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Author Topic:   The Surprising Health Benefits of Hibiscus
Aries Eagle
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posted January 11, 2017 12:10 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for Aries Eagle     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote

[ source ]

You may be familiar with hibiscus, known as “sour tea” in Iran, a delicious and refreshing summertime drink. However, this pleasant-tasting herb with the deep-red color also has beneficial health properties, specifically for those looking to support cardiovascular health.*

Traditional use

Originally from Angola, hibiscus is now cultivated throughout tropical and subtropical regions, especially in Sudan, Egypt, Thailand, Mexico, and China.

•In Egypt and Sudan, hibiscus is used to help maintain a normal body temperature, support heart health, and encourage fluid balance.*

•North Africans have used hibiscus internally for supporting upper respiratory health including the throat throat and also use it topically to support skin health

•In Europe, hibiscus has been employed to support upper respiratory health, alleviate occasional constipation, and promote proper circulation.* It is commonly used in combination with lemon balm and St John’s Wort for restlessness and occasional difficulty falling asleep.*

•Hibiscus is traditionally used for supporting normal blood pressure maintenance in Iran — a use that has been validated in several recent studies.†

Phytochemistry

Approximately 15-30 percent of the hibiscus plant is made up of plant acids, including citric acid, malic acid, tartaric acid and allo-hydroxycitric acid lactone — i.e. hibiscus acid, which is unique to hibiscus.

Other chemical constituents are many; however, some of the most important include alkaloids, anthocyanins, and quercetin.

Indications

Scientific interest in hibiscus has grown in the last several years, thanks to a small burst of published research studies — especially in regards to cholesterol and blood pressure maintenance.†

1.Cholesterol maintenance

In 2007, a one-month clinical trial tested the effects of hibiscus extract on cholesterol levels. A total of 42 subjects were randomized to three groups for the study. Group 1 received one 500-mg capsule 3x daily (1,500 mg/day), Group 2 received two capsules 3x daily (3,000 mg/day), and Group 3 received three capsules 3x daily (4,500 mg/day). Interestingly, by the fourth week, participants in both Groups 1 and 2, but not Group 3, experienced a cholesterol maintenance effect. The optimum dose was 1,000 mg taken 3x daily.

In 2009, another trial studied hibiscus’s ability to support cholesterol maintenance, this time in people concerned with healthy blood sugar levels. Sixty subjects, mostly women, were given either one cup of hibiscus tea or black tea twice per day. After one month, hibiscus was able to help maintain total, LDL, and HDL cholesterol levels — as well as triglycerides — already within a healthy range.* Black tea, on the other hand, only impacted HDL levels.

A larger trial, in 222 adults, was published on hibiscus in 2010. The subjects — about a third of whom had metabolic challenges — were randomly assigned to one of three groups: a healthy diet, hibiscus, or a healthy diet plus hibiscus. Those with metabolic challenges experienced several benefits from hibiscus, including cholesterol maintenance.¤ Similar effects on supporting normal blood sugar were also noted.*

Another 2010 study in 69 subjects found that hibiscus extract (1,000 mg/day) did not have a cholesterol maintenance effect compared to placebo. One wonders why the results of this study were negative, while the three studies mentioned above showed positive results. It could be because different preparations — tea, powdered flowers, and various extracts — were used in each study. With more consistent product selection and dosages used in larger randomized trials, we would hope that this would clarify the best intervention to use.

2.Blood pressure maintenance

In 2007, a randomized, controlled, double-blind study researched hibiscus’s blood pressure maintenance capacity. Participants received either a dried powdered hibiscus extract, containing a total of 250 mg anthocyanins, or an alternate intervention. Hibiscus extract was able to maintain blood pressure levels already within a healthy range, but importantly, it did not alter blood potassium levels, nor did it affect salt-water balance.*

A trial comparing hibiscus to black tea among people seeking to support healthy blood sugar levels was published in 2009. Subjects were randomly assigned to drink one cup of hibiscus tea or black tea two times per day for one month. Hibiscus tea demonstrated a maintenance effect on systolic (but not diastolic) blood pressure, while black tea did not.*†

A Cochrane review of hibiscus’s effects on blood pressure published in 2010 resulted in five articles. The reviewers included randomized controlled trials of three to 12 weeks in duration that compared hibiscus to either placebo or no intervention at all. All five of these studies found hibiscus had a blood pressure maintenance effect.†

Safety and Dosage

The safety profile of hibiscus is excellent, with no proven adverse reactions.
It is difficult to clarify dosing recommendations when different products are used in different studies. However, positive studies used the following dosages:

•For cholesterol maintenance: 1,000 mg dried herb 3x daily, one cup of hibiscus tea 2x daily, or 100 mg of standardized extract 2x daily

•For blood pressure maintenance†: One cup of hibiscus tea 2x daily or dried powdered hibiscus extract providing 250 mg anthocyanins per day

•2 Hibiscus Liquid Phyto-Caps are the equivalent of an 8oz cup of Hibiscus Tea.

