Hibiscus Tea vs. Plant-Based Diets for Hypertension

How do the blood-pressure lowering effects of hibiscus tea compare to the DASH diet, a plant-based diet, and a long-distance endurance exercise?
New subscribers to our e-newsletter always receive a free gift. Get yours here: nutritionfacts...
Those who’ve been following my work for years have seen how my videos have evolved. In the past, the hibiscus results may have been the whole video, but thanks to everyone’s support (nutritionfacts..., I’ve been able to delegate the logistics to staff and concentrate more on the content creation. This allows me to do deeper dives into the literature to put new findings into better context. The videos are bit longer, but hopefully they’re more useful-let me know what you think!
For such a leading killer, hypertension has not gotten the coverage it deserves on NutritionFacts.org. Here’s a few videos with more to come:
Whole Grains May Work As Well As Drugs (nutritionfacts....)
Longer Life Within Walking Distance (nutritionfacts....)
Hearts Shouldn’t Skip a Beet (nutritionfacts....)
So should we all be drinking hibiscus tea every day? This is the first of a four part series on the latest on hibiscus. Stay tuned for the next three:
• Protecting Teeth From Hibiscus Tea (nutritionfacts....)
• Is There Too Much Aluminum in Tea? (nutritionfacts....)
• How Much Hibiscus Tea is Too Much?
9nutritionfacts....)
For now there’s just Herbal Tea Update: Hibiscus (nutritionfacts....) and Better Than Green Tea? (nutritionfacts....)
For another comparison of those running marathons and those eating plants, see: Arteries of Vegans vs. Runners (nutritionfacts....)
Have a question for Dr. Greger about this video? Leave it in the comment section at nutritionfacts.... and he'll try to answer it!
Image Credit: kattebelletje and Pgoyette via Flickr.
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#bloodpressure #hownottodie #drgreger

[@TCMcGowan]

Very true. I had hypertension 140/90, went vegan and now 108/63 after a year. No one can believe diet is the only change. My dad died of a heart attack at 40 so I need to be careful.

[@iforgothowtotype]

Tracy Mcgowan How is your cholesterol?

[@EMSpdx]

Saril (Hibiscus tea) is so delicious! And it makes a great substitute for wine! So- have a plant based lunch or dinner, then have some delicious, strong, tart hibiscus tea (boiled with ginger slices and orange peel, then lightly sweetened with apple juice) . It's really good!

[@remnantfewministriesminist495]

Yes! Sounds delicious Must Try!

[@TheSnerggly]

yum!

[@shuttersteph]

The Apple juice as sweetener is brilliant

[@NutritionFactsOrg]

How effective is hibiscus tea for lowering high blood pressure? Watch below or click the link to watch on NutritionFacts.org: nutritionfacts.org/video/hibiscus-tea-vs-plant-based-diets-for-hypertension/

[@DawgGirl2]

I sure appreciate the longer videos dr. greger, which gives me so many more points to bring up when discussing this with the many people I am trying to influence! It really helps us when you do so much work researching the many complex related ideas which put the puzzle together better for us. The Just Eat More Plants foundational concept keeps surfacing while others get bogged down with various animal vs. plant arguments.

[@vegannursepractitioner9629]

I agree, the longer videos are so much more interesting and complete!

[@itzanonmoose8328]

This guy is an absolute legend.

[@afrolukas83]

I just eat plants and I run marathons BOOM! :) Vegan for life peeps.

[@tomrobit3560]

Love your videos Doctor. They are helping me tremendously.

[@angelavasiliu3968]

Thank you for this. I drink hibiscus tea daily, a habit which started after I heard Dr. Gregor speaking about it in another video.

[@williamwilson6499]

Hibiscus tea is plant based. Do both...drink hibiscus and eat more plants. Done.

[@gustavmonger]

It would be interesting to see an actual study done with regard to your comment.

[@albhyking4935]

Yes plant is good. Have meat once or twice a month

[@a.s.vanhoose1545]

No hibiscus tea is actually an animal product. It comes from the nipples of the hibiscus bat.

[@carfusz]

@@a.s.vanhoose1545 I think you're misinformed

[@pascal0868]

@@a.s.vanhoose1545 agree. I get mine direct from Wuhan.

