Nourilo

Herbal & Flower Teas

Roselle and Hawthorn Tea

Traditionally used to ease digestion, reduce bloating, and support healthy weight management

In short: Roselle and Hawthorn Tea is a herbal & flower tea that Traditionally used to ease digestion, reduce bloating, and support healthy weight management. It is most often made for digestive wellness, weight & metabolism. Total time about 12 min. Key ingredients: hawthorn.

By · Published under our editorial policy · Research library

Prep
5 min
Cook
7 min
Total
12 min
Makes
1–2 cups
Digestive WellnessWeight & Metabolism
Roselle and Hawthorn Tea

Why people make this tea

After a festival or holiday — or really any day when eating has been a little generous — Nourilo turns to this vivid crimson tea to ease the aftermath. Roselle, the brilliant-red tropical flower used in teas from West Africa to Southeast Asia, has a naturally tart, refreshing flavour and is traditionally paired with hawthorn in Cantonese food therapy to help the body process rich, oily meals. The combination is popular because it works on multiple fronts: the tartness stimulates the appetite and digestion, while both herbs are traditionally associated with promoting healthy blood circulation and metabolism. Fresh roselle is available seasonally and dried roselle is an easy substitute, available at Chinese or Asian herb shops and online year-round.

What studies say about the key ingredients

Traditional use is not the same as clinical proof. Here is the strongest human research we found for each ingredient, limitations included.

  • Hawthorn · Randomized controlled trial, 41 participants · 2025
    Skin hydration scores improved more with hawthorn fruit than with placebo (p<0.05). Changes in other skin phenotypes and leukocyte telomere length were similar between groups. Genotype-specific effects were reported.Limitation: Small trial in which 36 completed follow-up; the genotype subgroup analyses are based on very few participants and are exploratory.PubMed 40573097 · 2 more hawthorn studies
  • Honey · Meta-analysis, 14 studies · 2021
    Compared with usual care, honey was associated with lower combined symptom scores, cough frequency and cough severity. In two pooled placebo-controlled studies, the difference in combined symptoms was not statistically significant.Limitation: Only two studies compared honey with placebo, with high heterogeneity (I2=91%); the review calls for higher-quality placebo-controlled trials.PubMed 32817011 · 3 more honey studies

From the Nourilo Research Library. Findings come from specific doses, extracts and populations and may not apply to a home-cooked recipe.

Safety first — read before you cook

This is a traditional food, not a treatment. Please check with your doctor or pharmacist before making it a regular part of your diet if you:

  • are pregnant or breastfeeding, or are cooking for a young child;
  • take regular medicines — especially blood thinners, blood-pressure, diabetes or immune-suppressing drugs;
  • have a kidney, liver or heart condition, or a known food allergy.

Ingredient notes for this recipe

  • Hawthorn: Can cause dizziness, nausea or digestive upset, and may interact with heart medicines. Little is known about its safety in pregnancy or breastfeeding. Source: NIH NCCIH — Hawthorn
  • Honey: Never give honey to babies under 1 year old — it can cause infant botulism, a very serious illness. Source: NHS — Foods to avoid giving babies

Stop eating it and seek advice if you notice an allergic reaction or feel unwell. Safety notes reviewed 8 October 2026 · How we write safety notes

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