We know that green tea (and to a lesser extent black tea) provides healthy antioxidants - natural compounds linked to lower cancer risk and improved heart and brain health. New research now shows that some herbal teas (more correctly called infusions, since they're not from the tea plant Camellia sinensis) also have some health benefits. A study group from the Jean Mayer USDA Human Nutrition Research Center on Aging at Tufts University reviewed the scientific literature on three of the most popular herbal teas and concluded that they warrant further investigation. The researchers found that chamomile tea, known for its soothing effects, has antimicrobial activity and significant activity against the harmful clumping of platelets (cells that help stop bleeding). They also reported that peppermint tea has significant antimicrobial and antiviral activities plus strong antioxidant and antitumor action, as well as anti-allergy potential. The investigators further reported that hibiscus tea lowered blood pressure in a group of pre-hypertensive and mildly hypertensive adults. The findings were published in the March, 2011, issue of Agricultural Research magazine.
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