Dietitians offer guidance and clarity when it comes to antioxidants and anti-inflammatory effects in our diets.
Are hibiscus flowers just a colorful decoration for your garden? That may be changing soon as Hibiscus sabdariffa, an ornamental tropical flowering plant with health benefits may also offer its services as part of an attractive garden aesthetic.
Hibiscus flowers taste absolutely delectable. Their tart and sweet fruitiness is ideal for tea. Certified dietitian Beth Czerwony, RD discusses several ways hibiscus can contribute to a healthy lifestyle.
Is Hibiscus Great For You ?
Over centuries, people have relied on the seeds, flowers, leaves and stems of hibiscus plants for both food and conventional medicinal uses. Today, you can find products flavored with these unique hibiscus ingredients around the world in jams, sauces, syrups and teas with this flavor profile.
Western Africa, Focal South America and the Caribbean are particularly familiar with this method of treatment, commonly referred to as sorrel or roselle, for treating everything from high blood pressure to acid reflux.
Science now acknowledges the effectiveness of hibiscus remedies for various health ailments, although Czerwony cautions us to conduct more extensive studies in order to better understand how specific enhancements of this plant can help treat specific situations.
Health Benefits Of Hibiscus Tea
But just what are the powers of hibiscus? Czerwony provides some information on its health advantages.
- Protects With Antioxidants
Hibiscus plants contain antioxidants like beta-carotene, vitamin C and anthocyanin that provide significant health benefits. Czerwony notes: “Antioxidant-rich food sources truly aid with many medical issues.”
Antioxidants work to destroy harmful molecules known as free radicals in your body. Free radicals damage cells that contribute to diseases like malignant growth, heart disease and diabetes. Your body produces its own antioxidants but consuming foods high in antioxidants may also play an integral part in protecting you from disease.
- Fights Inflammation
According to Czerwony, numerous animal studies and several smaller human trials have demonstrated the ability of hibiscus flowers to fight inflammation.
Inflammation plays a central role in many chronic illnesses, including malignant tumors, asthma attacks, Alzheimer’s disease, heart disease and rheumatoid joint pain. While more research needs to be conducted in this area, hibiscus could offer anti-inflammatory benefits that could aid recovery from such ailments.
- Lowers Blood Pressure
High blood pressure affects nearly 50 percent of U.S. adults, leading to serious health risks including heart attack, stroke, heart failure and kidney disease. Studies have demonstrated that drinking hibiscus tea helps people lower their blood pressure.
However, the National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health stresses that natural cures like hibiscus only marginally lower blood pressure; they cannot replace medications for those diagnosed with high blood pressure.
- Lowers Cholesterol
High cholesterol is a serious health concern affecting countless adults worldwide and contributing to serious medical problems like heart attack and stroke. Although some clinical examinations suggest hibiscus can reduce cholesterol levels, other investigations have not demonstrated significant effects.
Czerwony notes that hibiscus might help maintain healthy cholesterol levels, however more research should be conducted before reaching any conclusions.
- Promotes Weight Loss
Multiple studies demonstrate a beneficial impact of hibiscus for weight loss, suggesting it could assist with preventing heftiness – however these experiments utilized hibiscus separate, which is more concentrated than hibiscus tea and Czerwony cautions us that we do not yet know whether hibiscus tea provides similar outcomes.
- Fights Bacteria
Laboratory studies show hibiscus’ antibacterial properties to be undeniable, yet analysts continue to study its impact in humans.
- Supports Liver Health
Hibiscus may help to maintain liver health, according to several examinations. Its concentrate provides protection from harmful toxins due to its strong antioxidant activity; furthermore, laboratory trials on liver cells demonstrated some anti-malignant growth activity from this herb.
