Health Benefits of Thai Roselle Tea: Lower Cholesterol, Treat Cardiac Disease and Use as a Diuretic

When I first moved to Thailand, I was always finding myself coming across strange juices or teas I’d never heard of before. One such tea was Roselle tea, an herbal tea used by Thais to lower cholesterol, treat heart disease and a whole slew of other illnesses.

Thailand produces much of the world’s crop of Roselle (known in Thai as ‘Gra-jiap’) and is also known for having one of the best quality crops of the plant – a fact Thais are rightfully proud of. Mix that with its many health benefits and that’s why you’ll find Roselle tea in restaurants all over Thailand.

The Benefits of Roselle Tea – For generations, Thais have grown Roselle and used it to make tea with the belief it lowers cholesterol, helps treat heart disease, is a diuretic, is loaded with antioxidants and, in some instances, is even used to help treat cancer. In other Asian countries, Roselle is used to help promote weight loss and to help with circulation problems. While some studies have been done in Asia, Roselle hasn’t been studied much in the west. But, when generations of Thai families have used it with often remarkable results, I know who I have no problems believing.

While I don’t have any of the severe health problems Roselle tea is purported to help treat, I have noticed it’s an excellent diuretic and has also worked for me if I have a bloated stomach as, a cup or two of Roselle tea really does get rid of the bloat.

Where to Buy Roselle Tea – I buy Roselle tea bags at my local supermarket in Bangkok. It’s also available all over Asia. For those not living in Asia, many Asian supermarkets in the west will sell it as loose tea or in tea bags, or sometimes even the dried flowers. Otherwise, supermarkets like Whole Foods often carry it. For 20 tea bags, depending on the quality, you’ll pay anything from $3-$7. I’d say, if you can’t find out if it was grown in Thailand, then go for the higher priced tea as the lower priced is usually Chinese and nowhere near the quality of a good Thai Roselle tea.

You can also buy Roselle in jams, syrups and sweetened drinks but, if possible, drink the natural tea. It’s even better for you.

How to Make Roselle Tea – If you can find Roselle tea bags, it’s as simple to make as putting a tea bag in a cup and adding boiling water. Leave the tea bag in the hot water for around three minutes, until the Roselle tea is a deep burgundy. Then remove the tea bag and sweeten as needed.

In Thailand, Roselle tea is usually served sweet and cold, over ice, with Thais adding a thin sugar syrup to sweeten it. If in a restaurant in Bangkok, I order it this way as it’s delicious. If at home, I make Roselle tea hot and omit the syrup. You can also add some rock sugar or honey to it, if you prefer your tea sweet.

You’ll find some of the lower quality Roselle teas, those that usually come from China, have a bitter taste. So adding some sort of sweetener is often preferable. Thai Roselle tea, on the other hand, is normally smooth and not bitter at all, so there’s no need to add sugar if you like the taste of the natural tea.

I drink 2-3 cups of Roselle tea a day, as it’s an excellent source of antioxidants and particularly good if, like me, you sometimes forget to eat your daily fruit and veggies.