5 Health Benefits of Drinking Hibiscus Tea

| 13 Feb 2020

benefits of drinking hibiscus tea

Hibiscus is a gorgeous flower often found around super tropical climates. But did you know that it’s actually an edible flower, and there are many health benefits of hibiscus tea?

Historically, hibiscus was used in ancient Egypt and Africa as a perfume. It still has that lovely sweet scent, but today we’ve discovered some of the great healing properties too!

Hibiscus is most often ingested by turning it into a tea. Making it is super simple, you either boil the fresh or dried flower or buy it as a tea to reap the health benefits of hibiscus.

There are plenty of hibiscus tea benefits and not to mention that hibiscus tea benefits skin too! We’ll go over 5 health benefits of hibiscus below:

1. Antioxidants

 

 

Antioxidants are such a trending topic at the moment. Why? Well, they combat compounds that can cause damage to the cells in your body. Some foods are full of antioxidants, such as hibiscus!

A study that focused on animals suggested that hibiscus extract decreased the bad effects of free radicals by as much as 92%!  This was all due to the antioxidants found in the plant.

Hibiscus has been found to relieve many ailments in children due to its antioxidant content. These include:

  • Fever
  • Pain
  • Anxiety
  • Headaches

In hibiscus, there’s something called flavonoids, which are a type of antioxidant. These have many awesome effects, including:

  • Anti-inflammatory
  • Anti-viral
  • Anti-cancer

The antioxidant content is one of the best health benefits of hibiscus as they are vital to our health. Hibiscus tea really could keep your body healthy!

 

2. Up your Vitamin C Intake

 

One of the health benefits of hibiscus is that it is actually super high in Vitamin C. Abundant ascorbic acid, known as vitamin C, has plenty of health benefits for the human body.

Benefits of Vitamin C :

  • Many believe that vitamin C can actually prevent UV damage to your skin, which is awesome. We’re always slathering on lotions and creams to try to protect our skin, but you can do it from the inside out with a high intake of vitamin C.
  • Vitamin C also prevents wrinkles! A cup of hibiscus tea a day could actually keep your wrinkles away. Hibiscus tea benefits skin, and therefore it benefits you.
  • Vitamin C is also thought to potentially lower your risk of heart disease. There have been studies that suggest that vitamin C taken through food consumption is much more effective at lowering heart disease risk than taking supplements.
  • Vitamin C gives our immunity a real boost, meaning we are less likely to get sick. It helps our bodies to fight off different diseases and ailments. It won’t get rid of the flu but rather help to prevent us from getting it next time.

Remain healthy with a good intake of vitamin C!!

 

3. Natural Laxative

 

Unfortunately, from time to time, we can get constipated. If you’ve ever experienced this, you know it’s quite uncomfortable.

Luckily, one of the hibiscus tea benefits is that it’s a natural, gentle laxative. Part of this could be because hibiscus helps us maintain fluid levels in our body, which helps things move the way they should.

Drinking a cup of hibiscus tea will taste way better than taking some pill full of chemicals!

 

4. Lowers blood pressure

 

One of the many hibiscus tea benefits is that it may help to lower blood pressure. What a fabulous side effect! High blood pressure can equal a weakened heart, which is really dangerous.

There have been some studies lately, which have shown that hibiscus tea may reduce systolic and diabolic blood pressure. This was on people either with or without moderate diabetes.

One of these studies has a placebo group that wasn’t having any hibiscus and another group who were having it. The results showed that the people who were drinking the hibiscus tea had a significant reduction in their blood pressure compared to the other group. You can’t argue with science!

Another of the health benefits of hibiscus is that it also prevents certain types of plaque that can be the cause of heart disease. You might be able to avoid getting cardiovascular diseases such as atherosclerosis by having an intake of hibiscus.

5. Antidepressant

 

As mentioned earlier, hibiscus tea benefits include flavonoids, which are a type of antioxidant. The flavonoids found in hibiscus have been found to lessen depression in adults.

The lower levels of depression and anxiety found resulted from the flavonoids targeting the serotonergic, adrenergic, and dopaminergic mechanisms in the body.

Those suffering from postpartum depression may find that alcohol extract from hibiscus helps with this. Postpartum in mothers can have really bad effects on the kids too, so the health benefits of hibiscus could help the whole family.

Take a look at your local supermarket for a box of hibiscus tea. Brew a cup to get your daily dose of vitamin C, antioxidants, and flavonoids into your system. This fabulous tasting tea may also lower your blood pressure and avoid constipation and depression.

So, what are you waiting for? Get brewing that hibiscus tea!

Author
Sanchi Gupta
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