Hibiscus as a treatment for cystitis and high blood pressure

This week I heard about hibiscus and some of its amazing properties. we've been drinking rosehip and hibiscus herbal tea for years, but I thought the hibiscus was just to make the tea look a pretty colour!

According to research carried out by Simply Hibi (manufacturers of hibiscus juice) it appears that hibiscus might be even more effective than cranberry for treating urinary tract conditions such as cystitis. Hibiscus works in the same way as cranberry by inhibiting the growth of bacteria which causes cystitis.

Packed full of anthocyanins (that's natural antioxidants to you and me), research also shows that regular consumption of hibiscus infusion can help lower blood pressure. People with mildly elevated blood pressure which doesn't require drugs to control the symptoms, might be able to control blood pressure naturally without the side effects seen with many prescription medicines.

In addition, if you're going through a particularly stressful time, a couple of cups of hibiscus tea taken throughout the day might prevent your blood pressure increasing.

Hibiscus also has diuretic properties and can help water retention.

All in all it sounds like a bit of a wonder cure to me and it's so pretty - just look at that photo! I'll definitely be continuing with the hibiscus tea in this house and I'm going to be sample some of the Simply Hibi juices too to see how they compare taste-wise to cranberry.

have you every tried hibiscus juice or tea - what did you think of it?

About the author
Rachelle Strauss, dubbed the Green Goddess, writes for various magazines about green and environmental issues. Her first book is out summer 2009 - "Self Sufficiency: Household Cleaning", by New Holland Publishers. She lives with her husband and their daughter in semi-rural England and you can follow her family's adventures towards achieving zero waste on her My Zero Waste website.