Consuming blueberries may assist in lowering your blood pressure, according to the University of Maryland Medical Center. However, drinking blueberry tea may not be as effective, depending on the tea. Read the label of the blueberry tea to ensure blueberry leaf was used and not just blueberry flavoring. Homemade tea from the leaves or fresh fruit will be the most effective in treating hypertension.
Blueberries and High Blood Pressure
Blueberry tea made from leaves or fruit is rated high amongst foods containing antioxidants. A 2009 study in the “Journal of Medicinal Food” found that blueberry leaves from wild blueberries infused with hot water for 30 minutes contained some of the highest antioxidant amounts from dietary sources. A 2010 study in the “American Journal of Clinical Nutrition” followed over 150,000 men and women over 14 years and their intake of foods containing the antioxidant anthocyanin, found in blueberries and strawberries. The study found an 8 percent reduction in risk of high blood pressure in those who ate the most blueberries.
Anthocyanins
Anthocyanins are antioxidants that belong to the bioflavinoid phytochemicals, recognizable by their red to blue coloring in foods. As noted in the “American Journal of Clinical Nutrition,” anthocyanins are the component in blueberries responsible for reduced risk of hypertension. Anthocyanins are found in blueberries and other fruits such as strawberries, black currants and elderberries. Anthocyanins may also help in heart disease, vision-related disorders, neurodegenerative disorders and cancer.
Blueberries on the Antioxidant Scale
The U.S. Department of Agriculture, in a 2007 paper, measured the oxygen radical absorbance capacity of 59 foods and found blueberries ranked in the top five. Oxygen radical absorbance capacity, or ORAC, assesses the antioxidant protection power of a food. The antioxidants in blueberry tea, especially the anthocyanins, neutralize free radicals that are associated with increased risk of high blood pressure. Using blueberry tea to help lower high blood pressure may be a viable option but should not be substituted for conventional medication. Talk to your doctor about using blueberry tea for hypertension.
Homemade Blueberry Leaf Tea
To ensure the blueberry tea is made from blueberry leaves or fruit, buy loose blueberry leaf tea instead of bags. If that is unavailable, try this tea recipe. Gather fresh blueberry leaves and dry them on a clean cloth out of the sun. Once the leaves are dried, use 1 teaspoon of leaves per cup of hot water. Boil fresh water and pour into a teapot. Add your blueberry leaves and steep for about 20 or 30 minutes. Pour the tea through a strainer into your cup and add sugar or honey to taste. Serve hot, or add ice and serve cold.
References
- University of Maryland Medical Center: Hypertension
- "Journal of Medicinal Food"; Antioxidant Capacity and Polyphenolic Content of Blueberry (Vaccinium corymbosum L.) Leaf Infusions.; J.Piljac-Zegarac, et al.; June 2009
- “American Journal of Clinical Nutrition”; Habitual Intake of Flavonoid Subclasses and Incident Hypertension in Adults; Aedín Cassidy, et al.; November 2010
- U.S. Highbush Blueberry Council: Blueberry Nutrition
- Louisiana State University System: Anthocyanins
- Oxygen Radical Absorbance Capacity (ORAC) of Selected Foods – 2007; Nutrient Data Laboratory, et al.; November 2007
