Drink: Especiado Cocktail

Recipe by /contributors/bernardo-bukantz Find dried hibiscus flowers at Mexican grocery stores, or buy tea bags at the supermarket.

This recipe includes superfoods such as:

Cinnamon, Lemon

Health benefits of Especiado Cocktail

Cinnamon is one of the best ingredients that someone with insulin sensitivity can eat. Half a teaspoon of cinnamon per day has been shown to be very effective at normalizing blood sugar levels. Cinnamon contains hydroxychalcone, which is thought to enhance the effects of insulin. It has also been suggested that Cinnamon prevents post-meal blood sugar spikes by slowing the gastric emptying rate - meaning that food digests slowly. (Reference: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/11506060). Lemons can help to prevent oxidative damage to the body, which women with PCOS are often susceptible to. Lemons are also rich in vitamin C, flavonoids, and other antioxidants. They can potentially support the immune system and have other health benefits. Lemons also have a low glycemic index, so they should not cause a rapid rise in blood sugar when consumed in natural form.

Ingredients

2 cups dried hibiscus flowers
1 cup (packed) light brown sugar
4 sprigs rosemary
8 whole cloves
6 allspice berries
2 cinnamon sticks, plus more for serving
3 star anise pods, plus more for serving
12 ounces tequila or mezcal
8 lemon slices, halved

Instructions

Bring hibiscus, brown sugar, rosemary, cloves, allspice berries, 2 cinnamon sticks, 3 star anise pods, and 12 cups water to a boil in a large pot. Cook until reduced by half, 50-60 minutes. Strain through a fine-mesh sieve into a large bowl; discard solids. Chill hibiscus mixture until cold, at least 4 hours.
Stir tequila into chilled hibiscus mixture and serve in rocks glasses filled with crushed ice. Garnish each cocktail with a cinnamon stick, a star anise pod, and a lemon slice.
Do Ahead: Hibiscus mixture can be made 4 days ahead. Cover and keep chilled.

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