Staying hydrated never looked so good!

The Cultivating Wellness column explores natural health through food and herbal healing. You can expect to find recipes that support full-body health from the inside out.

Summer has finally arrived, and with its rising temperatures and busy schedules, we end up in hydration territory — or rather, lack of. Whether you’re working on the farm all day or doing other activities, staying hydrated is essential for well-being.

In my line of work, I prescribe a lot of herbal infusions in the form of tea. The wonderful part about this is that herbal infusions work just as well cool as they do hot! In fact, there are many plants that prefer a cold infusion, and plants that have been cold-infused can be used for a second hot steep, conserving the amount of plant used and extending its use.

When we consider summer hydration requirements, a few key “super-hydrator” plants come to mind. Hibiscus is my go-to summer infusion plant — for more reasons than its beautiful, deep fuchsia colour.

Well-suited to hot weather, hibiscus is renowned in eastern and southern cultures for its high vitamin C and antioxidant content, and its astringent, cooling properties.

It has a tart, floral flavour and an extensive history of being used for heat-related conditions. It’s also a plant that does very well in a cold infusion (i.e., placing the plant in room temperature or cool water to steep).

Hibiscus acts on our cardiovascular, metabolic, immune and digestive systems, supporting tissue hydration, fluid management, and liver and gut lining health. Studies have shown that hibiscus has positive effects on the treatment of fatty liver disease, and cholesterol and diabetes management. It’s also helpful with “-itis’” gut issues, such as gastritis, colitis and IBS.

Its high vitamin C content means that it’s great for adrenal health, supporting us in temperature extremes. I’ve also found that some migraines respond well to hibiscus, likewise with menopause-related symptoms, such as hot flashes and night sweats.

Its bold colour brings a sense of creativity to our world, and I absolutely love pulling out my pitcher of hibiscus iced herbal tea each morning to drink during hot days.

I’ll often pair hibiscus with other easily cold-infused herbs to make a well-balanced, hydrating and nourishing cool tea to sip throughout the day. I’ve provided my go-to recipe below for a steeped, overnight cold infusion. This recipe makes about eight cups, or a large pitcherful. It can be stored in a covered pitcher or mason jars in the fridge for up to a week.

Hibiscus cold-steeped tea

• 3-4 tbsp. dried hibiscus flower
• 3-4 tbsp. dried or fresh chopped nettle leaf
• 3-4 tbsp. dried or fresh chopped peppermint or spearmint
• 3-4 tbsp. dried or fresh lemon balm leaf
• 3-4 tbsp. lemon juice

Place all plant materials in a large pitcher and cover with water. Let sit for 4-12 hours (I usually leave it overnight in the fridge), strain, add lemon juice and ice if you’d like and enjoy!

Variations can include sliced cucumber, lemon or orange. Or, stick with a hibiscus-only steep for a wonderful, colourful infusion.

Sip up to 3-4 cups per day.