Hibiscus Tea May Help Support Healthy Blood Pressure

Hibiscus tea is made from dried parts of the hibiscus plant and is deep red in color. A new study suggests that hibiscus tea may help support healthy blood pressure.

Researchers from the University of Leeds used data from 17 clinical trials that included 819 participants for their study. The trials all evaluated the effect of hibiscus tea on blood pressure. Six of the trials looked at the effects of hibiscus tea versus a placebo, 2 compared hibiscus with a preventive diet, and 5 compared hibiscus with another tea beverage.

The researchers found that hibiscus tea reduced systolic blood pressure by 2.13 mmHg and diastolic blood pressure by 1.10 mmHg, results comparable to that seen with medication. Hibiscus tea also had a stronger effect on systolic blood pressure compared to placebo. The strongest effect was seen in participants with high blood pressure at baseline.

The study was published online ahead of print on May 5, 2002 in the journal Nutrition Reviews.

In a previous study, 3 grams of omega-3’s daily may help support healthy blood pressure.