Testing tea

Just because it has a kick doesn’t mean it’s bad for you! Herbal teas can provide a boost in the morning or or relaxation in the evening which is welcome and sometimes even helpful. It also has healthful benefits.

In Agricultural Research magazine, the US department of Agriculture scientists in Boston looked into science-based evidence of benefits from drinking herbal teas. They narrowed their research to the top three herbal blends in America.

Chamomile has long been a go to tea. It has a soothing and relaxing effect. When researchers started looking into existing scientific research on the herb, they found it woefully lacking. No human clinical trial examined the so-called calming effect of the tea. There is some laboratory, test tube type evidence. In the article they publish findings that go beyond sedation, showing that the teas has a moderate antimicrobial activity and significant antiplatelet-clumping activity.

They also took a look at peppermint tea. In test tubes, it has a similar effect as chamomile, antimicrobial and antiviral activity as well as a strong antioxidant and antitumor action and some antiallergenic potential. But no human tests to support the findings. They also reviewed hibiscus tea and did find a human clinical trial reporting that drinking hibiscus teas lowered blood pressure in a group of hypertensive adults.

They determined that existing research is compelling and more should be done – I suspect they are looking for funding now.

Source: USDA, ScienceDaily