Medical professional Dr. Dawie van Velden explained, “The biggest single risk factor by far is high blood pressure, also known as hypertension, which affects one in three South African adults. Hypertension is exacerbated by poor eating habits, obesity, lack of physical activity, and excessive alcohol intake.”
“Across the world, we are seeing a huge move towards alternative and more natural ways of treating illnesses, such as heart disease, which is primarily a result of poor lifestyle behaviors. These natural methods include everything from diet, exercise, smoking cessation to distressing via music therapy, meditation, and even drinking home-brewed rooibos tea.”
Now research suggests that you can add drinking rooibos tea to the list of preventative measures for heart disease.
Rooibos tea may reduce risk of heart disease
The study was conducted in Sweden, where researchers found that 30 to 40 minutes after consuming rooibos tea, the enzyme angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) was significantly suppressed. ACE is believed to be involved in the development of heart disease, which is why ACE inhibitors are prescribed to patients at risk of heart disease.
Dr. van Velden added, “Rooibos tea is known as a bronchodilator, which not only relieves respiratory conditions but also reduces high blood pressure. It works in similar fashion to ACE inhibitors and helps blood vessels to relax and widen, making it easier for blood to flow through.”
He further explained that Spanish researchers uncovered that consuming rooibos tea may prevent heart disease because it prevents the liver from storing excess fat beneath the skin and around other organs.
A study by the Cape Peninsula University of Technology revealed positive effects among adults who drank rooibos tea daily over the course of six weeks. Rooibos tea was found to protect against oxidative lipid damage along with improving lipid profile and reducing total cholesterol by 10 percent, with the biggest drop seen in LDL cholesterol (bad cholesterol).
Dr. van Velden concluded, “I’m not saying that you should abandon conventional treatment but there is a mounting body of scientific evidence which shows that rooibos tea is a potent antioxidant, has anti-inflammatory, antihypertensive and cholesterol-lowering properties.”
“Drinking rooibos tea ticks a lot of the boxes when it comes to maintaining heart health, so make it a daily health choice alongside your five or six portions a day of fruit and vegetables. Rooibos tea as part of a healthy diet and lifestyle may play a significant role in preventing cardiovascular disease,”
Rooibos tea is high in antioxidants, which is why it can offer benefits to the heart. You may want to start incorporating more rooibos tea into your daily diet as a means of improving your heart health.
Related: The Healthy Truth: Fit and detox teas