The benefits of hibiscus tea are many. Hibiscus tea is made by brewing the dry leaves of hibiscus flowers. It’s known for its various health benefits. For example, studies show that hibiscus tea can help promote wound healing. This tea may also aid weight loss, improve hair health and help manage diabetes. You can make tea with an infusion of both flowers and leaves. In this article, we will give you information about the properties and benefits of hibiscus tea. Here is the health benefits of hibiscus tea for you!
Benefits of hibiscus tea
Studies prove the ability of hibiscus tea to control hypertension. It is said to have diuretic and antidepressant properties. Hibiscus flowers are also effective laxatives and are liver-friendly. Now let’s take a closer look at the benefits of hibiscus tea;
1. May help treat skin diseases
Hibiscus tea can promote wound healing and treat other skin conditions. In their studies, extracts of this plant were found to have better wound-healing properties than a famous topical ointment. Hibiscus flower extract can be used effectively in the treatment of topical wounds.
2. May aid in weight loss
This tea can help reduce obesity. Treatment with the extract may increase obesity caused by a high-fat diet. Hibiscus extracts are rich in polyphenols and flavonoids that help reduce obesity parameters.
Water extract of hibiscus reduces serum triglyceride and total cholesterol levels. It does this by inhibiting lipid absorption in the gut.
3. Promotes hair growth
Flowers of the hibiscus genus are popularly used to produce long, shiny hair. Some studies show the hair growth stimulating properties of the leaf extracts of this plant. Soaking the flour in warm water and then applying it to the hair can improve the health of the scalp and hair. The benefits of hibiscus tea, of course, don’t end!
4. Helps manage diabetes
This herb can help treat diabetes and improve insulin sensitivity. The plant leaves have phytochemicals such as cyanidin 3, rutinocod, ascorbic acid, citric acid, anthocyanins, and beta-carotene.
Studies have found that infusion of this hibiscus tea three times a day for four weeks positively affects type 2 diabetes. Also, this tea has improved the functioning of pancreatic beta cells. Oxidative stress is the leading cause of diabetes. Hibiscus tea may help reduce oxidative stress and exhibit anti-diabetic properties.
5. Lowers cholesterol levels
There is increasing evidence that drinking hibiscus tea may have cholesterol-lowering effects. Hibiscus, in general, contains polyphenolic acids, flavonoids, and anthocyanins. These compounds show antioxidant activity. Tea can have positive impacts on cholesterol levels.
6. Protects the heart from disease
Did you know that there is a link between hibiscus tea and blood pressure? In adults, having hibiscus tea or flower extract can significantly lower systolic blood pressure (SBP) and diastolic blood pressure (DBP) and contribute to heart health.
According to a 2008 study, volunteers who drank this tea had a 7.2 point decrease in systolic blood pressure, compared to a 1.3 point decrease in those who consumed a placebo. Tea has great potential for reducing the risk of cardiovascular disease, and more studies are needed to support it. Many controlled studies show that this tea has lipid-lowering effects. Anthocyanins in flowers are thought to be responsible for this property. Preventing the formation of these lipid-oxidized plaques can prevent cardiovascular diseases such as atherosclerosis. However, research is ongoing to examine the precise mechanism of cardioprotection by hibiscus tea. Also, the active ingredients behind this activity have not yet been identified.
7. May prevent liver damage
Controlled trials report that extracts of this herb can reduce fat accumulation in hamster livers on a high-fat diet. Applying this extract reduced liver cholesterol and triglyceride levels. A high-fat diet also raises the stories of several enzymes, such as serum alanine aminotransferase. These increase the risk of liver damage. Treatment with extracts of this plant has been found to lower the levels of these enzymes.
In addition, the extracts can restore the levels of antioxidant enzymes such as catalase in the liver. This further promotes liver health.
8. Reduces anxiety and improves sleep
Hibiscus extracts have been shown to have calming and anxiety-reducing effects. Hibiscus extracts can also relieve pain, fever, and headache. However, there is limited information on this subject.
Drinking this tea will help you get rid of cold and flu and fight the flu virus to delay the subsequent illness. Studies indicate that this herb could be a promising anti-influenza drug. Hibiscus tea extract can help fight the avian flu virus and several drug-resistant viruses.
10. Has antidepressant effects
The flavonoids found in this plant have antidepressant effects. These work on the release of dopamine and serotonin (happiness hormones), thus helping to reduce the symptoms of depression. With hibiscus care, you can be in perfect condition.
11. Helps prevent cancer
The polyphenols in the flowers of the plant are proven antioxidants. A few also have anti-tumor or anti-cancer properties. Polyphenol-rich extracts can cause cell death (apoptosis) in various cancer cells, including gastric and breast cancers.
Resources:
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/20018807/
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/23333908/
