For years, doctors thought that blood pressure just naturally got higher as people grew older. Under that formula, just about everyone on Medicare would be taking blood pressure pills. But that’s not always necessary. It turns out that some common foods, including hibiscus tea, offer a tasty way to keep blood pressure under control, so long as it’s not too high to start with.
Hibiscus Tea to Lower Blood Pressure:
Q. Since I started drinking hibiscus tea I have seen my blood pressure drop. It used to run around 132/80, but now it’s about 102/70. I’m delighted!
I found the following recipe to be a good replacement for an evening glass of wine. I take strong hibiscus tea and add apple cider vinegar, lemon juice, tart cherry extract and a little stevia or honey to taste. It makes a deep red sweet/tart/tangy elixir that’s delicious hot or cold, and every single ingredient has fabulous health benefits. It’s the best nightcap possible. The tart cherry extract contains melatonin, so it’s great for getting to sleep.
Studies of Hibiscus Tea:
A. Science supports your observation. One six-week study found that three cups of hibiscus tea daily lowered systolic blood pressure significantly, without unpleasant side effects (Journal of Nutrition, Feb., 2010). The volunteers in this study had mild hypertension or prehypertension.
Hibiscus tea is technically not really tea, but a decoction of the petals of the red flowers of Hibiscus sabdariffa. We agree that it is delicious, though we usually drink it without the extras. A number of tea companies, such as Celestial Seasonings and the Republic of Tea, sell hibiscus tea mixed with additional flavorful fruits or leaves, such as lemon or raspberry.
How Does Hibiscus Work?
Hibiscus compounds act very much like blood pressure medications called ACE inhibitors. Studies show the tea is nearly as effective as drugs like captopril and lisinopril (Fitoterapia, March, 2013). It also helps relax blood vessels by encouraging the lining to release nitric oxide, much as chocolate does (Frontiers in Pharmacology, online Jan. 19, 2016).
Are There Side Effects and Interactions?
Very few side effects or interactions have been reported with hibiscus tea. Animal research suggests that hibiscus tea might boost the blood-pressure lowering effects of hydrochlorothiazide, a common medication for hypertension (Journal of Medicinal Food, June, 2011). Scientists doing rat experiments have also found that hibiscus tea can interfere with the ACE inhibitor drug captopril, resulting in lower plasma levels and speeding clearance (Evidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine, June 17, 2020).
A reader reported a side effect:
“I started drinking hibiscus tea before bed because I wanted to reduce the amount of medication I take for elevated blood pressure. I started coughing at night but had no symptoms of a cold or allergies. It took two nights for me to figure out that this could be the same ACE inhibitor cough so many people report with prescription pills.”
We don’t know if this troubles others who drink hibiscus tea. However, we have heard from another reader who believes that ACE inhibitor activity caused severe muscle cramps.
Here’s the story about excess potassium:
Q. I started drinking three cups of red hibiscus tea daily for blood pressure and also because I really like the taste. I was also using the DASH diet (Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension), which, as you know, involves daily consumption of 8-10 servings of veggies and fruits and a couple of servings of low-fat dairy. This is a large intake of potassium, which is probably one of reasons that the DASH diet lowers BP.
When I began having severe muscle cramps, I re-read info about hibiscus. It was the only new addition to my regimen. I learned that hibiscus acts as an ACE inhibitor. These drugs can cause hyperkalemia, and muscle cramps may be a symptom of elevated potassium.
Since I have used the DASH diet successfully for years to control my BP, I chose to stop the hibiscus tea. The muscle cramps resolved. I occasionally drink a cup of hibiscus tea at night when I want a caffeine-free warm beverage, but I rely on my DASH diet for BP control.
A. Hibiscus tea does contain compounds that inhibit angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE) (Molecules, May, 2020). Popular blood pressure-lowering drugs like captopril, enalapril and lisinopril also work by blocking the action of ACE. A study that compared hibiscus to captopril found that the herb worked about as well as the prescription drug (Phytotherapy Research, online, July 29, 2020). As noted above, though, they are not compatible, so don’t use them both.
People who are interested in a variety of strategies for hypertension management may want to consult our eGuide to Blood Pressure Solutions. In it, we discuss many other non-drug options for controlling hypertension, from magnesium to chocolate, kefir or grape juice.
