Tea is a popular beverage in Europe and parts of Asia. It is somewhat like coffee in many western countries. Between coffee and tea, the latter has lesser caffeine and is considered to be healthier. One of the main benefits of hibiscus tea is that anyone can choose from a variety of flavors that will suit their taste. The hibiscus tea, with its fruity and enchanting aroma, makes it a popular choice amongst tea-drinkers around the world. The tea comes from parts of a dried flower, although it can also be made from fresh ones. The flowers are derived from the hibiscus sabdariffa tea. In some countries, ginger and rum are added to the tea for taste while there are also other areas wherein the tea is supplemented with nutmeg and cinnamon. The compounds derived from the hibiscus-flavored tea are what make it beneficial to the health of those who drink it regularly.
What is hibiscus tea good for?
Here are some of the known health benefits of hibiscus tea:
1. It protects the body from cancer and cardiovascular diseases. Teas, no matter the flavor, are known for their richness in antioxidants. These antioxidants, which are mainly composed of flavonoids, protect the body from any damage caused by free radicals by neutralizing their effects. It doesn’t only slow aging; it is also a good protective agent against cancer as well as cardiovascular diseases.
2. It is a good supplementary drink for people who want to lose weight. Drinking one to two cups of the hibiscus tea on a daily basis can easily help you shed off more than a few pounds when paired with regular exercise. As it seems, aside from the antioxidants, this tea is also filled with amylase inhibitors and compounds with diuretic properties. The phaseolamin, one of the amylase inhibitors in this tea, causes the body to absorb fats and carbohydrates in a different way. It breaks down starches and other complex sugars, thereby cutting down carb absorption in the body and reducing body weight loss without affecting the lean body mass. As a diuretic, tea is effective in preventing bloating.
3. It can help lower blood cholesterol. In numerous studies done to determine the tea’s efficacy in reducing blood cholesterol, all the results have been comparably the same. In the Journal of Science of Food Agriculture, tea made from the hibiscus flower (Hibiscus sabdariffa) has shown that it does not only reduce blood cholesterol, it is also an effective beverage in decreasing the risk of various cardiovascular diseases. In another study published in the Phytomedicine journal, it has shown that people with hypertension experienced a significant drop in their blood pressure after drinking the said tea on a daily basis. The study involved seventy people, half of which were given 16 ounces of the tea twice a day while the other half were given 25 mg of an anti hypertensive drug. After a month, the blood pressure of those who drank the tea dropped by a remarkable 10 points in 79% of the respondents.
4. It can boost the immune system. The tea is also rich in Vitamin C, which is an essential water-soluble vitamin for the body’s immunity. This vitamin helps protect us from various infectious agents that can cause diseases and illnesses.
Hibiscus tea side effects
- Hallucinations. People who are not use to drinking hibiscus tea are not advised to drive or any other activity where sleepiness can harm you.
- Not for low blood pressure. As hibiscus tea for high blood pressure is effective, people with low blood pressure should not take hibiscus tea as it may cause more complications like dizziness, faintness, or even damage to heart.
- Male fertility. Male fertility is one of the side effects of hibiscus tea as research in India found a specific type of hibiscus tea that can affect male fertility.
- Medical Interaction. Another possible hibiscus tea side effects is the interaction of medicine with pain reliever properties or lower blood pressure drugs.
- Hibiscus tea pregnancy. Drinking hibiscus tea while being pregnant or breastfeeding is not advisable. It says that certain properties in hibiscus tea could trigger menstruation or miscarriage.
How to make hibiscus tea?
Bring 4 cups of water to boil then add 8 large or 2 tbsp hibiscus flowers dried or fresh. You can add 1 or 2 cinnamon sticks depending on how strong you would like your tea to be. Allow the flowers to steep for 15 minutes but not more than 20 minutes as it will make your tea bitter. Strain the hibiscus tea and you are ready to serve it and enjoy the benefits of hibiscus tea.
Drinking a cup of hibiscus tea allows you to experience the fruitful flavors as well as the armada of health benefits of hibiscus tea. Nevertheless, you should be aware of hibiscus tea side effects to avoid complicating your health conditions before drinking this tea. There many different brands of tea and you can discover top 3 in this hibiscus tea review on The-Good-Doctor.net.
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