Health benefits of Hibiscus tea

Hibiscus tea is made from steeping some of the hibiscus plant in hot boiling water. Its flavour is quite tart and similar to the taste of cranberries. The tea can be had both hot or cold, so you may make a pitcher and store it in the fridge to enjoy throughout the week.
There are tons of different kinds of hibiscus species depending on where they grow in the world and what climate they grow up in.
Hibiscus tea is considered to be healthy for many reasons and there have been research made to prove the health benefits of consuming hibiscus tea. Some of the benefits include lowering blood pressure, fight bacteria and aid weight loss. They are also a good source for vitamin C. Let’s dig deeper into the different benefits of drinking hibiscus tea. In this blog post I will show you how you can brew hibiscus tea in the easiest way possible, so you may also start consuming this amazing beneficial super drink.

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#1 Lower Blood Pressure

There are studies that found that hibiscus tea may lower systolic and diastolic blood pressure. One should not mix drinking this tea with eating ingredients that contain hydrochlorothiazide, such as certain citrus fruits like grapefruit. Another study claims that drinking three cups of this herbal tea each day lowered the blood pressure just as much as it’s expected with standard blood pressure drugs. [1]

#2 May Promote Weight Loss

There have been a few human and animal studies that have correlated the consumption of hibiscus tea with weight loss and loss of body fat as well as the hip-to-waist ratio. Although the research points in this direction, more research needs to be done to rule other factors out. [2. 3]

#3 Helps to Fight Bacteria

There have been test-tube studies that have found that hibiscus extract was able to inhibit the activity of e.coli and other strains of bacteria that are commonly causing symptoms such as cramping, gas and diarrhea. Although there haven’t been any studies like these made on humans, so there’s more research needed in this area to conclude how antibacterial hibiscus can really be.

#4 Boosts Liver Health

Some human and animal studies have found that the hibiscus extract may be beneficial to our liver health by increasing drug-detoxifying enzymes and reducing liver damage and accumulation of fat in the liver. [4]

#5 Helps to Lower Blood Fat Levels

Some studies have shown that hibiscus tea may reduce blood cholesterol and triglycerides in those that have diabetes and metabolic syndrome. Other studies have produced conflicting results, however. A review of six studies concluded that hibiscus tea didn’t significantly reduce blood cholesterol or triglyceride levels. There is a need for further research on this topic. [5, 6, 7]

#6 Filled with Antioxidants

Antioxidants can help fight free radicals, which are compounds causing damage to our cells. Hibiscus tea is considered to be rich in antioxidants and can help in the fight against these free radicals. There are animal studies which have found that hibiscus extract has antioxidant properties. Of course there needs to be some further research done on humans to be able to determine how this affects us.

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Written by: Kimmi Sandhu, Nutritionist (BSc in Food Science & Nutrition + Informatics in 2021).

Date written: 24^th of October, 2020.

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Benefits of Hibiscus Tea