Updated 1/2020
The first time I remember having ‘Kool-Aid’ was at summer church camp during my young teens. I loved drinking it when I was so thirsty after my Jr. Life-Saving class. It was a novelty, staining our mouths and tongues red. My mom never bought this for us at home!
Later, as a young married wife, I helped serve Kool-Aid during our play group snack time, and all the Moms made comments on how wound up the children were. We thought it was sugar, but I don’t think we had made the connection between artificial food dyes and hyperactivity back in the 80s.
(Source)
The Washington Post and the American Academy of Pediatricians (AAP) have recently spoken out that artificial food dyes have been linked to hyperactivity, and it’s not just in candy. “Americans are really turned on by a bright-red strawberry juice, and they think it’s natural,” said Kantha Shelke, co-president of the food research firm Corvus Blue. The Center for Science in the Public Interest points to studies suggesting that some of the dyes are also suspected carcinogens.
Food Dyes & Labeling
Here is what the Kool-Aid label tells us is ‘good for kids’:
KOOL-AID INGREDIENTS: Sugar, Fructose, Citric Acid (Provides Tartness), Contains Less Than 2% Of: Natural And Artificial Flavor, Ascorbic Acid (Vitamin C), Vitamin E Acetate, Calcium Phosphate (Prevents Caking), Acesulfame Potassium (almost as nasty as aspartame) And Sucralose (Sweeteners), Artificial Color, Red 40, Blue 1, BHA (Preserves Freshness).
While I delighted in my children even when they were rambunctious and very busy, I hoped to avoid anything that would make them feel or act out of control. Looking back, I wish I had known about this when we were trying to figure out food allergies. Who wants to rev up their children even more than they already are?
Watch This: How Foods With Additives & Dyes Affect Children’s Behavior
So if you want to serve the children a bright, sparkling, sweet and delicious red drink that won’t make them act silly, get angry, aggressive, or just plain hyper, I think you will want this recipe.
‘Better Than Kool-Aid’ is made like a tea with three ingredients:
Stevia leaf is known for its amazing sweetness and smoothness~
I only use the organic whole dried leaf (unrefined). It is an herb, from a plant and is in no way synthetic or an artificial sweetener.
Stevia is being increasingly studied as a tool to help manage and possibly prevent type 2 diabetes. Several small studies, including a study published in July 2018 by the American Diabetes Association (ADA), have found that stevia did not raise blood sugar or insulin levels in participants who were lean or obese. (source)
It may promote better insulin function, according to the Journal of Functional Foods. Lastly, the Journal of Nutrition reveals stevia may help you feel more full, meaning that you’re less likely to overeat.
Hibiscus flower gives off its bright red color and has a sweet tart taste that really quenches your thirst~
It is filled with health benefits:
- It’s anti-inflammatory
- it’s very calming and relieves stress when taken daily like a medicine (see study)
- It helps gently lower blood pressure
- It may help lower blood fats
- Boosts liver health
- Could promote weight loss
- Contains compounds that prevent cancer
- Could help control bacterial
- And is filled with bright flavor..naturally!
…and Peppermint leaf is so cooling on a hot summer’s day~
Besides tasting terrific, a great thing about my alternative is that it is sugar-free and dye-free. It has a lot of extra healthy benefits as it’s loaded with Vitamin C and bioflavonoids.
Kool-Aid Recipe:
Pour 2 cups of boiling water over:
- 4 TBSP Hibiscus flowers
- 1 1/2 to 2 tsp Stevia leaves depending on the desired sweetness (fresh or dried herb)
- 3 1/2 tsp Peppermint leaves (dried herb)(if using fresh peppermint leaves, use 10-15 6-inch mint sprigs as dried leaves are more concentrated)
Stir to immerse the herbs fully. Soon you will see the deep rich ruby-red color flow from the hibiscus herb. It is beautiful to watch.
Incredibly Simple Directions:
- Let the 3 ingredients above steep for 15 to 20 minutes in the boiling water
- Strain into a 1/2 gallon pitcher. (I use this type of strainer).
- Add several cups of ice
- Fill the rest of the way with cold water. Serve chilled.
- Which Is Worse: Sugar Or Aspartame?
- Watch This: How Foods With Additives & Dyes Affect Children’s Behavior
- Addictive Flavors & Foods To Avoid
- For more on code-words that are used to cover-up usage of seriously dangerous ingredients: Does ‘Tasty’ Kill? ~ Excitotoxins
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Jess Lamson
I love the idea of using stevia, somehow it hadn’t occurred to me yet! My family really enjoys tea made from hibiscus and lemon balm sweetened with a small amount of honey or sugar. It’s really lovely and refreshing.
renee
My son never did like Kool-aid,neither did I. We have always found it to bee too sweet.
Polly Etymology
Why weren’ t you experimenting and usimg lesser amounts of sugar?
Sherri
This looks wonderful! I’m sure we would so enjoy it and my husband wouldn’t even have to know it is good for him.