[@b.j.thomas3264]

Vegan six years (not junk food) and was 170/100 at the doctor last week. Have been between 140-150 over 82-90 in home measurements this week.

[@arturtoth3185]

That’s weird. I’m vegan for six years, age 25, and I’m 134/56.

[@Quincycle]

You heard of white coat syndrome? My BP shoots up even when I take it, let alone at the docs, because I get nervous.

[@b.j.thomas3264]

@@Quincycle Sure have! I don't think my doctor believes in it, though! My lowest readings are at Walmart and CVS. I don't do that well, even at home.

[@kape2377]

I really like hibiscus teas, but havent been drinking it for a few years. Now that I tried it again, as a plant based person, my blood pressure was already so low that it went too low and made me dizzy so I had to stop drinking it. 😢 that was when I realized how potent it really is.

[@betsycosmos7786]

Yes, I'll stick to my plant based diet and not bother running 1000s of miles so I can eat cheeseburgers! :-)

[@keilaarroyo7941]

Thanks for the info!

[@lisamarieclark6778]

Thanks again for all you do.

[@ananse77]

Doc, you really need to clarify whether the hibiscus in these studies is the hibiscus flower associated with tropical islands, or the plant that's called "sorrel" in the Caribbean, roselle in Australia, bissap in some West African countries, etc. They are very different, and there is some confusion concerning this. If you look up hibiscus sabdariffa, it is sorrel/roselle, not the pretty hibiscus flower seen on the boxes of hibiscus tea on supermarket shelves. Please, please research and clarify.

[@gregorklaric]

Hibiscus sabdariffa, en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roselle_(plant)

[@TruckerJoe]

That is significant! 👍🌱

[@goldwolf0606]

My BP went from 130/87 to 114/74 in 2 months of cutting out animal products and not eating fatty or processed foods and sugared drinks including juices. I also lost 15 lbs. I ate mostly potatoes rice beans fruits and vegetables. Little bit of nuts and guacamole for plant fats to help with absorption of fat soluble vitamins. I feel much better and I look significantly skinnier. Went from 36 waist to 34. Clothes don’t feel so tight anymore. NO EXERCISING. Imagine if I had been exercising! Plant based diet works people. Meat/Dairy tastes good but it’s bad for you in the quantities our society currently eats. Avoid it as much as you can and make yourself sexy.

[@funnybleh]

There are more and more vegan athletes.

[@diegonayalazo]

Thanks

[@maureenk1635]

Another great video!!

[@WeCelebrateEatingPlants]

Thank you! 🎉❤🥦

[@rlshieldsok]

This tea should be limited though because of the manganese content, right?

[@BethShearon]

4 tea bags max per day he said -- that's a lot of tea

[@reinamckinney8943]

Hi there, I want to know if Hybetez Remedy, will work for me? I see many people keep on talking about this high blood pressure treatment.

[@flyorraofficial]

Exercise is best for heart. Just walk an hour a day

[@yurjhr1662]

Im curious if 1 strong cup will work? Ive convinced my partner to get rid of land animals and drink golden milk, im sure i could get him to drink 1 glass of hibiscus. 5 though? I dont think so.

[@abcde12345edcba]

Great vid

[@zachhampton7163]

Does hibiscus tea alkalize the body like lemons ? Or does is increase acidity?

[@username-yn5yo]

its just water bro it has no effect

[@username-yn5yo]

the tea is slightly acidic but in yourstoyour stomach acid is like 10 times stronger at least so it doesnt make a diff

[@DiHickman]

Just eat plants! Truth! Love this video!

[@AstralS7orm]

