Having trouble with blood pressure? Want to lose weight? Hibiscus tea may help. Learn about eight different hibiscus tea benefits that’ll boost your health.
Usually made from the Hibiscus sabdariffa plant, hibiscus tea has a tart flavor similar to that of cranberries. According to studies, it may provide a variety of benefits. The following highlights eight health benefits you can enjoy from hibiscus tea.
1. Full of Antioxidants
Hibiscus tea is full of antioxidants, which are molecules that help fight cell-damaging compounds called free radicals. According to some studies, the tea may increase antioxidants while decreasing the effects of free radicals by up to 92%.
2. Lower Blood Pressure
2. Lower Blood PressureHigh blood pressure increases the risk of developing heart disease, but hibiscus tea may help normalize your blood pressure levels. However, if you are currently taking hydrochlorothiazide for hypertension, the tea may interact with your medication.
3. Lower Blood Fat Levels
Another risk factor for heart disease is your blood fat levels, which you may be able to decrease with hibiscus. Some studies show that the tea may increase HDL cholesterol and decrease LDL (“bad”) cholesterol, but more research is necessary.
4. Promote Liver Health
The liver serves many helpful functions such as breaking down fat, producing protein, and secreting bile. According to certain studies, hibiscus extract may decrease liver damage markers and help improve liver steatosis.
5. Promote Weight Loss
According to several studies, taking extracts may help reduce body weight, body fat, body mass index, and hip-to-waist ratio. Still, these studies focus on the extract and not the tea version, so more research is necessary for this area.
6. May Help Prevent Cancer
Polyphenols are compounds that have potent anti-cancer properties – and hibiscus is full of them. However, studies so far are using high amounts of hibiscus extract, so the benefits won’t necessarily come from drinking tea every day.
7. Fight Off Bacteria
Bacteria are responsible for multiple infections such as pneumonia, bronchitis, and urinary tract infections. Various test-tube studies suggest that hibiscus may help inhibit some bacteria such as E. coli and may help treat bacterial infections.
8. Tasty and Convenient
In addition to its potential health benefits, the tea is easy to make and tastes great. Moreover, you can drink it hot or cold and you can add honey or a squeeze of lime juice to balance its tart, cranberry-like flavor.
The Outlook
The OutlookVarious health benefits have been associated with hibiscus tea, but more research is necessary for some of them. While drinking this delicious tea is one way of receiving certain health benefits, it’s not the only way.
For example, you can take a daily supplement like L-arginine Plus to promote your circulation, blood pressure, energy, and more. In fact, here at Best Heart Health Supplements, we provide various supplement reviews for your benefit. If you want to learn more about L-arginine Plus, read our review of it and see if it’s what you need to support your heart health.