Hibiscus plants are known for their large, colorful flowers that make a decorative addition to a home or garden. They also have medicinal uses. Flowers and leaves can be made into teas and liquid extracts that are used to treat a variety of conditions.

Read on to find out how hibiscus can help relieve upset stomach, high blood pressure, cancer, bacterial infections, weight loss, and fevers.

Did You Know?
The hibiscus plant is native to parts of North Africa and Southeast Asia. Major producers of hibiscus today are Mexico, Jamaica, Thailand, and China.

Hibiscus flowers come in many colors. They can be red, yellow, white, or peach-colored, and can be as big as six inches wide. You can also find hibiscus plants in many garden stores.

The red flowers are most commonly cultivated for medical purposes, and are available as dietary supplements.

Hibiscus tea is also called sour tea because of its tart taste. It’s made from a mixture of dried hibiscus flowers, leaves, and dark red calyces (cup-shaped center of the flower). After the flower finishes blooming, the petals fall off and the calyces turn into pods that hold the plant’s seeds. Calyces are often the main ingredients in herbal drinks containing hibiscus.



In Iran, drinking sour tea is a common treatment for high blood pressure.



Did You Know?
Hibiscus contains antioxidants called anthocyanins, which cause the red coloring of hibiscus flowers, as well as berries and red wine.

Hibiscus shows potential for cancer treatment, weight loss, and other uses. However, there aren’t as many studies in these areas. Some research suggests that anthocyanins may hold the key to hibiscus’s anti-cancer properties.


Hibiscus tea and extract can be purchased at health food stores as a dietary supplement. There is no recommended dose because the doses depend on the product you purchase and why you’re using it. The typical amount of calyx in one serving of tea is 1.5 g, but studies have used as much as 10 g of dried calyx and extracts containing as much as 250 mg of anthocyanins.

When used as a tea, hibiscus is generally considered safe. However, more research is needed in order to determine which doses are safe for pregnant or breastfeeding women, children, and people with liver or kidney disease.

Some research suggests that hibiscus may affect the way the body processes acetaminophen (Tylenol), but this effect is likely very minimal.

The Takeaway