***** That link provides no evidence. It's standard FUD tactics. The analysis quoted is not strong enough and does not touch the main point. Greger dramatizing is not the point - that's just salesmanship. They attack Greger's "list of death" by stating that plant based diets do not *completely* prevent mortality. It's like saying "soft drinks are not the *sole* cause of cardiac mortality in the US". It's ridiculous. They also attack a single chosen study, not the whole mass. If they tried that, they'd found that the interlocking evidence gives a clear picture. I agree that most of this supports the mainstream advice of "eat more plants, be healthier". Not of purely vegan diet, but there's some epidemiology showing a dose-response relationship in quite a few illnesses. Including the vegan endpoint. More than just adventists II. Whether full vegan is the answer or not, lots of plants definitely is. At least less than 1 piece of meat (200 separate studies that in general say "plant based diets are good". (probably many more; that's about how many I have read on just this diet) It's called review. (For a full meta-analysis, you'd have to verify confounding factors, assign quality scores and apply proper statistics.) I've fact checked Greger time and again, and he's almost always right and grounded in the science. The main failing is that sometimes he uses weak studies to support some of the more, let's call them, weird and outlandish claims. Tossing these out does not change the result. There's more than enough good studies cited. I've also looked into the other side of the medal - studies on "paleo" diets, on high fat diets in animal product version. Those studies are almost always lacking follow-up... there seem to be no longitudinal studies at all, so we don't know long term effects. (And I have a personal reason for looking for those - I've messed my lipids fiercely in the past with one such hardcore diet.) There are some studies claiming they're effective for weight loss, not quite as many as on plant based diets, but for high fat, the effect is invariably stronger than for plant based - at least for a year, because I couldn't find enough data for longer term. Mine crashed on markers after 2 years.

[@sabatheus]

AstralStorm Right. Peer-reviewed studies by doctors are FUD. Got it. *shakes head slowly*

[@AstralS7orm]

Sabatheus This is not peer-reviewed studies. This is comments. This is not even peer-review, since it only latched on the marketing bit - the "fighting causes of death" bit, not the rest of the huge library of *peer reviewed* studies. I've seen no real studies saying vegan diet is necessarily harmful. Perhaps you could fix this gap in my knowledge. (Other than the obvious culprits, B12 and D deficiency, which are avoidable and which happen in non-vegans too, reasonably often. I've seen research in India, ~50% in vegetarians vs ~30% in meat eaters about B12 deficiency.) Now then, I've seen no good studies saying vegan diet is inherently superior to other diets very rich in plants, though there's a lot of evidence that eating lots of vegetables is healthy, and plenty that eating lots of meat, eggs and saturated fats is harmful. The latter does not directly extend to dairy - good dairy might be special, there are some studies on that - keyword CLA. There is some evidence that overdoing protein due to dairy increases risk of osteoporosis. There's quite a bit of evidence that eating fatty fish is beneficial too. There's plenty of evidence that eating lots of red meat predisposes to colon cancer; eating many eggs (as I've said, >1/d) to atherosclerosis. Lots of evidence that eating foods rich in saturated fats (with some exceptions) is harmful; quite a bit that processed foods also are. This is so-called mainstream advice with some hard limits tossed in. Adding those limits nets you what's called semivegetarian at the very least, if not actually vegetarian with controlled amounts of eggs and dairy.

[@florencecron9617]

I still don't get what is better: Hibiscus tea hot or soaking the leaves over night in cold water?

[@boethia7367]

Cold bc heating kills antioxidants which ate awesome so you want to keep them

[@armiento]

can you make vid on coconut sugar and where it fits as a healthy sweetner

[@AstralS7orm]

It's a sweetener. There are no really healthy sweeteners, because they are not nutritional. (at most provide a single nutrient) And at doses required for just sweetening nutrient-containing foods, any sweetener will do, as long as it is not carcinogenic. (Though actual evidence for carcinogenic potential of any sweetener is very weak.)

[@philddlesticks]

Good for calcium

[@notrappaport5340]

Sugar is sugar.

[@gf4353]

Cows have big bones, big teeth, big heads , where do they get their protein? They only eat grass!

[@TheMarkTenification]

They also have four stomachs and have to continually regurgitate the food they eat and rechew it...

[@TheAndyVegan]

Vegan for the win! Plant power XD

[@QueefJuiceOverflow]

Cannabis is a plant. yeah plant power

[@TheAndyVegan]

QueefJuiceOverflow It is.

[@Aa-tt3yh]

Matcha > green tea. Does this also mean that hibiscus powder > hibiscus tea?

[@gustavmonger]

I would say quite likely because with both powders you are consuming the whole plant instead of steeping it, drinking only the liquid and then discarding what you steeped.

[@Joefest99]

What about all of the aluminum in hibiscus?!

[@alomaalber6514]

and it is tasty!