Conclusion

It is exciting to see the use of this simple, safe plant evolve from home beverage to medicinal utilization for such common health support such as blood pressure and cholesterol maintenance.

Hibiscus helps maintain cholesterol levels that are already within a healthy range.*

† Hibiscus helps maintain blood pressure levels that are already within a healthy range.*

* This statement has not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease

Find out more about Gaia Herbs Hibiscus Flower

References

Leung A, Foster S, eds. Encyclopedia of Common Natural Ingredients Used in Food, Drugs, and Cosmetics. 2nd ed. New York: John Wiley and Sons; 1996. Neuwinger H. African Traditional Medicine. Stuttgart: Medpharm Scientific Publication; 2000.

Meyer-Buchtela E. Tee-Rezepturen: Ein Handbuch fur Apotheker und Arzte, 3. Erganzungslieferung 2004; Stuttgart: Duetscher Apotheker Verlag; 2004. Lin T, Lin H, Chen C, et al. Nutr Res 2007;27:140-145.

Mozaffari-Khosravi H, Jalali-Khanabadi B, Afkhami-Ardehani M, Fatehi F. . J Altern and Comp Med 2009;15(8):899-903.

Gurrola-Diaz C, Garcia-Lopez P, Sanchez-Enriquez S, et al. (MeSy). Phytomedicine 2010;17:500-505.

Kuriyan R, Kumar D, Rajendran R, Kurpad A. . BMC Compl and Alt Med 2010;10:27

Herrera-Arellano A, Miranda-Sanchez J, Avila-Castro P, et al. Lisinopril-controlled clinical trial. Planta Med 2007;73:6-12.

Mozaffari-Khosravi H, Jalali-Khanabadi B, Afkhami-Ardekani M, et al J Human Hypertension 2009;23:48-54.

Ngamjarus c, Pattanittum P, Somboonporn C. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2010;Jan 20(1):CD007894.

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Randall
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posted January 13, 2017 01:15 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for Randall     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
Outstanding information!

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teasel
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posted January 15, 2017 06:34 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for teasel     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
Thanks for the reminder. I have a cold, and have hibiscus tea in the cupboard.

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Faith
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posted January 30, 2017 08:18 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for Faith     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
So yummy. Thank you for the information. My whole family likes this:

Tazo brand "Passion" tea with hibiscus

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mirage29
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posted February 03, 2017 04:30 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for mirage29     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
I've been allergic to a lot of teas... especially the black-teas and 'greentea'.
(anaphylactic reactions)

Thanks for telling us about Hibiscus, AE.
I'll be looking for it on my grocer's shelf!

(Your Health info is always Quality!!!! Appreciating you for that.)

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Angelic star
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posted February 03, 2017 05:03 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for Angelic star     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
Raw hibiscus can actually be used as hair dye :d haha. It is good for hair

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mirage29
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posted February 04, 2017 12:51 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for mirage29     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
quote:
Originally posted by Angelic star:
Raw hibiscus can actually be used as hair dye :d haha. It is good for hair

Cool! Angelic..... Skip the Henna, right?

When I was young, I had done purple and copper rinses... even orangeness.

That was pretty daring in those days. Now, you can do hot-pinks or greens, and not be considered as too radical.

Although...... There are certain very conservative businesses here who have 'required' some persons to wear conservative wigs over their *ahem* Creative Self-Expressions, in order to work with their clientele.

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Angelic star
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posted February 04, 2017 11:22 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for Angelic star     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
quote:
Originally posted by mirage29:
Cool! Angelic..... Skip the Henna, right?

When I was young, I had done purple and copper rinses... even orangeness.

That was pretty daring in those days. Now, you can do hot-pinks or greens, and not be considered as too radical.

Although...... There are certain very conservative businesses here who have 'required' some persons to wear conservative wigs over their *ahem* Creative Self-Expressions, in order to work with their clientele.


Sighs I tried dying my hair red once, looked horrible , so I dyed it back to black. I went back to plain and simple I am not a fan of hair dying, but copper and purple sounds like rainbow
I wish I was an elf, then colored hair would be so cool, but unfortunately I am pretty human

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Randall
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posted February 05, 2017 01:05 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for Randall     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
I like unnatural hair color.

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Kannon McAfee
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posted February 24, 2017 12:31 AM     Click Here to See the Profile for Kannon McAfee     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
Herbalist needs to butt in here.

Hibiscus is a refrigerant, which means it is cold in nature and will bring down a fever or cool the body when over heating in summer. One of the best things to have around for fevers. Please, do not use it for a cold.

A true "cold" involves a chilly, sluggish body, usually a dripping nose, fluid mucus. Hibiscus will exacerbate this condition. When you have a cold use warming, diffusing herbs (Ginger, Cayenne, Garlic) to chase it away.

Potential Adverse Effects - yes there are some: Hibiscus can cause cramping of the stomach/GI tract if used in significant quantities when there is no excess heat in the body. Not good for regular wintertime use unless you truly have a hot constitution.

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