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Who can deny that eating a healthy diet is important to overall well being, but what you drink may be just as important as what you eat. Studies have repeatedly demonstrated the health benefits of tea; but it's not just green and white tea that appear to have beneficial properties when it comes to health. Some herbal teas also have unique health benefits, including teas made from the hibiscus flower. These flowers have been admired as much for their beauty as for their medicinal properties. Long used in Ayurveda medicine to treat a variety of conditions, the hibiscus flower is showing some promising characteristics when it comes to preventing disease. What are the health benefits of hibiscus?
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It May Reduce Cholesterol Levels and Reduce Heart Disease Risk
A study published in the Journal of the Science of Food and Agriculture showed that the flavonoids and anthocyanins found in hibiscus flowers may reduce cholesterol and triglyceride levels. When a hibiscus extract was given to rats fed a high fat diet, it reduced their levels of cholesterol and LDL (the bad cholesterol) compared to those rats simply fed a high fat diet. It was also demonstrated that the hibiscus extract reduced triglyceride levels in rats fed a high sugar diet. The good news? This could translate into a lower risk of heart disease? The bad news? This study was done on rats and needs to be confirmed with human studies. -
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A Good Source of Antioxidants
Hibiscus flowers are a good source of flavonoids and anthocyanins which have antioxidant properties. In fact, the level of antioxidants in hibiscus is being compared to those found in red wine, a drink being increasing recognized for its cardioprotective benefits. Drinking hibiscus tea in lieu of red wine has its advantages for those who want to avoid alcohol entirely. -
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It May Lower Blood Pressure
A study published in the journal Phytomedicine showed that giving 500 milliliters of Hibiscus tea to patients with mild to moderate hypertension was as effective as the anti-hypertensive drug Captopril. Although this was a small study, a trial of hibiscus tea prior to starting anti-hypertensive therapy in cases of mild high blood pressure may be a way to prevent the side effects often associated with blood pressure medications. Several other small studies have shown similar benefits. Hibiscus tea is very well tolerated by most people.
