Rose tea is made from the buds, petals, and hips of the rose plant. It is a favorable flower tea that can be enjoyed either hot or cold by itself or along with many other ingredients. The tea is a good source for antioxidants and other nutrients, such as vitamins A and C and citric acid. Relief from emotional problems, mental stress, and physical ailments are some of the benefits of rose-infused tea.
Rosebud tea is made from fresh or dried buds before the rose has a chance to bloom, and rose hip tea is made from the pods after the rose bloom has fallen off. The petals are used to make a rich tea as well as for making rosewater, which is a by-product of extracting the oil. As with the petals, rosewater can also be used to make a delicious rose tea.
It is very easy to make rose tea as the tea is simply placed within a tea ball and into the teapot along with hot water for steeping. If a tea ball is not available, the loose tea can be placed directly into the container and later strained with a fine sieve. Ten minutes is generally a fair amount of time for the hot water to extract the flavor and nutrients; however, it can be steeped longer for a stronger flavor. The same method is used for freshly picked buds or petals, which can be chopped before steeping in order to release the flavor.
Iced rose tea is made in the same manner except that less water is used to extract the tea flavor. This is because extra cold water and ice is added to the tea after it has steeped and cooled down. A few ingredients that can be added to the tea include orange juice, milk, and a sweetener of choice. It is also great when steeped along with black tea or another herbal tea.
Some of the benefits of this tea are due to the number of antioxidants that are present. The antioxidants work at eliminating toxins from the body and also stop the harmful effects of free radicals. Rose tea is often taken for relief from the symptoms of colds, infections, and stomach ulcers. It also helps with anxiety and depression, which is partially due to its sedative effect.