Hibiscus Lime Sangria
This isn’t the boozy kind of sangria, with its macerated fruit and high hangover potential, but it’s every bit as delicious and fun. Hibiscus tea adds tartness, reminiscent of a dry red wine, but takes the sangria to a new, refreshing level. You can sweeten it if you like. (I use monk fruit sweetener for its zero glycemic index, see below.) Or, enjoy au naturel. Hibiscus has layers of pleasantly bitter flavors, a hint to its flavonoid content—plant pigments with brain-boosting properties.
Hibiscus tea lowers blood pressure
Hibiscus tea is a welcome addition to a brain-healthy dietary pattern. This herbal tea comes from steeping hibiscus flowers to make a bittersweet infusion with brain health benefits. The phytonutrients in hibiscus have been clinically proven to lower blood pressure to the same degree as medication. This antihypertensive effect probably comes from its rich anthocyanin content (a type of flavonoid) and its ability to form nitrate compounds that make blood vessels more open and pliable.
Healthy blood pressure supports healthy brain aging
Keeping blood pressure at a healthy low level, especially at midlife, prevents Alzheimer’s later in life. If you take blood pressure medication or have naturally low blood pressure, sip hibiscus tea slowly and with food.
Monk fruit sweetener doesn’t make blood sugar rise
If you prefer your sangria a tad sweet, adding a small pour of monk fruit simple syrup balances the tartness without eliciting a blood sugar response like other sweeteners. Either way, this vibrant refresher has an especially festive vibe, while providing your daily serving of berries.
Passive Time | 2 hours |
Servings |
quart
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- 3 hibiscus tea bags or ½ cup dried hibiscus flowers
- 3 ½ cups boiling water
- 4 limes juiced to yield ¼ cup fresh lime juice, the others sliced
- 2 tablespoons monk fruit simple syrup up to 1/4 cup, recipe follows, optional
- 1 cup strawberries sliced, small ones left whole
- ½ cup chopped apple
Ingredients
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- Place the tea bags in a quart-sized jar and pour the boiling water over (there should be about 2-inch of space at the top to leave room for the fruit). Steep at room temperature for 2 hours and remove the tea bags. Add the lime juice, monk fruit simple syrup (if using), strawberries, apple, and sliced limes. Place in the refrigerator to chill for at least 2 hours and up to 24 hours.
- To serve, divide the sangria and fruit between ice-filled glasses.
Monk Fruit Simple Syrup
½ cup water
¼ cup monk fruit sweetener
Warm the water and monk fruit sweetener in a small saucepan over medium-low heat, stirring often until dissolved. Do not let it come to a boil. Pour the syrup into a glass jar and let cool at room temperature. (Refrigerated on its own, the syrup will crystallize. Adding it to the sangria, however, and then chilling won’t result in crystallization.)
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