Hannah Sommers
We just made the lifestyle change to ‘healthy’ in Jan of this yr. But before that we had stopped buying products with red 40 in them because of our son. The Dr told me (when our son was about 2) that he would say our son was Autistic and he wanted to give him meds. I refused and started asking around and doing some research. As a result we discovered that he was reacting to the dye… So kool aid has been a no-no since then (8 yrs)… This looks fun. My two children have always wished them could drink ‘pretty’ drinks! 🙂 So now maybe we can! 😀
Mona G.
Sounds good to me, I would like to try it 🙂
Kristina & Millie
This sounds so delicious and healthy, will definitely give it a try. Have you tested any other herb combinations? Thanks for sharing!
A Mama's Story
This sounds delightful and delicious, Jacqueline!! Thanks for sharing this recipe! I can’t wait to try it.
Judith at WholeHearted Home
My son was born in 1983 and by the time he was 2, I wouldn’t give him anything sugary too often because it made him so ranbunctious. I didn’t read it anywhere, and I don’t know if it was ‘out’ there to be read in the 80’s. I made as much as I could with carob and sucunat or honey….that was all I knew to do back then (doesn’t this make me sound ancient?!) Later I found that all those colorful red foods both artificial and naturally red like tomatoes are called solicilates and will have an affect on some children (if not most?).
I am enjoying reading what you are sharing from the Bulk Herb store and your storehouse of knowledge as I am trying (sometimes unsuccessfully) to eat healthier.
Jacqueline
Judith,
All we can do is our best, and that is what God gives us to do for each day. It has been slow for us, and it has taken time, but I wouldn’t doit any other way, if possible! Mother seem to instinctively know things others can’t understand!
Blessings, friend!
Sandra
Oh yes Kool-aid is bad in my opinion. What always gets me is how it will stain your fingers, clothes, counter tops. If it does that to objects what does it do to our insides?
What a great idea mixing the three of them. I’ve had hibiscus before and it is quite yummy.
Jackie Hill
I know people that have dyed their dogs and cats with Kool-Aid mixes. If red does this, can you imagine what the blue or purple Kool-Aid does?
Jacqueline
Haha!! Jackie, I never thought of that 😀 Makes me wonder now that you mention it 🙂 Anyone know or had experience with that?
Brook
On my dog they all turned pink. he was a male dog. the green kool aid color just looked nasty. we tried and tried to make it purple and it just did not happen. We found out about Manic Panic but by then my teenager was over dying the dog’s hair.
Lydia
I have a more complicated recipe that we love – but this looks nice and easy! Do you think spearmint would be okay in place of the peppermint?
Jacqueline
Lydia,
Yes, spearmint would be great, and I was thinking that to add red raspberry leaf would be very cool for women with menstrual issues or pre- or post-partum needs! Blessings!
Julie
I would be very careful using anything with stevia in it – especially for children. It has frequently been tied to stomach issues, particularly diarrhea.
Jacqueline
Thank you, Julie! I agree if it is processed stevia, but this is the unprocessed plant. People are also having stomach issues with wheat and too many nuts. I appreciate your comment, though.
Chris
Be careful with the stevia! Make sure you let everyone know that you are using it and not sugar or honey. I had a anaphylactic reaction to stevia. People think that since it is natural, it is good for everyone.
Jacqueline
Chris, it’s right there in the ingredients 🙂 People could also be allergic to eggs, wheat, corn, and strawberries. Thank you, though, for your care and comment.
Ashley
I think he means people you’re serving it to because they wouldn’t know. I know, better late then never ?
PLB
Stevia can be dangerous for children, I’d be wary of using this recipe except on very rare occasions.
Jacqueline
Actually, not, PLB. Here is the scoop: http://www.askdrhull.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=1202
Amy Jung
I love the ideas you share here! This sounds refreshing!
Krystal
This looks amazing!!! As a Black-American, kool-aid is the main drink in our soul food dishes. As I got older, I wanted a healthier alternative without all the dyes and white sugar! I wouldn’t want to drink that all the time. Hibiscus is very close to tasting like the real deal, but with added benefits. Adding stevia and peppermint leaves is a plus! Thank you so much for this awesome recipe! 🙂
Jacqueline
Krystal, I’m glad you like it! I think it is pretty amazing that hibiscus tastes so similar 🙂 Have a blessed weekend!
Nate
Krystal, the hibiscus drink is why we as black Americans drink kool aid. Hibiscus is a west African flower that millions of us still use to make this drink today as it is popular all over west and central Africa and in the Caribbean. Google the words Zobo (Nigeria), Bissap (Congo), Sorrel (Caribbean), and you will see images of this red hibiscus drink African and African descended people drink all the time. African Americans did not have access to this drink in north america so we made substitutes with other red drinks. It’s funny how this webpage is teaching you about your ancient culture and you did not even realize it. Hibiscus drink is our original kool aid.
Kelly
Have you tried this with any other herb combinations? This looks amazing and I want to try and of course I think I have every thing under the sun…but not hibiscus!
Jacqueline
We love the stevia herb brewed with peppermint, red rooibos, and also ruby red chai (a Trader Joe’s tea), but the hibiscus really TASTES like Kool Aid! Have fun 🙂
Aira
How many batches does that bag of Hibiscus flowers make? Or, how much does the .5lb measure out to?
