5 Health Benefits of Hibiscus Tea

(AscendHealthy.com) – Green tea might have some competition. According to NutritionFacts.org, you’d have to consume 280 other drinks to get the antioxidant content of one cup of hibiscus tea — and all those nutrients can have major effects on your health. We have the details on this gorgeous and flavorful herbal tea.

Reasons to Drink Hibiscus Tea

Perfect with a dash of honey, hibiscus tea comes in gorgeous shades of pink and red. It doesn’t contain any caffeine, so you don’t have to worry about it keeping you awake if you want an evening cup. Best of all, it comes with tons of potential health benefits.

Drinking hibiscus tea could help you on several fronts:

Reduce blood pressure. Some active compounds in the hibiscus work in a way similar to angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors. In fact, drinking just two cups of hibiscus tea a day could have the same effects as taking a prescription blood pressure medication — and without the side effects.
Lower cholesterol. Hibiscus could have some cholesterol-lowering properties. In a study on diabetic women, hibiscus tea significantly lowered bad cholesterol and triglyceride levels while increasing good cholesterol.
Protect the brain. The incredible antioxidant activity in hibiscus protects against oxidative stress all over the body. In the brain, this protection could help prevent neurodegenerative diseases like Lou Gehrig’s, Parkinson’s and Huntington’s.
Potential antiviral. Studies on animals have shown promise in using hibiscus against viral diseases like H1N1 influenza. Future research could uncover a wide variety of viruses hibiscus tea could help treat.
Anticancer properties. Some compounds in hibiscus could be effective against cancer. Research on melanoma has yielded promising results. Another study focusing on breast cancer showed hibiscus flower extract could improve chemotherapy outcomes.

You can enjoy this tea liberally — but be aware that hibiscus is incredibly high in manganese, so you might risk taking in too much of a good thing if you drink more than about a quart a day.

Hibiscus tea is a great alternative to traditional green tea, with a list of benefits that make it a worthy rival. Integrate it into your diet to improve your health and boost your daily nutrients. You might find a new favorite drink to add to your rotation.

~Here’s to Your Healthy Ascension