Does Bissap lower blood pressure?

By Rosalie Marion BlissNovember 10, 2008 Drinking hibiscus tea lowered blood pressure in a group of pre-hypertensive and mildly hypertensive adults, according to a report being presented today by nutrition scientist Diane McKay at the American Heart Association's annual conference in New Orleans, La. The findings show that the volunteers who drank hibiscus tea had a 7.2 point drop in their systolic blood pressure, compared to a 1.3 point drop in the volunteers who drank the placebo beverage. In a subgroup analysis, 30 volunteers with the highest systolic blood pressure readings at the start of the study (129 or above) were found to have a greater response to hibiscus tea drinking compared to placebo drinkers. Their systolic blood pressure went down by 13.2 points, diastolic blood pressure went down by 6.4 points, and mean arterial pressure went down by 8.7 points. This data supports the idea that drinking hibiscus tea in an amount readily incorporated into the diet may play a role in controlling blood pressure, although more research is required.

Also known as roselle or sorrel, it’s been used to treat everything from high blood pressure to indigestion. 3. Lowers blood pressureHigh blood pressure affects nearly half of all adults in the U.S., leading to serious health problems like heart attack, stroke, heart failure and kidney disease. In clinical trials, drinking hibiscus tea has been shown to lower blood pressure in humans. However, the National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health points out that hibiscus and other herbal remedies only slightly lower blood pressure. They can’t replace medications for those who’ve been diagnosed with high blood pressure.