Blunt blood glucose spikes with Quick Pickled Radish in Hibiscus Vinegar. Hibiscus tea enhances vinegar's blood sugar-lowering benefits by infusing it into the pickling liquid. All are stored in a handy pickle jar.
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🫙 Health Benefits of Hibiscus Quick Pickled Radish
Hibiscus flowers are rich in bioactive compounds, particularly anthocyanins, which give them their vibrant red color. Within an hour of drinking hibiscus tea, antioxidant levels in your bloodstream increase as these phytonutrients are absorbed. Regular consumption of hibiscus tea has been shown to support heart health by improving cholesterol levels, balancing blood sugar, and reducing inflammation.
Vinegar also plays a role in glucose metabolism. Studies show that just two teaspoons of vinegar with a meal can reduce blood sugar spikes by about 20%. However, drinking vinegar straight isn’t recommended, as it can damage the esophagus by causing acidic burns and other injuries.
That’s why I created Hibiscus Quick Pickled Radish—to combine the glucose-lowering power of hibiscus and vinegar in a delicious, safe way. Enjoying these tangy pickles with your meals can help reduce blood sugar spikes naturally.
Additionally, radishes are part of the cruciferous vegetable family and are rich in glucosinolates, compounds that convert into beneficial substances like sulforaphane. Sulforaphane has antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties, supporting cell protection and detoxification. They’re also packed with quercetin, an antioxidant that helps protect cells from damage and aging caused by free radicals.
These Quick Pickled Radishes were inspired by my Quick Pickled Red Onions and Pickled Carrots recipes on my site. Pair them with these Roasted Cabbage Steaks for a blood sugar-blunting starter.
👩🏼🌾 Ingredients
- Dried hibiscus flowers (see shopping link below)
- Radishes or red onion
- Ceylon cinnamon stick
- Star anise
- Vinegar
- Date or maple syrup
See the recipe card for quantities.
🥀 Substitutions
- Radishes - use red onion instead, or a crunchy veggie of your choice
- Hibiscus flowers - omit them as desired
- Vinegar - use white, apple cider, white wine vinegar, or a mixture
- Date syrup- substitute with maple syrup or agave
- Spices - cinnamon, cloves, and star anise are optional for flavor
For more Quick Pickles, visit my Vegan Condiment Recipes page.
📖 How to Make Quick Pickled Radish
This is an overview. The full recipe is at the bottom of the post.
- Brew Hibiscus Tea: Heat the water to around 170ºF. Pour the hot water over the hibiscus flowers. Set aside to steep for 5 minutes. Strain the flowers.
- Heat the vinegar: Transfer the vinegar to a small saucepan. Add the cinnamon, star anise, cloves, and date syrup. Bring the liquid to a gentle simmer over low heat. Remove from the heat and set aside for 5 minutes, adjusting the sweetness to taste.
- Slice the Radishes: Thinly slice the radishes using a sharp knife or mandolin.
- Combine the liquids: Pour the Hibiscus tea into the saucepan with the vinegar.
- Transfer the Radishes: Place the sliced radishes and jalapeño (if using) into a jar with a tight-fitting lid. (Find the jar linked below.) Be sure to leave enough room for the pickling liquid to fully cover the vegetables.
- Add the Pickle Liquid: Pour the liquid into the pickle jar. Set aside to cool for a few minutes before covering.
✔️ Expert Tips
- Enhance the Flavor: For deeper flavors, you can either let the spices simmer in the vinegar for 5 minutes or place the spices directly into the warm vinegar and refrigerate overnight to allow the flavors to develop over time. I opt for the overnight method to preserve the beneficial properties of the spices that could be lost through simmering. Additionally, gently poke the jalapeño with a fork to create small openings, allowing the spice to infuse more easily.
- Add more sweetener to taste. The combination of vinegar and hibiscus is quite sour.
- Enjoy the vinegar in dressings, or add more radishes to any remaining vinegar for up to two weeks.
- Storage: Refrigerate the Quick Pickled Radish in an airtight container for up to 7 days. I used this container and it works very well as you can flip it over and easily remove the vegetables. The capacity of the half that stores the pickles is 700ml/23.7 ounces, so use one around that size.
🙋🏽♀️ Recipe FAQs
A double-blind study found that the two vinegar groups (one tablespoon and two tablespoons) lost significantly more weight than the control group. CT scans showed the vinegar groups lost a significant amount of viscera fat, the abdominal fat that is particularly associated with chronic disease risk.
Heating hibiscus tea, like with most teas, can impact its health benefits, but it doesn't completely destroy them. Here’s a breakdown:
Antioxidants: Hibiscus tea is rich in antioxidants, particularly anthocyanins, which are sensitive to high temperatures. Prolonged exposure to very high heat can reduce the potency of these antioxidants, but normal brewing temperatures (around 190°F to 210°F or 88°C to 99°C) typically retain much of the antioxidant power.
Vitamin C: Hibiscus is also a good source of vitamin C, which is heat-sensitive. While some vitamin C may be lost during the brewing process, the tea still retains a good portion of its nutritional value.
Flavor and Potency: Overheating or boiling the tea for too long can also alter the flavor, making it more bitter or less vibrant. To maximize health benefits and flavor, steep the tea in hot (not boiling) water for about 3 to 5 minutes.
So, while there’s a slight reduction in some nutrients due to heat, the tea remains highly beneficial when brewed properly.
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📖 Recipe
Quick Pickled Radish
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Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon dried hibiscus flowers optional
- 2 cups warm water ( if using Hibiscus)
- 2 cups vinegar
- 1 stick Ceylon cinnamon optional
- 5 cloves optional
- 1 star anise optional
- 1 tablespoon date syrup or maple syrup, or agave, plus more to taste
- 8 radishes washed
- 1 jalapeño poked with a fork for more spice
Instructions
- Brew Hibiscus Tea: Heat the water to around 170ºF. Pour the hot water over the hibiscus flowers. Set aside to steep for 5 minutes. Strain the flowers.
- Heat the vinegar: Transfer the vinegar to a small saucepan. Add the cinnamon, star anise, cloves, and date syrup. Bring the liquid to a gentle simmer over low heat. Remove from the heat and set aside for 5 minutes, adjusting the sweetness to taste.
- Slice the Radishes: Thinly slice the radishes using a sharp knife or mandolin.
- Combine the liquids: Pour the Hibiscus tea into the saucepan with the vinegar.
- Transfer the Radishes: Place the sliced radishes and jalapeño (if using) into a jar with a tight-fitting lid. Be sure to leave enough room for the pickling liquid to fully cover the vegetables.
- Add the Pickle Liquid: Pour the liquid into the pickle jar. Set aside to cool for a few minutes before covering.
Notes
Nutrition
This information is provided as a courtesy and is an ESTIMATE only. Varying factors such as product types or brands purchased can change the nutritional information in any given recipe.
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