PROS
1. I love the taste of hibiscus tea, and this FGO brand is fresh and delicious.
2. It is USDA Certified Organic through Certification Services, LLC, California (CCOF). It is admirable that the manufacturer provides this specific information.
3. No plastic!! This product comes in a resealable, biodegradable Kraft bag.
4. Good value for the cost.
5. Satisfaction guaranteed from manufacturer.
CONS
I can’t think of any.
NEUTRAL
I have previously purchased other brands of hibiscus, including: Anthony’s, Frontier and Dualspices. I personally cannot tell the difference between them and this brand in terms of taste and freshness, and all four are organic. When I order hibiscus, the brand I choose depends on availability and current cost.
INFORMATION ON HIBISCUS
The dark, rose-colored pigment of hibiscus tea indicates that this herb contains an abundance of antioxidant flavonoids. Hibiscus is also rich in vitamin C. There is a huge body of scientific research indicating that antioxidants and vitamin C are powerful anti-inflammatories. Decades of research has indicated that inflammation is either the direct cause or a major contributor to virtually every known disease, most especially heart disease, cancer, and autoimmune disorders such as arthritis. However, hibiscus is most well known for the decades of research findings that indicate it can help lower blood pressure.
There are two main ways to use an herb like hibiscus for health and healing. For those who might find it helpful, I’ve described below those methods.
HERBAL TEA. I personally use cold-infusion to make my herbal teas because it is convenient and cost effective—I can use about 20% as much of the herb than by pouring boiling water over it. I put 1/2 tablespoon of this hibiscus in the bottom of a 32-ounce glass jar. I then sprinkle half a teaspoon of stevia powder on top of the herbs (optional), pour purified water into the jar nearly to the top, screw on the cap, and refrigerate it overnight. The next day, I shake the bottle, remove the lid, and pour the tea through a strainer, placed inside a funnel, into another glass bottle. I use 2 cups of hibiscus tea in my morning green smoothie, and I also include in my smoothie the 1/2 tablespoon of hibiscus flowers I have strained from a batch of tea in order to get extra benefit from the hibiscus.
Suggested Dose. There is no official RDA for hibiscus tea to prevent high blood pressure, but a suggested range for efficacy is a minimum of three cups per day. It should be taken consistently, because only taking it for a few days, weeks or months and then stopping will not solve high blood pressure once and for all. According to the World Health Organization, a person weighing 150 pounds can safely drink up to 15 cups (slightly less than a gallon) of hibiscus tea per day. I weigh 130 pounds, and I drink 32-48 ounces per day.
HERBAL TINCTURE. Tinctures are much more concentrated than tea, and they are administered sublingually, which allows the hibiscus to be absorbed immediately into the bloodstream rather than being filtered through the digestive tract and liver. A hibiscus tincture is made just as you would any other herbal tincture, and it is massively cheaper to make your own rather than purchase it ready-made. Here are the instructions:
1. Obtain a clean, pint-sized (2 cups or 16 ounces) glass jar with a lid. (If you use a quart Mason jar, adjust the proportions accordingly.)
2. Obtain consumable, 80 proof alcohol such as vodka or rum.
3. Fill the jar 1/4 full with hibiscus.
4. Boil 1-1/2 cups purified water and pour it over the herbs until the jar is 3/4 full.
5. Fill the jar to the top with the alcohol (about 1/2 cup).
6. Screw on the lid tightly and shake the jar. Label the jar with the name, “Hibiscus Tincture,” and the date of the day you make it.
7. Store the jar in a cool, dry place (I put mine in a lower cabinet in my kitchen) for a minimum of 3 weeks, but ideally around 6 weeks.
8. Shake the jar daily (you can set a repeat alarm on your smartphone).
9. At the end of the 3-6 weeks, strain the tincture through a cheesecloth or very fine strainer and discard the herbs.
10. Store the tincture liquid in a glass jar, ideally made of dark (blue or brown) glass, which protects the tincture from light damage. If you only have clear glass, you can store the tincture in a kitchen cabinet to cut down on light exposure.