[@Ryansarcade9]

Cool

[@SuzanneRMoyer]

There's an all natural therapy can help you stop hypertension for good, without having to use any unwanted side effects from drugs even if you've been taking drugs for years.

[@SuzanneRMoyer]

+Suzanne R. Moyer The treatment guarantees you'll get benefit from the result within just 17 days. And it actually works (I've tried it myself so I know). It's been months since I followed this remedy, my condition as well as my health has gained astounding recovery. You should give it a try. Discover more here: guide1.net/lower-hypertension-naturally-xedc7d

[@DiscimusUtServiamus]

You lower my blood pressure Dr. Gregor.

[@LoveToLiveForMusic]

Does Hybetez Remedy really help to treat your high blood pressure issue inherently ? I have learn numerous good stuff about this high blood pressure remedy.

[@armiento]

who makes these study the hibiscus company?

[@pac0re]

Go to the.website and see.the sources cited.. all the links.are.there .. You're welcome to read em all

[@Ryansarcade9]

Eat plants and drink hibiscus!

[@marymugambi5486]

Doc Excellent podcast topics But please speak slower so people can follow you, process what you are saying. Dr Mary Mugambi Dietitian - Technical University of Kenya Health Talk Radio Africa

[@rankemperor]

What are the other health problems associated with not getting the vitamins normally gotten from animal products, such as B12, D, and K2?

[@vegannursepractitioner9629]

Really, you can find that with a simple google for deficiencies of each, its alot more info than a 'quicky' answer on a FB comments page and alot more work for the person answering. But, lay in the sun 15 mins a day, eat something fermented everyday and you shouldn't have problems with any of them, if you don't want to do that, take a supplement. I read a study not too long ago that showed 49% of americans were B12 deficient, only 1-4 percent of those are vegan... And low and behold, most vegans are not, as they are so nutrient and health focused that they usually take a supplement to cover any holes, where as, when I speak with meateaters, they tend think everything is in cow muscle, which is not, so they are sicker, having many more deficiencies and chronic diseases, then a vegan ever dreamed of, including fiber, a major colon cancer preventer... So while they are getting their chemo for their #2 american killer, Cancer, they are busily looking over the fence at the much healthier vegans who have a 50% less risk of colon cancer, asking us 'but where do you get your protein'? Who cares as look as it isn't the same place you are getting it! ;)

[@doggnamedchip]

B12 that you can get from animal products was SUPPLEMENTED to animals. By eating supplements you are just taking out a step and doing it yourself. If you are deficient in some vitamins, you should be looking to take supplements, that goes for any diets, not just vegan diet. Just search for B12 and others on nutritionfacts channel, there were a bunch of videos posted on this already.

[@StephyGrowsWeed]

u need k2 (natto is the best vegan source) and d3 together for calcium usage. otherwise body doesnt know where to use calcium and it could lead to calcification of the arteries etc.

[@rankemperor]

Thanks!

[@blackbear52able]

B12, k2 and vitamin d are all nutrients that are difficult to find in animal products in significant amounts. Also, b12 and k2 are both nutrients not usually synthesized by animals but by microorganisms. Herbivores usually have a large digestive tract with lots of gut bacteria that synthesize the b12 and k2 vitamins. Unfortunately, today's cattle are fed diets that are cobalamin poor ( a limiting reactant used to make b12) and need to be supplemented just to prevent deficiency. Add on top of that the antibiotics, drugs etc the compromise gut flora and you get less and less b12 synthesis. Soils are also depleted of cobalamin and is low in b12 synthesizing microorganisms is because agriculture relies so heavily on pesticides, herbicides etc. As a result, there's not much b12 for plants to absorb through their roots. If we had b12 rich soils, plants could potentially be b12 rich. As for k2, we can synthesize k2 (MK-4) ourselves from k1. And in general, foods are poor sources of k2, and we do not absorb k2 very well. k1 is better absorbed. Even animal product rich cultures get at least 90% of their vitamin k as k1. The only exceptional source of all types of k2 in significant quantities is natto. If you look at the amount of k2 in cheeses and liver, which are supposedly the main animal sources of k2 in diets, the amounts are not impressive. And vitamin d, we can make as well, and honestly, unless you are getting a lot of fish liver oil every day, you are not going to consume a lot of dietary vitamin d either. A vegan source of dietary vitamin d could be irradiated mushrooms. Personally, I supplement with b12 and vitamin d since it's more reliable to get those nutrients that way.