Jacqueline
Hmmm…I am really not sure I can be exact, so this will be a guess: I have under a half bag and have made it 7 times. I gave 2 TBSP to a friend, as well. I’m going to guess it will make 11-12 1/2 gallon containers full. You could call the BHS and ask them to be more accurate. http://www.bulkherbstore.com/Hibiscus-Flowers-Cut_Organic#a_aid=deeprootsathome The phone # is on the page link. Good luck and sorry I couldn’t be of more help. It will cost more than Kool-Aid but be WAY better for you and actually give you health benefits, too 🙂
Nicole Hallford
What a great idea – and it sounds like it would taste really great! I did not realize that they were labeling aspartame as something else. Yikes!
Crystal @ Crystal's Tiny Treasures
We can’t get Kool Aid here, and it’s not something I’d want my kids to drink, though I did love it myself as a kid. I’ll look out for these ingredients to make ourselves a pitcher over the summer. Thanks for sharing with Mom’s Library, I’ll be featuring you this week at Crystal’s Tiny Treasures.
Jacqueline
Whoo Hoo! Thank you, Crystal 🙂 You are a blessing!
Jenny K
I just got my ingredients in the mail this week. We will try this with lunch today. Thanks for sharing with us.
Jacqueline
Jenny,
Thanks for telling me 🙂 I hope you all enjoy it as much as we do!
Blessings, friend.
lana
that looks great and even we adults would like it! 🙂
Sherry
This is something that I must try! Thanks for linking up and sharing with us at Funtastic Friday. You’re featured this week. Pinned, tweeted, and stumbled! Please join us again this week.
Marla
Hi,
I love this idea. It scary to think of how many children are still drinking kool-aid. We drank it as kids because it was cheap and my Mother did not know about the health dangers of the additives and dyes. I’m not even sure at that time they labeled the ingredients. It was a different world too and I not even sure they had as much junk in kool-aid at that time. I love your homemade kool-aid recipe. Sounds delicious and filled with health. Thanks so much for sharing this on Real Food Fridays. Pinned & twitted.
Jacqueline
Thanks, Marla!! You are an encouragement!
Marla
Hi Jacqueline,
Just a note to let you know that I have chosen your post as one of my features for this weeks Real Food Fridays blog hop that goes live every Thursday @ 7 pm EST. Thanks for being part of Real Food Fridays blog hop and sharing your valuable information with us.
Jacqueline
Thanks, Marla! That is awesome!
I’ll come check out your blog and give you a like!
Samantha
I LOVE everything about your blog! I’m a new mom of a ten month old boy and have been exploring so many different ways to make his meals fun and healthy. My degree is in nutrition but that doesn’t always mean I know how to come up with different recipes on my own. 🙂
I’m looking forward to trying out so many things you’ve provided and love seeing Gods word being used in everything.
I’ll be sure to post once I’ve tried some recipes out!
Jacqueline
Awesome! Thanks, Samantha 🙂 Welcome, new friend!
Samantha
I made the cupcakes and your amazing homemade icing and my husband and I couldn’t stop eating them!!
This Sunday I’m making them again for my in-laws.
I also filled the inside of the cupcakes with the icing and it was Awesome! 🙂
Laura
Looks like a great recipe! I have the same pitcher. 🙂 Where did you get your strainer for it? Thanks!
Jacqueline
Hi, Laura!
I am trying to remember…It seems to me I found it in the tea/coffee section at Meijer (similar to a Target). It is silicon and a very fine wire mesh. This one is very similar, except in stainless, which is better since I’m trying to avoid plastics of any kind.
Hope that helps! 🙂
Chris
Great post. Thanks for sharing. Kids need better choices in the battle against childhood obesity we are doing our part everyday at http://www.kicknfitkids.com thanks for doing yours!!
fitoru
thanks for the share. This is definitely one of the best articles I have read so far
Jacqueline
Thanks Fitoru! Glad to oblige!
Janie
can i use fresh hibiscus flower? I know it’s kinda slimy…😁
Jill
I’ve tried many different processed stevia brands but they all leave some bitter taste. I realize you are not recommending these. But do the stevia leaves leave behind any bitter taste?
Thank you.
Jacqueline
Hi, Jill,
I personally do not think that dried stevia leaves have any bitter taste – that is why they are perfect for this Kool-Aid recipe.
Smooth, natural and very sweet. And a little go a long way! I do not think you will be disappointed.
Blessings,
Jacque
Heather Stovet
Where would I find hibiscus petals? Are they fresh or dried? I grow big, dinner plate size hibiscus. Is there a certain type of hibiscus to use? Where does one get dried stevia leaf or fresh stevia leaf? Sorry for all the questions. This looks delicious! I bet my grandkids would love it! And so would I!
Jacqueline
Hi, Heather! it is all in the post, my friend…all the directions and links to each product in the recipe. I hope that helps! ~J
PS I do not know if there is a specific variety of hibiscus to use, but if you have your own, then IO would dry it and use that unless it has been sprayed.
Polly Etymology
If you have any international or ethnic markets in your area, its often found there. Organic markets such as Whole Foods and Sprouts seem to be carrying it as well.