Did you know that next to water, tea is the second most consumed beverage around the World? A good cuppa can be soothing, revitalizing, and carry many benefits, including having a positive effect on your cholesterol levels according to a study published on Bentham Science. In the post, we take a look at how this popular beverage can positively influence cholesterol levels.
Benefits Of A Good Cuppa
While there are many types, only some types of tea have been shown to help lower cholesterol levels: green, oolong, black, white, and herbal, with green being the most well-known dating back to being used in ancient medicines to alleviate many ailments such as digestive disorders.
Black, green, oolong and white varieties come from leaves and buds of the Camellia sinensis plant having a unique growing and processing technique, with white being the least processed and made from the youngest leaves. Each of these types contain natural caffeine, although it can be removed.
Green: Contains catechins, potent anti-aging antioxidants that have been found to reduce LDL cholesterol which can increase the risk of fatigue, chest discomfort, strokes and cardiovascular diseases.
Black: Also contains catechins, but in lower amounts than green. Studies have shown that black can lower total and LDL cholesterol.
Oolong: A type of Chinese tea that is partially oxidized and may have cholesterol-lowering effects similar to green.
White: Contains antioxidants that may help to fight oxidative stress, lower LDL cholesterol, and polyphenols that increase the expression of LDLR.
Herbal: Some herbal blends such as chamomile, turmeric, ginger, and rosemary contain catechins that may help to lower LDL (bad) cholesterol and increase HDL (good) cholesterol.
Green Tea
Green tea has undergone less processing than most other forms or fermentation processes that enable it to retain many of its antioxidants, particularly catechins. This antioxidant activity has been shown to offer a variety of health benefits such as antibacterial activity, cancer prevention, easing rheumatoid arthritis, fighting inflammation, protecting both heart and brain health, as well as promoting oral health.
A large portion of these studies involve using the active ingredient as a catechin extract rather than the drink itself, which appears to increase LDL receptor activity in the liver, prevent absorption of cholesterol on the intestines, lower LDL cholesterol, increase HDL cholesterol, and lower total cholesterol.
Herbal
Technically herbal blends are not exactly tea because they are not made from the Camellia sinensis plant, they are made from parts of edible plants. The most popular kinds include peppermint, lavender, orange, chamomile, lemongrass, dandelion, and various berry flavors. Herbal teas typically don’t contain caffeine unless the pant itself contains natural caffeine.
Some herbal varieties like cranberry ginger, ginseng, Ginkgo biloba, and grapefruit varieties may interfere with certain over-the-counter drugs and prescriptions. Talk with your healthcare professional before using any teas to treat cholesterol levels.
Hibiscus
While the antioxidant strength depends on the type and processing method, hibiscus tea has the highest recorded level of antioxidants which is closely followed by berry, orange peel, and peppermint.
Hibiscus contains many bioactive compounds, including flavonoids, anthocyanins, and phenolic acids, and has been found to have more than 400% more antioxidants than green or black. Along with helping to lower cholesterol levels, hibiscus can potentially help with:
- Blood pressure: A Tufts study found that three cups of hibiscus per day lowered blood pressure in prehypertensive adults.
- Liver health: Studies suggest that hibiscus extract may help with liver steatosis and fatty liver disease.
- Weight loss: Hibiscus may help with weight loss due to its diuretic properties.
- Anti-inflammatory: Hibiscus contains polyphenols that can help reduce inflammation.
- Anti-diabetic: Improving insulin resistance and diabetes mellitus type 2,
Some studies also suggest that it can assist with managing nephropathy, treating iron-deficient anemia, managing xerostomic symptoms, and managing dyslipidemia.
Considerations
It’s important to note that it is best to consume tea in moderation, as excessive caffeine intake can have negative health effects. Additionally, these studies have typically been conducted in small groups of people, and more research is needed to confirm the long-term benefits on cholesterol levels. Consult with a healthcare professional for personalized advice on managing cholesterol.
Abstract
“Tea, next to water is the cheapest beverage humans consume. Drinking the beverage tea has been considered a health-promoting habit since ancient times. The modern medicinal research is providing a scientific basis for this belief. The evidence supporting the health benefits of tea drinking grows stronger with each new study that is published in the scientific literature.”
“Tea plant Camellia sinensis has been cultivated for thousands of years and its leaves have been used for medicinal purposes. It is used as a popular beverage worldwide and its ingredients are now finding medicinal benefits. Encouraging data showing cancer-preventive effects of green tea from cell-culture, animal and human studies have emerged. Evidence is accumulating that black tea may have similar beneficial effects,” note authors Naghma Khan and Hasan Mukhtar of the Bentham Science study.
“Consumption has also been shown to be useful for prevention of many debilitating human diseases that include maintenance of cardiovascular and metabolic health. Various studies suggest that polyphenolic compounds present in green and black tea are associated with beneficial effects in prevention of cardiovascular diseases, particularly of atherosclerosis and coronary heart disease.” “
“In addition, anti-aging, antidiabetic and many other health beneficial effects associated with tea consumption are described. Evidence is accumulating that catechins and theaflavins, which are the main polyphenolic compounds of green and black tea, respectively, are responsible for most of the physiological effects of tea. This article describes the evidences from clinical and epidemiological studies in the prevention of chronic diseases like cancer and cardiovascular diseases and general health promotion associated with tea consumption.”
As with anything you read on the internet, this article should not be construed as medical advice; please talk to your doctor or primary care provider before changing your wellness routine. WHN does not agree or disagree with any of the materials posted. This article is not intended to provide a medical diagnosis, recommendation, treatment, or endorsement. Additionally, it is not intended to malign any religion, ethnic group, club, organization, company, individual, or anyone or anything. These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration.
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References/Sources/Materials provided by:
TJ Webber at WHN
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http://www.irjponline.com/admin/php/uploads/vol-2_issue-8/1.pdf
