These Teas May Boost Heart Health And Help Lower Blood Pressure

Heart disease continues to be the leading cause of death not only in the United States but also worldwide. Although age and family history can increase your risk, you can lower it through simple lifestyle changes such as improving your diet, getting at least 150 minutes of exercise per week, and quitting smoking. A heart-healthy diet includes eating more vegetables, fruits, and whole grains while cutting back on sodium, saturated fat, and added sugars.

To maintain a healthy heart, it is also important to pay attention to what you drink. According to the American Heart Association, that extra can of soda can raise your cholesterol levels. You can help lower your blood pressure and support better heart health by replacing sugar-sweetened drinks with heart-healthy teas such as hibiscus, chamomile, and green tea. Each of these teas contains natural compounds that can improve not only your heart health but your overall health as well.

The vibrant colors of hibiscus flowers can brighten any garden, but they can also be added to tea for their medicinal benefits. According to a 2022 article in Nutrition Reviews, hibiscus flowers are rich in anthocyanins, which not only give them their deep red color but also act as antioxidants. These antioxidants may help neutralize free radicals that damage blood vessels and contribute to heart disease. Anthocyanins may also lower blood pressure by boosting nitric oxide production, which helps improve blood flow.

Chamomile tea is often associated with better sleep, but it contains more than 120 natural compounds that can support overall health, according to a 2010 review in Molecular Medicine Reports. Chamomile is rich in flavonoids that have antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and calming properties. These flavonoids may reduce the risk of coronary heart disease by improving blood flow and promoting restful sleep. Although chamomile may not directly lower blood pressure, it can indirectly help by easing anxiety and encouraging relaxation.

It is also no surprise that green tea supports heart health. Green tea contains high levels of polyphenols, particularly epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG), which act as powerful antioxidants that reduce oxidative stress, according to a 2023 review in Frontiers in Nutrition. These polyphenols may help block cholesterol absorption in the intestine, protect blood vessels, and improve fat metabolism. In a 2020 article in Medicine that analyzed 24 trials, green tea significantly lowered both systolic and diastolic blood pressure, especially in people with elevated blood pressure.

If hibiscus, chamomile, or green tea don't suit your palate, other types of tea can still be good for your heart. Certain compounds in tea slow fat absorption and reduce cholesterol-producing enzymes in the body, helping to lower cholesterol, according to a 2019 review in Antioxidants. While matcha green tea is particularly effective for lowering cholesterol, both oolong and black tea have been shown to reduce cholesterol levels in people with mildly high cholesterol or those at higher cardiovascular risk. Oolong tea may protect heart cells from oxidative stress, while black tea can improve blood vessel function (here are other ways drinking black tea can affect your body).

Heart health isn't the only reason to swap soda for tea. A 2020 article in the Journal of the American Nutrition Association found that the antioxidants in tea may reduce the risk of Alzheimer's and Parkinson's disease. L-theanine, a natural compound in tea, can boost alertness, attention, and relaxation. Tea's polyphenols may also help prevent cancer by neutralizing harmful carcinogens and slowing the growth of malignant cells. And if you're looking to support your gut microbiome, reach for fermented pu-erh tea, which contains probiotics along with those beneficial polyphenols.