Is Hibiscus Tea Actually Beneficial for Your Health?

Hibiscus tea contains antioxidants and lacks caffeine, making it a beneficial herbal beverage with bright color. Some suggest that it can lower blood pressure and prevent atherosclerosis. However, clinical studies have not yet confirmed most of the medicinal properties associated with hibiscus tea. Let’s investigate its potential health benefits.

What is hibiscus tea?

The dried calyces of the hibiscus flower are used to make hibiscus tea. Hibiscus sabdariffa is a member of the Malvaceae family and is commonly known as roselle, Sudanese rose, or red sorrel. It grows in tropical and subtropical regions worldwide and is primarily imported from China, Thailand, Mexico, Egypt, and Sudan to the global market.

Despite their white petals, hibiscus flowers produce dark red calyces that form a cup under the petals. The resulting tea is bright and often referred to as “red tea.”

In many southern countries, hibiscus is widely used in food. The plant’s leaves are used in salads, and the calyces are used as a spice and to make tea infusions. In CIS countries, hibiscus is predominantly brewed as tea, known as “karkadeh” in Arabic.

Why is hibiscus tea considered to be beneficial?

Hibiscus calyxes contain biologically active components, primarily anthocyanins, which are antioxidants responsible for the calyxes’ dark red color. Hibiscus also contains carotenoids, flavonoids, organic acids, vitamins B2, B3, C, microelements, and other compounds commonly found in plants.

Animal experiments have demonstrated that Hibiscus sabdariffa extract can:

• lower blood glucose and lipid levels;
• decrease blood pressure;
• promote lactation

Researchers have not yet determined the exact biological mechanism behind each of these effects. Various pathways of action have been suggested. One hypothesis proposes that hibiscus anthocyanins impede the activity of angiotensin-converting enzyme, which is similar to the action of many antihypertensive drugs that hypertensive patients take regularly.

However, the effects seen in animal experiments may not necessarily be replicated in clinical studies involving humans.

What clinical studies say about the benefits of hibiscus?

In recent times, numerous clinical studies have investigated the advantages of hibiscus. Researchers have compared Hibiscus sabdariffa with a placebo, prophylactic diets, other teas, and pharmaceuticals that have demonstrated effectiveness.

Effect of hibiscus on blood pressure

Various clinical studies have indicated that regular consumption of hibiscus can effectively reduce blood pressure. However, the outcomes are only significant for individuals with first-degree hypertension, whose blood pressure remains below 139/89 mm Hg, and only when consumed daily for a month. Thus, hibiscus is not a suitable option for emergency treatment.

Effect of hibiscus on lipid levels in the blood

Sudanese rose has been found to moderately lower lipid levels in the bloodstream, primarily by decreasing the concentration of low-density lipoproteins (LDL), commonly known as “bad” cholesterol. Some studies have also revealed a reduction in triglyceride levels.

Both LDL and triglycerides are closely linked to an increased risk of cardiovascular disease. Lowering their levels in the bloodstream is believed to be a contributing factor in preventing heart and vascular ailments.

The influence of hibiscus on lactation

The effect of hibiscus on lactation has only been examined in a single study, where participants were provided with a multi-component herbal tea comprising hibiscus, fennel, rooibos, verbena, raspberry, fenugreek, goat’s rue, and vitamin C.

The study found that women who consumed the herbal tea produced more milk than the control group, who were given apple drink. Nevertheless, because the tested tea contained multiple components, it cannot be conclusively determined that hibiscus was the sole stimulant for lactation.

The influence of hibiscus on blood glucose level

Clinical studies investigating the antidiabetic effect of Hibiscus sabdariffa have not yet been conducted.

Is it worth treating oneself with hibiscus tea?

Specialists from Drugs.com, an independent drug database not affiliated with pharmaceutical companies, concluded that hibiscus tea cannot be recognized as a medicinal drink due to insufficient results obtained from clinical trials.

The conducted studies on Hibiscus sabdariffa had a major drawback, as they focused on supplements made from hibiscus with a very high concentration of bioactive components instead of hibiscus tea itself. The experiments calculated the dosage not in grams of brewed tea, but in the amount of anthocyanins extracted from the calyxes of Hibiscus sabdariffa. Most of the results from consuming hibiscus at such high concentrations were insignificant and did not have clinical significance.

Several individual studies evaluated the aqueous extract of hibiscus, which is essentially tea, and found that its concentration was several times higher than that of normal homemade hibiscus tea. For instance, researchers made an extract in one trial that showed a positive effect of hibiscus on blood pressure by using 10g of dried calyxes of Hibiscus sabdariffa, which is equivalent to 7-10 standard cups of tea.

Researchers conducted the only study where volunteers with first-stage hypertension drank only two cups of hibiscus tea made from regular tea bags containing 1.25g each. They compared the combination of hibiscus tea and the DASH antihypertensive diet to the DASH diet without tea.

The Journal of Advanced Pharmaceutical Technology & Research published a study that demonstrated that adding hibiscus tea to the standard DASH diet for hypertension makes it more effective. However, the study involved less than 50 participants, and only 23 volunteers were in the group that supplemented the DASH diet with hibiscus, which means the results cannot be considered reliable as the trial was short-term.

At present, there is no reliable clinical evidence supporting the benefits of hibiscus tea for the treatment and prevention of hypertension, improvement of blood biochemistry, or enhancement of lactation.

What is the DASH diet?

The Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH) diet is a dietary system designed for individuals with hypertension. This diet emphasizes the consumption of vegetables, fruits, legumes, whole grains, fish, and lean meats. Clinical studies have proven the effectiveness of the DASH diet in preventing and treating hypertension.

What is included in the DASH diet?

The DASH diet permits the consumption of a variety of foods, including vegetables, fruits, whole grains, low-fat dairy products, fish, poultry, legumes, seeds and nuts, and vegetable oils. However, the diet also requires the limitation of certain foods such as fatty meats, full-fat dairy products, sweetened beverages, sweets, and high-sodium foods.

Can hibiscus tea cause harm?

Hibiscus is generally considered safe, with the exception of possible allergic reactions. Clinical trials have not reported any negative effects of hibiscus, even when taken as supplements with high concentrations of active ingredients.

Furthermore, animal studies investigating the potential toxicity of Hibiscus sabdariffa have not shown any adverse health effects.

No recommendations have been developed on the amount of hibiscus tea for home consumption. However, experts from the independent database on dietary supplements, Examine, suggest consuming no more than two cups of tea per day – one in the morning and one in the evening on a regular basis. They also recommend using one teabag per serving to achieve the desired strength of the infusion. Typically, a hibiscus tea bag contains 1-1.5g, equivalent to 1-1.5 teaspoons of loose tea.

In clinical trials, volunteers took high doses of hibiscus, but the studies were not long-term. As a result, it is unclear how high concentrations of hibiscus affect the human body when taken for an extended period of time.