In the UK we love a cup of tea, with the nation consuming around 100 million cups every day. But research has suggested that a specific type of hot drink, which is not the typical go-to tea, could help lower cholesterol and protect the heart from disease.
According to studies, chamomile tea could have several health benefits beyond aiding sleep.
A herbal infusion made from dried flowers and hot water, chamomile has been used as a traditional medicine for thousands of years.
The drink is rich in flavonoids, which have anti-inflammatory and even anti-cancer properties, as well as minerals and vitamins needed by the body.
Experts at Harvard Health explained: “Chamomile tea is more than just a calming beverage to consume before bedtime.
“Chamomile is an herb taken from the flowers of the Asteraceae plant family. People around the world have been using it as a natural remedy for several health conditions since ancient times.
“Chamomile contains a variety of bioactive phytochemicals, notably flavonoids, which function as antioxidants. It also contains small amounts of minerals and vitamins, such as potassium, calcium, carotene and folate, among other nutrients.
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“Research studies suggest several possible chamomile benefits, including a lower risk of death from heart disease, immune system support, and possible protection against some cancers.” One such meta-analysis, which was published in Molecular Medicine Reports, linked the flavonoids found in chamomile tea to improved cardiovascular health.
It said: “Flavonoid intake (analyzed in tertiles) was significantly inversely associated with mortality from coronary heart disease and showed an inverse relation with incidence of myocardial infarction.” However, it acknowledged that a large trial is needed to assess the “potential value of chamomile in improving cardiac health”.
Separate research, published in the Journal of Endocrinological Investigation, found that chamomile tea helped lower “bad” cholesterol levels – a risk factor for heart disease – in patients with diabetes. It said: “Chamomile tea significantly decreased concentration of HbA1C, serum insulin levels, homeostatic model assessment for insulin resistance, total cholesterol, triglyceride, and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol compared with control group.”
Study authors concluded: “Chamomile tea has some beneficial effects on glycemic control and serum lipid profile in type 2 diabetes patients.”
Other research has suggested that chamomile tea could help with:
- Menstrual symptoms
- Blood sugar control
- Osteoporosis
- Inflammation
- Cancer
- Sleep and relaxation
- Cold symptoms
- Skin conditions.
However, Medical News Today notes that you should avoid the drink if you have a history of severe allergies, you take warfarin or other blood-thinning medications, or if you are pregnant.