[@greensandbeansgaming1358]

Where do you find pure Hibiscus tea???

[@southasiangirlable]

google some medecine herb stores, spice stores, african stores, jamaican stores..call them and ask if they sell hibiscus and what price. i get mine for a good price from an african store.

[@guestuser2373]

GreensAndBeansGaming Walmart has it called Raspberry Zinger. I just buy the dried flowers from Fiesta or Carnival store.

[@aaymathebest4705]

@@southasiangirlable Can you tell about any African store in England?

[@southasiangirlable]

@@aaymathebest4705 im from Quebec sorry

[@aaymathebest4705]

@@southasiangirlable Is Quebec is in America?

[@paigeproffitt4488]

💚💚💚

[@RitchardKnight]

Already 5 cups ahead xD

[@jyo5764]

I'm vvegan but my blood pressure is at 130 80 fuck

[@dontignorewatchme5851]

rough rough mine is 150 80

[@jhasketan8423]

r u eating proceeds foods?

[@mattjones4946]

rough rough I just recently went vegan because my blood pressure is 160/90. I'm only 18.

[@b.j.thomas3264]

170.100 at my annual a few weeks ago. At home measuring since 140 to 150 / 85-89. Occasionally 160. 63 yr. old male Vegan 6= years, lost 160 pounds but regained 30 over the past year of relative (for me) inactivity, haven't changed my eating much, at least in content, but I have been eating more of the same foods.

[@balderdashery1]

Ha ha ha! Plants for the win! Thanks Doc!

[@bekkigon5510]

.

[@religiondoctor5198]

If you don't have high blood pressure how you ever going to get to heaven

[@Soul_Younes]

*feels better for being a couch potato* (I am aware the point of this video isn't to encourage couch potatoness, but I'mma be real with y'all, I ain't about to start exercising)

[@haidersyed6554]

This guy is a vegetarian

[@VIpanfried]

Vegan

[@chucklesthefireguy5356]

The obsession with cholesterol is sad. SUGAR is the problem, not fat...

[@PinkAmadeus]

Chuck Elliott You must mean that animal fat is the main problem, and sugar added to processed foods another problem.

[@daveforgot127]

Depends on the person.

[@courag1]

For people who have metabolic syndrome, plant based diets are not the blessing you think for insulin and insulin resistance. Not every diet is ideal for everyone. Clearly low carbs help those who are already insulin resistant but this propensity may be inherited or at least the tendency to.

[@danielalexander8402]

Not entirely true. There is evidence both ways with this. TedX has a few good videos which explain why both a low carb high fat diet and a high starch, high carb, plant based diet can be used to effectively control metabolic syndromes such as diabetes and reduce the need for insulin over time. Of course I think the high fat low carb version is much easier for the standard person just to be up front, but both processes are solid.

[@philddlesticks]

The polyunsaturated fats reduce oxidative metabolism of sugar. If you lose the oil, insulin sensitivity will improve.

[@StephyGrowsWeed]

hibiscus tea is soooooooo freaking sour!!!! teeth enamel is not happy

[@faydone3611]

I soak the tea overnight and add it to my morning smoothie! :)

[@dabigisland1]

celestial seasons sample pack has 5 different teas that all taste good and have hibiscus as the main ingredient. Maybe I think so because I do not use or like to add sugar to my food

[@valnaples]

Celestial is nice...I do like the "dark berry" one...Traditional Medicinals ALSO markets a lovely organic hibiscus tea...around $5 for 20 tea bags. There's more actual tea in their teabags than in Celestial's. Just fyi! I combine my hibiscus tea bag with a tea bag of green tea and 2 cups water...lovely also!

[@valnaples]

valnaples Target stores also now carry their in house Simply Balanced organic hibiscus tea...much less expensive than the TM!

[@nunrg187]

Run 1000 miles a year or just eat plants... Hmmm I pick the latter . :)

[@firstlast407]

I was blown away by the blood pressure of endurance runners compared to meat eaters and vegans. Great video!

[@vinnettepope8255]

👍🏽👍🏽👍🏽👍🏽👍🏽👍🏽👍🏽