systems. Organs it can be helpful for restoring balance are: Kidneys, Heart, and Reproductive organs

• Vitamins + Minerals: Vitamin C, mineral salts of: calcium, magnesium, potassium, and sodium. A source of Iron, Phosphorus, and Zinc, and also contains B-vitamins such as Niacin and Folic Acid. This tea is a good source of anthocyanins, which may make it beneficial for managing elevated blood pressure levels, menstrual cramps, the common cold, and urinary tract infections (UTIs). (3)

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Hibiscus, dried ready to infuse into tea

BENEFITS of hibiscus

When you look at the mineral content of Hibiscus you get a greater appreciation of the old saying that it’s hydrating to our tissues. It is a natural electrolyte drink made by nature. :) All those minerals are helpful for our heart, skin, and kidneys, and balance our menstrual cycles. The colour of the herb is a deep red, which in Ayurveda tells us that it is beneficial for our heart, and reproductive organs and is blood purifying and cleansing. In Ayurveda, it’s common to see Hibiscus hair oil.

I had a client last year, who couldn’t get her hair to grow longer than her shoulders, because it would just get too brittle and break. One of the remedies I crafted for her, was a herbal-infused hibiscus hair oil, which she applied 2-3 times a week as a scalp treatment. Within a month or so, her hair growth was returning and her hair shafts were so much stronger! We also worked on restoring balance inside the body so that we could get to the root of her pitta imbalance. In Ayurveda, it’s thought we lose our hair from too much heat in the scalp, from a pitta imbalance. So hibiscus is very helpful here because of its high mineral content and the cooling, moistening properties of the plant would lend itself well to the regrowth of the hair follicles.

Hibiscus is helpful to purify the blood, and heart tissues, both physically and spiritually, helping us destroy obstacles and realize our goals. They are believed to help us make mantras more fruitful and enhance our attention in meditation. They have similar energetics to lotus and rose flowers and combine well with both of these. (1, 5)

Hibiscus can improve our skin complexion, promote hair growth as discussed above, promote kidney health, and dissipate excessive heat in the kidneys and reproductive organs, which can show up as lymph stagnation, and menstrual difficulties like excessive bleeding, or cramping. (1, 5)

In addition to benefiting people with high blood pressure, research shows that hibiscus extracts positively affects blood lipids by reducing total cholesterol and triglyceride levels. (6, 7, 8)

Another small study showed hibiscus to be more effective than a commonly prescribed diuretic for lowering blood pressure. (9)

In one trial conducted on 54 male soccer players, hibiscus tea extract was shown to decrease negative oxidative stress and increase total antioxidant capacity. (10)

Refreshing hibiscus tea served over ice. Perfect for summer!

To summarize Hibiscus has these 9 great benefits:

• Rich in antioxidants

• Improves our skin inside and out

• Promotes hair growth

• May help lower blood pressure

• May act as an anti-depressant

• Can be beneficial for weight-loss

• Might help lower cholesterol

• Might aid in Liver health support

• Can be effective for improved digestion

PREPARATIONS:

• Water infusion as a tea (cold or hot). See recipe suggestions here.

• Oil infusion

• Powder added to beverages, baked goods, desserts, and/or smoothies (250mg to 1g daily)

• Vinegar infusion - for a salad dressing or an oxymel

Dried hibiscus with small cup of freshly brewed warm hibiscus tea

REFERENCES:

1. Dr. David Frawley & Dr. Vasant Lad (2001). Yoga of Herbs. An Ayurvedic Guide to Herbal Medicine.

2. Colleen Codekas. (2018). Healing Herbal Infusions. Simple and Effective Home Remedies for Colds, Muscle Pain, Upset Stomach, Stress, Skin Issues, and More.

3. Meenakshi Nagdeve. 7 Great Benefits of Hibiscus Tea. Organic Facts. https://www.organicfacts.net/health-benefits/beverage/hibiscus-tea.html

4. Rosalee de la Foret. (2015). Learning Herbs. How to Make Hibiscus Tea & How to Make Hibiscus Syrup. https://learningherbs.com/remedies-recipes/hibiscus-syrup/, https://learningherbs.com/remedies-recipes/how-to-make-hibiscus-tea/

5. The Benefits of Hibiscus. (2022). Banyan Botanicals. https://www.banyanbotanicals.com/info/plants/ayurvedic-herbs/the-benefits-of-hibiscus/

6. Sedigheh Asgary et al., “Evaluation of the Effects of Hibiscus,” 175-80. 

7. C. M. Gurrola-Díaz et al., (2010) “Effects of Hibiscus sabdariffa Extract Powder and Preventive Treatment (diet) on the Lipid Profiles of Patients with Metabolic Syndrome (MeSy),” Phytomedicine: International Journal of Phytotherapy and Phytopharmacology 17, no. 7: 500-05, https://doi:10.1016/j.phymed.2009.10.014. 

8. Hassan Mozaffari-Khosravi et al., (2009). “Effects of Sour Tea (Hibiscus sabdariffa) on Lipid Profile and Lipoproteins in Patients with Type II Diabetes,” Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine 15, no. 8: 899-903, https://doi:10.1089/acm.2008.0540. 

9. D. C. Nwachukwu et al., (2015). “Effect of Hibiscus sabdariffa on Blood Pressure and Electrolyte Profile of Mild to Moderate Hypertensive Nigerians: A Comparative Study with Hydrochlorothiazide,” Nigerian Journal of Clinical Practice 18, no. 6: 762-70, https://doi:10.4103/1119-3077.163278. 

10. . Amir Hadi et al., (2017). “The Effect of Green Tea and Sour Tea (Hibiscus sabdariffa L.) Supplementation on Oxidative Stress and Muscle Damage in Athletes,” Journal of Dietary Supplements 14, no. 3: 346-57, https://doi:10.1080/19390211.2016.1237400. 

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