Britons have been knocking back tea for centuries in the UK, with little knowledge of its health benefits. Luckily, certain varieties have shown promise in reducing LDL cholesterol.
The benefits of rooibos tea were recently highlighted on the YouTube channel Nutritionfacts.org, founded by Michael Greger, MD.
“Rooibos, also known as red tea, is a caffeine-free herbal tea grown in a mountainous region in South Africa,” Dr Greger shared in a recent clip.
He quoted a study involving 40 individuals at risk of cardiovascular disease who showed significant reductions in LDL cholesterol by the end of the experiment period.
The cholesterol-lowering properties of rooibos tea are attributed to its antioxidant
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This builds on previous research on worms, showing that rooibos tea improves the lifespan by 22 per cent, presumed to be due to the plant’s antioxidant properties.
In head-to-head comparisons looking at 15 different types of tea, the beverage comes in at number two after dandelion for its antioxidant power.
Yet green rooibos, analogous to green tea, performed even better in the study on worm longevity. While this variety is primarily sold at health stores across the UK, retailers like Tesco and Waitrose have also been known to stock it.
Doctor Greger points out that green rooibos tea has twice the antioxidant capacity of red rooibos, which is the commercially more common oxidised form.
“Within six weeks, rooibos intake can decrease markers of oxidative damage, and even decrease markers of oxidative damage, and even drop LDL cholesterol by nearly 27 points," he declared.
“But the dose used, six cups a day, is more than most people drink. No smaller quantity has apparently yet been put to the test.”
Anyone who wants to try the brew at home can prepare the “optimal cup” by letting the leaves steep for at least five minutes.
“It appears the extraction plateaus at five minutes, so more time doesn’t seem necessary,” noted Dr Greger.
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Rooibos intake can decrease markers of oxidative damage
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“The traditional method of brewing is to simmer the rooibos, which does appear to improve its antioxidant capacities compared to hot or cold steeping.
“But the practice fell into disfavour with the advent of teabags.”
Because tea packaged in bags tends to be much finer than loose tea, the extra surface area improves the extraction.
While the study suggests rooibos has a positive effect on cholesterol, more research is needed to determine the optimal dosage of the brew and its long-term effects on cholesterol.
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