Is Hibiscus keto friendly? Check out our guide on Hibiscus tea and its many health benefits for the Keto diet. SPOILER ALERT: If you didn’t already gather, yes, Hibiscus is keto friendly!
- What is Hibiscus?
- What is the Nutritional Value of Hibiscus?
- How Much Net Carbs Are There in Hibiscus?
- Is Hibiscus Keto Friendly?
- Are There Different Varieties that Are Not Keto?
- What are the Health Benefits of Hibiscus?
- Summary: Is Hibiscus Keto Friendly?
- Summary: Is Hibiscus Keto Friendly?
- A Keto-Cap (aka A Keto Recap!)
What is Hibiscus?
The Hibiscus plant is well known for its edible and colorful flowers, petals ranging from beige to rose to yellow. Hibiscus likely originated from India.
The refreshing taste of hibiscus teas serves as a source of great health with excellent hydrants and antioxidants.
The brewed dried petals of the hibiscus flower make an excellent tea that you can drink all day because it does not affect your keto diet macros.
A Keto-Cap (aka A Keto Recap!)
If you’re new to keto and want a bit more information, check out our keto beginners guide.
As a quick summary, if you need it, the keto (also known as the ketogenic diet) is a low-carb, high-fat diet.
The whole concept of the keto diet is that your body transitions from burning glucose, in simple terms, sugars or carbohydrates, to burning fat as its primary fuel source.
For a keto diet, people will restrict their macros to eating;
- 70% of their calories from fat
- 25% from protein
- 5% from carbohydrates
Sticking to these macros for a period of time will put your body into a state of ketosis. Ketosis is when your body has transitioned from burning carbohydrates as its primary fuel source to burning fat for fuel. It is at this point that you will start to see and feel the benefits of the keto diet.
There are a lot of new terms and abbreviations that you may come across, sometimes it can feel like a new language that you need to learn. In order to help you out and keep you on the right track, we have created a keto terms and keto abbreviations guide, bookmark these to make your keto journey easier.
Some people can be put off the keto diet because of the side effects, however, these are only short-lived and the health benefits of keto far outweigh the side effects.
One of the main benefits which attract people to the keto diet is that it can cause significant reductions in insulin levels (by up to 75%) and blood sugar levels, which can be attractive to those that struggle with diabetes, amongst other health complaints.
What is the Nutritional Value of Hibiscus?
The average nutritional value of the Hibiscus per 355 grams is:
- Carbs: 0.7 grams.
- Protein: 0 grams.
- Fat: 0 grams.
- Fiber: 0 grams.
- Sugar: 0 grams.
- Sugar alcohol: 0 grams.
- Calories: 3.6 kCal.
- Starch: 0 grams.
How Much Net Carbs Are There in Hibiscus?
Hibiscus (12 fluid ounces) contains 0.7g net carbs.
In your ketogenic diet, your aim should be to stay below 20 grams of carbs each day. This extremely low-carb hibiscus tea is a great nutritional addition to your diet.
Is Hibiscus Keto Friendly?
Hibiscus, being low calorie, low carb, sugar-free, vegan, and gluten-free, and is keto-friendly.
Are There Different Varieties that Are Not Keto?
The herbal hibiscus tea does not have any variety that is not keto-friendly.
Many carb-conscious hibiscus drinks are also keto-friendly, namely the world-famous hibiscus tea with a cranberries-like taste, the Keto Hibiscus Tea Latte with full-fat coconut cream, and Hibiscus cocktails using zero-calorie sparkling water and liquid Stevia.
What are the Health Benefits of Hibiscus?
The Hibiscus tea with zero calories and no caffeine is known for various health benefits, according to Medical News Today, such as:
- Vitamin C: Hibiscus is loaded with immune-boosting vitamin C and has anti-inflammatory properties that lower inflammation in the body.
- Free Radical Neutralization: Antioxidant-rich anthocyanins in the hibiscus help neutralize free radicals.
- Fat Absorption Reduction: Hibiscus tea contains flavonoids that reduce the absorption of fats, aiding in weight loss.
- Liver Benefits: Hibiscus increases drug-detoxifying enzymes which reduce liver damage and fatty liver disease. The tea has a fantastic ability to flush the liver and boost the liver’s strength.
- Skin Benefits: Taking hibiscus tea daily is beneficial for calming sensitive skin, hydrating and replenishing the shin, increasing collagen production, smoothing the appearance of wrinkles, and making your skin look toned.
- Preventative Against Infections: Hibiscus tea’s tartness and nutritional make-up help prevent urinary tract infections.
- Anti-Depressive and Anti-Anxiety: The flavonoids in hibiscus tea have been found to have antidepressant activity. This can help aid the mind to be more relaxed.
- Helps With Weight Loss: Hibiscus helps reduce fats and aids in weight loss.
- Improves Digestion: Regularly taking hibiscus tea improves digestion to a greater degree.
- Anti-cancer Properties: Hibiscus tea contains polyphenols, which have been observed to be anti-cancerous.
Summary: Is Hibiscus Keto Friendly?
Yes, you will be pleased to know that Hibiscus is keto friendly. Not only that, it has no end of health benefits, making it perfect for those on the keto diet.
Staying hydrated on the keto diet is really important, for more on how much water you should be drinking, check out our guide to staying hydrated on the keto diet.
If you’re planning on dehydrating yourself(!) and drinking alcohol on the keto diet, check out our ultimate guide to drinking alcohol on a keto diet. Also, you may be interested in, how to recover from a cheat day.
Summary: Is Hibiscus Keto Friendly?
Yes, Hibiscus is keto friendly. More importantly than that is that it is full of health benefits such as antioxidants which are always of benefit to a healthy lifestyle.