Suggested Dose. There is no official RDA for hibiscus tincture to prevent high blood pressure, but a suggested range for efficacy is 20-40 drops or 1-2 dropperfuls up to three times per day. A dropperful is about 20 drops, or 1 ml. If you do not have a dropper, a measuring-spoon teaspoon is roughly equivalent to 5 ml., which is equal to 5 dropperfuls. Two dropperfuls (2 ml.) of tincture is equal in dosage to one 8 oz. cup of tea. To achieve the equivalent of the standard dose for hibiscus tea of 3 cups per day, you’d take 2 dropperfuls three times per day, or 6 dropperfuls all at once, which is approximately 1-1/4 teaspoon. Take the dose sublingually for quickest absorption, that is, drop it under the tongue and hold it there a few seconds before swallowing. Note that the longer you can hold it under the tongue, the more immediate transfer to the bloodstream you will get.
Drug Interaction Warning
It is not recommended to consume hibiscus if you are taking blood pressure drugs. Although so many of these drugs have been recalled from the market lately because they cause cancer, it is amazing that any are left for doctors to prescribe. These drugs are also notorious for causing dizziness and fainting, both of which can cause senior citizens to fall, which can result in broken bones and even death due to head injuries.
OTHER NATURAL WAYS TO LOWER BLOOD PRESSURE
Hibiscus is only one of many safe, natural ways to lower blood pressure, and it is a good idea, as the saying goes, to not "put all your eggs in one basket" and only count on hibiscus to solve the problem if you have high blood pressure. It would be useful to also incorporate into your daily health routine some of these other well researched and well tested methods of reducing high blood pressure, including:
1. Regular, mild exercise, such as walking. (Free!)
2. Lower salt intake. (Free!)
3. Reduce (or ideally eliminate) alcohol intake. (Saves money.)
4. Eat foods with potassium or supplement with potassium. Some common food sources of potassium include: Bananas, oranges, cantaloupe, honeydew, apricots, grapefruit, prunes, raisins, dates, cooked spinach, cooked broccoli, potatoes, sweet potatoes, mushrooms, peas, and cucumbers. The least expensive way to supplement with potassium is to buy potassium powder in bulk. (Low cost).
5. Low or no caffeine. (Saves money.)
6. Reduce stress. The easiest, most convenient method is deep, diaphragmatic breathing; also helpful are exercise, soothing music, petting your companion animal, and laughter. (Free!)
7. Eat a small amounts of chocolate daily. This is very high calorie food, but you only need to eat one small piece (6 grams) of dark chocolate per day to get the benefit. (Low cost and delicious.)
8. Maintain a normal weight. Many people slowly gain weight starting in their 30’s when the metabolism naturally slows down, and this process is made worse if they are also sedentary. It requires only a measly 100 excess calories per day, along with never stepping on a scale and noticing what’s happening, to end up with a weight gain of up to 7 lbs per year. The most effective method for weight loss is to absolutely NOT go on a diet, but rather institute a lifestyle change of consuming the net amount of calories (food intake minus calories burned by regular exercise) required to maintain your ideal weight. This process is made simple these days by using a calorie-recording app on your smartphone to keep track of calories consumed and calories burned via exercise. Also important is weighing at least once a week. (All of this is free.)
9. Stop smoking. (Saves money.)
10. Reduce refined sugar intake, especially sugary sodas. (Saves money.)
11. Add berries to the diet because, like hibiscus, they are high in flavonoids. (A bit pricey, but delicious.)
12. Supplement with calcium. This important mineral has been proven to not only help protect bones and prevent osteoporosis, but to also help reduce hypertension. However, recent research has indicated that when taken alone, calcium can sometimes combine with cholesterol and form plaque in the arteries. To prevent this, research indicates that it is important to take calcium in conjunction with magnesium, vitamin D3 and vitamin K2. The latter two, in particular, help transport calcium where it belongs, in bones and teeth, and away from where it does not belong, in the arteries. It’s cost effective to buy calcium citrate powder in bulk. It can be added to fruit juice, herbal tea, including this hibiscus tea, or to one’s morning smoothie. (Low cost.)
