Herbal Teas and Health
Saturday, May 14, 2011 at 6:06AM
We know that green tea (and to a lesser extent black tea) provides healthy antioxidants - natural compounds linked to lower cancer risk and improved heart and brain health. New research now shows that some herbal teas (more correctly called infusions, since they're not from the tea plant Camellia sinensis) also have some health benefits. A study group from the Jean Mayer USDA Human Nutrition Research Center on Aging at Tufts University reviewed the scientific literature on three of the most popular herbal teas and concluded that they warrant further investigation. The researchers found that chamomile tea, known for its soothing effects, has antimicrobial activity and significant activity against the harmful clumping of platelets (cells that help stop bleeding). They also reported that peppermint tea has significant antimicrobial and antiviral activities plus strong antioxidant and antitumor action, as well as anti-allergy potential. The investigators further reported that hibiscus tea lowered blood pressure in a group of pre-hypertensive and mildly hypertensive adults. The findings were published in the March, 2011, issue of Agricultural Research magazine.
Reader Comments (8)
Fantastic! I love tea! : )
Thanks for the good article about benefits of herbal tea. But, does herbal tea taste like tea?
Thanks for the information about herb tea. It seems like so much is about black and green tea and I can't drink any of them because of the reaction I have to caffeine. I drink mint tea every morning. It is common mint that I grow in my garden. Does it have the same qualities as peppermint tea?
Yes, I drink hibiscus tea to try to keep my blood pressure down. I have just started doing this in the recent months. It seems to be working. Just had my blood pressure checked in the hospital this week. It was normal. I try to watch my salt intake as well, but I would say the main thing I have been doing differently from before is drinking the tea.
I have peppermint tea in the house. I bought it for its health benefits, but I have not drunk it much. I have been busy drinking the hibiscus tea. I think I will drink more of the peppermint tea when the weather gets warmer.
Chamomile tea affects my nervous system, making me jittery. Does that happen to anyone else?
Cindy - that happens to me as well...I become short of breath and anxious when I drink it. Peppermint tea, on the other hand is my favorite! I drink it every night after dinner.
what is a 'legit' brand of Tea in terms of purity and potency. There are hundreds of selections at the supermarket and whole foods.
Interesting. I had no idea that herbal teas had benefits; I thought it was only black and green teas.