7 useful properties of karkade tea and its contraindications
Karkade tea is a special floral tea that is prepared by brewing hibiscus flowers, a valuable plant native to India, which also has the name Sudanese rose.
The benefits of karkade tea have been known since ancient times. It has been used in folk medicine to treat high blood pressure and colds.
7 facts about the benefits
Numerous studies have confirmed the beneficial properties of karkade for health. Let's focus on the most significant discoveries.
1. It has an antioxidant effect
Antioxidants are special substances that neutralize free radicals. Free radicals can cause cell death or malignant degeneration, and increase the risk of developing chronic diseases.
Karkade tea is rich in antioxidant substances. Experiments on rats demonstrate the ability of the drink to increase the antioxidant status of the body and reduce the negative effects of free radicals on cells by 92%.
How underline scientists, not only flowers have antioxidant activity, but also hibiscus leaves.
It is important to note that the studies were conducted exclusively on animals, using high doses of hibiscus extract. Unfortunately, there was no assessment of the plant's effect on the human body.
2. Reduces blood pressure
Medicinal tea has been used since ancient times to treat hypertension, a chronic disease accompanied by an increase in blood pressure.
Works of American scientists show that daily intake of hibiscus tea effectively reduces blood pressure levels.
Doctors recommend include a drink in the diet to reduce the doses of antihypertensive medications taken.
According to information experts from Romania, regular tea intake allows on average to reduce systolic blood pressure by 8 mmHg, diastolic – by 4 mmHg.
However, the drink is not combined with all medicines. For example, revealed undesirable interaction with a diuretic agent – hydrochlorothiazide.
Karkade tea is recommended for men and women of older age groups suffering from hypertension or having an increased predisposition to the development of this disease.
3. Reduces cholesterol levels
Employees of Shahid Sadugi University of Medical Sciences (Iran) studied
the effect of carcade on lipid profile parameters. After 1 month of regular intake of the drink, there was a decrease in total cholesterol in the blood, as well as LDL – "bad" cholesterol.
Mexican scientists claim that after the inclusion of a medicinal drink in the diet, the concentration of "useful" cholesterol – HDL also increases.
However, hibiscus tea is practically does not provide positive effects on the level of TAG, which also belong to the group of "bad" cholesterol. It is not worth recommending a drink as an alternative to hypocholesterolemic drugs.
Reducing the level of total and "bad" cholesterol is the only possible way to prevent the formation of atherosclerotic plaques on the inner walls of arterial vessels.
Red tea is recommended for everyone who suffers from diseases associated with atherosclerosis (coronary heart disease, chronic cerebral ischemia), as well as has suffered vascular catastrophes (stroke and myocardial infarction).
4. Improves liver health
Recent scientific studies show that hibiscus helps improve liver health
and support her work in difficult situations (poisoning, taking some medications).
Taiwanese scientists have identified the ability of carcade to reduce the severity of fatty hepatosis, a disease characterized by the deposition of fats in the liver parenchyma (with metabolic syndrome or dyslipidemia). The plant also prevents the development of this pathology.
Hibiscus also warns destruction of liver cells. The effectiveness was assessed by the content of markers of hepatocyte destruction in the blood – ALT and AST.
Marked reduction of free radical levels in liver cells (with regular tea intake). Therefore, the drink is able to protect the organ even from malignant tumors.
Carcade should be consumed when taking large doses of medications, the metabolism of which occurs in the liver (for example, statins), as well as toxic substances (alcohol).
5. Helps to lose weight
Installed
that regular intake of hibiscus extract for 3 months significantly reduces body weight, as well as visually transforms the figure (the waist becomes thinner, and fat deposits are smaller).
Positive results of using carcade for weight loss marked in both human and animal studies.
The drink is an effective remedy for use as part of combination therapy aimed at treating obesity or overweight. The exact mechanisms of action on fat metabolism are not fully understood.
6. Fighting cancer
Hibiscus is a rich source of polyphenols, which have powerful antioxidant and antiproliferative effects.
Chinese specialists consider that taking the plant allows you to protect the human body from any malignant tumors.
Application of plant extract allows reduce the volume of malignant cells in oral tumors, as well as prevent their invasion into healthy tissues and the formation of distant metastatic foci.
Also, the action of carcade has been studied and proven in cancer prostate gland in men and in the stomach .
Despite the stunning research results, it is worth noting that the effectiveness of the plant was evaluated exclusively in laboratory conditions. The behavior of polyphenolic substances in the human body has not been evaluated.
7. Destroys pathogenic microorganisms
Specialists from Korea installed
that hibiscus can inhibit the growth of E. coli.
This microorganism often causes infectious and inflammatory bowel diseases, accompanied by an increase in body temperature, diarrhea, increased gas formation and abdominal pain.
Employees of Qasim University (Saudi Arabia) compare the effectiveness of Sudanese rose extract with some antibacterial medicines. Scientists consider that tea is able to prevent the development of any diseases caused by the vital activity of bacteria (from banal bronchitis to pyelonephritis).
Harm and contraindications
Carcade is usually well tolerated by the human body. However, it has contraindications, and in some cases can cause significant harm to health.
Side effects, as a rule, develop exclusively when drinking tea in large volumes:
- Damage to liver cells. Taking tea in reasonable amounts protects liver cells from harmful substances. When taken in large quantities or in combination with hydrochlorothiazide, massive hepatocyte death may occur.
- Allergic reactions. Are rarely registered and occur mainly in mild form (papular rash, conjunctivitis). If you have allergies in the past, tea is contraindicated.
Karkade tea can be drunk by pregnant women.
But the effect on the child's body (up to 14 years old) it has not been studied in any of the studies, it is better for children to refrain from taking a drink.
Admission recommendations
Let's focus on the main rules of healthy eating of karkade:
- How to make tea? It is better to use glass or ceramic containers (glass, cup) for cooking. 1 tsp. of karkade petals, pour 200 ml of water (temperature – about 90 degrees). Cover and let stand for 5-10 minutes, then cool to room temperature (about 20 minutes more). Strain, the drink is ready. It is not recommended to drink tea hot.
- Which additives are better to use? Karkade tea can be consumed in its pure form or with honey. Raspberry leaves and rosehip fruits are perfectly combined with the drink.
- How much can I drink? Do not take more than 3 glasses (200 ml each) of tea per day.
- Reception time. Karkade tea is acceptable to drink at any time. The main thing is not on an empty stomach. It has a hypotensive effect and lowers blood sugar levels, which, in the absence of food intake, can negatively affect overall well-being.
Conclusion
- Karkade tea is a medicinal drink rich in antioxidants, anti–inflammatory and antimicrobial substances.
- Drinking a drink allows you to improve your figure, improve metabolism, reduce blood pressure and cholesterol in the blood, prevent the development of cancer and some infectious and inflammatory diseases.
- In order to get only benefits from tea, it is recommended to carefully follow the cooking technology and take it in moderate amounts (up to 3 cups per day).
