While the focus for this tea was a delicious flavour, we continued to note the amazing health properties of the botanicals and felt they deserve a special mention.
Red raspberries (Rubus idaeus) helps to protect heart health, it reduces oxidative stress and inflammation and may even help protect against Alzheimers and help with weight loss [1]. A 2020 review [1] summarised 22 papers on the benefits of hibiscus (hibiscus sabdariffa). It concluded that there is strong evidence of hibiscus' impact on cardiovascular disease, suggesting that drinking 2-3 cups daily may improve blood pressure and potentially serve as a preventative or supplementary therapy. Scientists believe that there was emerging evidence of favourable effects on cholesterol levels, insulin resistance, oxidative stress and inflammation.
In 2016, 312 economy flight passengers took part in a trial with half of them taking elderberries (sambuccus nigra). Those who took elderberries were less likely to get a cold on the flight. From the small group that took elderberries and still got a cold they displayed fewer and less symptoms compared to passengers who did not take elderberries [2].
Research into juniper berries (juniperus communis) has found promising results for its amazing skin healing properties [3] and its incredible anti-aging capacity in animal studies [4][5].
1. Burton-Freeman B.M., Sandhu A.K., Edirisinghe I. Red Raspberries and Their Bioactive Polyphenols: Cardiometabolic and Neuronal Health Links. Adv. Nutr. 2016;7:44–65. doi: 10.3945/an.115.009639. [PMC free article] [PubMed] [CrossRef] [Google Scholar]
2. Etheridge C.J., Derbyshire E.J., Hibiscus Tea and Health: A Scoping Review of Scientific Evidence. 2020. DOI:10.16966/2470-6086.167. [ResearchGate] [Sciforschen]
3. Tiralongo E., Wee S.S., Lea R.A. Elderberry Supplementation Reduces Cold Duration and Symptoms in Air-Travellers: A Randomized, Double-Blind Placebo-Controlled Clinical Trial. 2016 Mar 24;8(4):182. doi: 10.3390/nu8040182. [NCBI] [PubMed]
4. Tumen I., Suntar I., Keles H., Akkol E., A Therapeutic Approach for Wound Healing by Using Essential Oils of Cupressus and Juniperus Species Growing in Turkey. Evid Based Complement Alternat Med. 2012;2012:728281. doi: 10.1155/2012/728281. Epub 2011 Sep 18.[NCBI] [PubMed]
5. Pandey S., Tiwari S., Kumar A., Niranjan A., Chand J., Lehri A., Chauhan P.S., Antioxidant and anti-aging potential of Juniper berry (Juniperus communis L.) essential oil in Caenorhabditis elegans model system. Industrial Crops and Products. Volume 120, 15 September 2018, Pages 113-122. [ScienceDirect]
