High blood pressure, or hypertension, represents an elevation of the force required to send blood through artery walls. This in turns increases the risk for kidney failure, stroke and heart disease. High blood pressure usually has no symptoms. Research indicates that certain teas and juices might be effective for lowering blood pressure.
Green Tea
In research reported in the October 2008 issue of the journal "Nutrition," scientists from the University of Florida, Brigham and Women's Hospital and Harvard Medical School investigated the impact of green tea extract on cardiovascular risk factors. They discovered that healthy women and men taking green tea extract for three weeks experienced reductions in blood pressure compared to those treated with a placebo. Researchers stated that green tea's antioxidant compounds called polyphenols were responsible for the results.
Hibiscus Tea
Scientists from Tufts University studied the effects of hibiscus tea on patients with prehypertension and mild hypertension. For six weeks, subjects received three servings of hibiscus tea or a placebo per day. Researchers reported in the February 2010 issue of the "Journal of Nutrition," that participants consuming hibiscus tea decreased their blood pressure compared to those receiving a placebo.
Concord Grape Juice
Researchers from the Nutrition and Metabolism Research Unit at Radiant Research in Chicago explore the impact of Concord grape juice on blood pressure levels in healthy males. For 12 weeks, participants drank 6 oz. Concord grape juice or a placebo per day. At the end of the study, which was presented at the 2003 Federation for American Societies of Experimental Biology annual meeting, scientists discovered that the Concord grape juice significantly lowered their blood pressure compared to the placebo group.
Beetroot Juice
In research published in the March 2008 issue of the journal "Hypertension," scientists from Barts and the London School of Medicine examined the effects of beetroot juice on blood pressure in healthy women and men. They found that subjects consuming 500 mL of beetroot juice experienced decreases in blood pressure within one hour and up to 24 hours after ingestion.
References
- Nutrition: Standardized Capsule of Camellia Sinensis Lowers Cardiovascular Risk Factors ...; Meri P. Nantz, et al.; February 2009
- Nutra Ingredients.com; Hibiscus Tea May Reduce Blood Presure In At Risk People; Stephen Daniells; 03 Feb. 2010
- Hypertension; Inorganic Nitrate Supplementation Lowers Blood Pressure in Humans; Vikas Kapil, et al.; June 28, 2010
- ScienceDaily; Daily Glass Of Beet Juice Can Beat High Blood Pressure, Study Shows; Feb. 6, 2008
