Hibiscustea – Holy Health Benefits!
Doyou have any idea how many crazy health benefits there are in thissweet little flower? More sour, than sweet, hibiscus has a flavorsimilar to cranberries. If you want a delicious, healthy,caffeine-free cup of tea – reach for hibiscus! Now, let's break itdown....
TOP 11 BENEFITS OF HIBISCUS TEA
1.Calms nervous disorders
Hibiscustea has been used for thousands of years in various cultures aroundthe world. It is also gaining a lot of attention in modern scienceremedies too. Many claim that it can be used to calm nervousdisorders and help with sleep. In astudy preformed in 2003 on mice,they concluded that hibiscus extract may contain components thatbelong to the class of neuroleptics or antidepressants and alsoprolonged the duration of sleep.
2. Speedsup metabolism.
Hibiscustea may also help to shed a few pounds. Onestudy found that hibiscus was effective atreducing obesity, abdominal fat, and serum-free fatty acids andimproved liver steatosis. This study was done over a 12 week period and all subjects had a body massindex (BMI) equal to or greater than 27, which is considered to beoverweight. The study found that the group that took the hibiscusextract pill lost weight, decreased BMI, decreased body fat, andaltered their waist-to-hip ratio. They also showed improvement in liver function.
3. DecreasesBlood Pressures, Lowers Cholesterol and Prevents CardiovascularDisease.
The Journalof Nutritionpublisheda recent study thatused a randomized controlled trial to assess whether drinkinghibiscus tea could reduce blood pressure in mildly hypertensive orpre-hypertensive adults. In this blind study of 100 participants. The group that was instructed to drink 3 servings of hibiscus tea a day found that just after just six weeks, there wasa substantial reduction in systolic blood pressure in the patientgroup that was drinking the hibiscus tea. The blood-pressure-loweringeffects of hibiscus tea could be a result of its flavonoid or itsphytochemical content, although that's not entirely conclusive. Theresults of this study suggest that if consumed over time, hibiscustea can reduce the risk of stroke and heart attack!
Hibiscustea has also been shown to work as a naturaldiuretic. Itincreases both urination and bowel movements. As the water leavesthe body, it takes sodium with it, which is one mechanism bywhich blood pressure is reduced.
Hibiscus tea contains a rich amount of anthocyanin, that's what gives the tea that lovely deep red color, which is a phenolic compound. It is believed that this activecompound is responsible for the tea’s cardio-protectiveeffects. Anotherstudy onhibiscus tea investigated the hypolipidemic effects of drinkinghibiscus tea. This study specifically looked at patientssuffering from metabolic disorders like diabetes. This study asked the patients to consume 2 servings a day over a months time. The group that drank the hibiscus tea saw an increase in high-densitylipoprotein cholesterol (HDL, also known as the good cholesterol).The results also showed a significant decrease in the average totalcholesterol and low-density lipoprotein-cholesterol (LDL, also knownas the bad cholesterol). There you have it!
4. StrengthensImmunity
Hibiscus tea is has an extremely high ascorbic acid or vitamin C content. Vitamin C is well known for keeping the immune system in check by lending a hand in the production of white blood cells. White blood cellsare warriors! It is their job to fight thepathogens and infections that creep in our bodies. The high amount of iron in hibiscus really contributes and aids in vitamin c absorption.
5. Good Source of Iron
For those suffering from anemia, hibiscus tea for the win! An 8-fluid-ounce serving delivers a suprising 20 milligrams of iron—an important mineral that keeps the immune system balanced and helps the body to maintain red blood cells (the carriers of oxygen around the body). The vitamin C naturally found within the hibiscus works to complement the iron, increasing its absorption. With the heaping amount of iron also comes small amounts of minerals like potassium, magnesium, and zinc. Who knew!?
6. Antimicrobial
A little tea goes a long way! Hibiscus can be used to fight against food-borne illnesses. One study conducted in 2011 investigated the antimicrobial activity of Hibiscus sabdariffa on Escherichia coli (better known as E. coli). The findings indicate that hibiscus was effective at all levels in inhibiting E. coli—therefore making it a promising antimicrobial agent that could be considered for inhibiting other types of food-borne illness.
7. Antifungal
A study conducted in 2014 found that hibiscus extract not only slows, stops, but INHIBITS the formation of Candida, a yeast that is getting a lot of negative attention for wrecking havoc on our gut which cause health issues, like psoriasis.When there is an overgrowth of Candida, because most of us have a little,there are limited medical options available. So when a powerhouse like hibiscus comes to the table, a natural plant-derived option, this may be one of the best options.
8. Reducesthe Risk of Cancer
One of the most impressive studies we've researched on PubMed has shown that hibiscus extract, that was used to treat human tumor cell lines, specifically Multiple Myeloma and Oral Squamous Cell Carcinoma, impaired cell growth, exerted a reversible cytostatic effect, and reduced cell motility and invasiveness. Pretty impressive, huh?
Asimilar study has also encouraging results for treating breast cancer showing that hibiscus tea could be developed as achemopreventive agent in the future.
9. High in Antioxidants
This list is getting impressive, but wait until you hear this! Hibiscus has TWICE the amount of antioxidants than Matcha! Sorry matcha, your #1 in antioxidant title has been given away to hibiscus! A tea, like hibiscus that is high in antioxidants can be helpful in reducingoxidative stress. While its high in ORAC (oxygenradical absorbance capacity), Hibiscus tea contains two antioxidants: anthocyanins andquercetin glucoside. Oxidative stress occurs when free radicalsinvade the body and the body does not have enough antioxidants tocombat them. Free radical damage may contribute to all sorts of health issuesranging from cancer to aging skin, so adding hibiscus tea to your herbal remedies list might be a good idea.
10. KidneyStone Prevention
Kidneystones occur when there is a buildup of calcium oxalates in theurine. These stones are painful, and it is difficult for them toleave the body. This study evaluated hibiscus as a way to preventcalcium oxalate crystals from turning into stones in rats. The studyfound that the calyces of the hibiscus flower are anti-urolithiaticand can be consumed with no harmful effects, meaning drinkinghibiscus tea may be effective at preventing kidney stones.
11. WoundHealing
A study that used hibiscus leaves infused in an alcohol solution was tested by gene expression and functional analyses on different types of human skin cells. Treatment with this solution increased the healing potential of these issues by stimulating collagen production by up to 60%, while also improving skin hydration and homeostasis. Hibiscus stimulated the expression of biomarkers relevant to skin regeneration and hydration thereby counteracting molecular pathways leading to skin damage and aging. This might be worth adding the the first-aid kit!
A word of caution
As exciting as all this information is, don't over do it.When consumed in large amounts, which is cited by the World Health Organization as15 cups a day(based on someone who's about 150 pounds), can be dangerous for your liver.Additionally, pregnantwomen should make sure to steer clear of hibiscus tea—it can putthem at risk for premature labor or menstruation. It can also causeblood sugar to drop suddenly, and even cause nausea and ear-ringing.If you start to experience any of these negative side effects, stopdrinking hibiscus tea immediately. It should also be noted that we are not doctors and you should consult your medical guru before adding this to your daily herbal remedy arsnal.