13. Supplement with magnesium. This crucial mineral helps reduce high blood pressure and prevent heart attack. The RDA is a minimum of 400 mg, of elemental magnesium per day. Magnesium helps all the muscles in the body relax, and compared to muscle relaxant drugs, there are no dangerous side effects. It will, at worst, produce diarrhea if you take too much. There are three types of muscle tissue in the body, and all benefit from magnesium. They include: cardiac, smooth, and skeletal muscle. Cardiac muscle is, naturally enough, in the walls of the heart and is under involuntary control. Smooth muscle is located in veins and arteries and in the walls of hollow visceral organs, including the bowels, and is also under involuntary control. Skeletal muscle is, logically enough, attached to the skeleton and is under voluntary control. Some pain doctors assert that over 80% of the chronic pain in the USA is due to skeletal muscle pain, and magnesium is a front-line defense against it. It is also very beneficial for promoting healthy bowel function. It is frequently used intravenously in emergency medicine for myocardial infarction, severe asthma, eclampsia, and other conditions. The least expensive magnesium to buy is either magnesium citrate powder in bulk or Epsom salt AKA magnesium sulfate. Like calcium citrate powder, magnesium powder can be added to fruit juice, herbal tea, including this hibiscus tea, or to one’s morning smoothie. (Low cost.)
SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH ON HIBISCUS
2022. Abdelmonem, M., et al. Efficacy of Hibiscus sabdariffa on reducing blood pressure in patients with mild-to-moderate hypertension: a systematic review and meta-analysis of published randomized controlled trials. J Cardiovasc Pharmacol. 2022 Jan 1;79(1):e64-e74.
2022. Montalvo-González, E., et al. Physiological effects and human health benefits of Hibiscus sabdariffa: a review of clinical trials. Pharmaceuticals (Basel). 2022 Apr 12;15(4):464.
2021. Alam, M., et al. Effect of Hibiscus sabdariffa and Zingiber officinale on pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics of amlodipine. J Pharm Pharmacol. 2021 Aug 12;73(9):1151-1160.
2021, Bourqui, A., et al. Hypertension treatment with Combretum micranthum or Hibiscus sabdariffa, as decoction or tablet: a randomized clinical trial. J Hum Hypertens. 2021 Sep;35(9):800-808.
2020. Ahad, A., et al. Effect of Hibiscus sabdariffa and Zingiber officinale on the antihypertensive activity and pharmacokinetic of losartan in hypertensive rats. Xenobiotica. 2020 Jul;50(7):847-857.
2017. Seck, S., et al. Clinical efficacy of African traditional medicines in hypertension: A randomized controlled trial with Combretum micranthum and Hibiscus sabdariffa. J Hum Hypertens. 2017 Dec;32(1):75-81.
2015. Serban, C., et al. Effect of sour tea (Hibiscus sabdariffa L.) on arterial hypertension: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. J Hypertens. 2015 Jun;33(6):1119-27.
2013. Hopkins, A., et al. Hibiscus sabdariffa L. in the treatment of hypertension and hyperlipidemia: a comprehensive review of animal and human studies. Fitoterapia. 2013 Mar; 85:84–94.
2010. McKay, D., et al. Hibiscus sabdariffa L. tea (tisane) lowers blood pressure in prehypertensive and mildly hypertensive adults. J Nutr. 2010 Feb;140(2):298-303.
2007. Herrera-Arellano, A., et al. Clinical effects produced by a standardized herbal medicinal product of Hibiscus sabdariffa on patients with hypertension. A randomized, double-blind, lisinopril-controlled clinical trial. Planta Med. 2007 Jan;73(1):6-12.
2004. Herrera-Arellano, A., et al. Effectiveness and tolerability of a standardized extract from Hibiscus sabdariffa in patients with mild to moderate hypertension: a controlled and randomized clinical trial. Phytomedicine. 2004 Jul;11(5):375-82.
Certified Organic Hibiscus Flowers from Egypt - Cut & Sifted (Hibiscus sabdariffa)
