The world of herbal teas offers a delightful array of flavors and potential health benefits. Among the most captivating blends is the combination of hibiscus and lemon verbena, often complemented by the zesty warmth of ginger. This article delves into the unique qualities of each ingredient and explores the potential benefits of enjoying hibiscus and lemon verbena tea as part of a healthy lifestyle.
A Trio of Taste and Wellness: Lemon Verbena, Hibiscus, and Ginger
Imagine a tea that tantalizes your taste buds with a bold citrusy flavor, a complex tartness, and a hint of spice. This is the essence of Lemon Verbena, Hibiscus, and Ginger Tea. Each ingredient contributes a unique flavor profile and a range of potential health benefits.
The Kent and Sussex Tea and Coffee Company offer this sensational infusion, packed fresh to order, ensuring quality and consistency in every cup.
The Star Ingredients: A Closer Look
Lemon Verbena: The Citrusy Shrub
This aromatic, perennial shrub, native to South America, boasts a distinctly lemony taste and aroma, despite not being related to citrus fruits. Lemon Verbena (Aloysia citriodora), also known as lemon beebrush and lippia citriodora, can grow up to three meters in height, with leaves reaching lengths of eight centimeters. It thrives in fertile, well-drained soils and warm, humid climates with plenty of sunlight.
Lemon verbena leaves contain volatile oil that is most composed of two compounds-geranial and neral.
Read also: The Health Perks of Hibiscus Tea
Beyond tea, lemon verbena finds its way into perfumes and potpourris due to its alluring scent. Spanish explorers introduced the lemon verbena plant to Europe in 1784. The citrus aroma of lemon verbena oil was popular in the European fragrance business, where it was used in soaps, air fresheners, and perfumes.
Hibiscus: The Tart Floral Wonder
Hibiscus belongs to a genus of hundreds of flowering plant species within the Mallow family, Malvaceae. The Hibiscus sabdariffa variety is particularly favored for making Hibiscus Tea blends. This vibrant flower grows abundantly across the world, including Africa, Europe, and North America.
The history of Hibiscus Tea benefits dates back to Ancient Egypt, where pharaohs consumed it to combat the desert heat while cruising along the Nile.
Ginger: The Spicy Root with Ancient Roots
Ginger, belonging to the Zingiberaceae family, no longer grows in the wild but is widely cultivated for its immense popularity. It is one of the most famous spices in the world, with a long association with Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) and Indian Ayurveda. Today, science recognizes its potential for improving everyday life.
Brewing the Perfect Cup
To unlock the full flavor and potential benefits of this tea, brew using freshly boiled water.
Read also: The Health Advantages of Hibiscus Tea
Tasting Notes: A Symphony for the Senses
Lemon Verbena, Hibiscus, and Ginger Tea offers a delightful sensory experience with strong citrusy notes and herbaceous undertones.
Potential Health Benefits: Exploring the Science
Lowering Blood Pressure: The Hibiscus Connection
Hibiscus has long been associated with lowering blood pressure. A study involving sixty-five people aged between 30 and 70 showed that the group consuming hibiscus experienced an average fall of 7.2 percent in blood pressure, with some recording a 13.2 percent drop. This effect is attributed to the anti-inflammatory properties of hibiscus.
Supporting the Immune System: The Ginger Factor
Ginger is known for its potential to support the immune system.
Lemon Verbena: A Treasure Trove of Potential
Lemon verbena contains a variety of plant compounds that provide unique health benefits. It has been used for hundreds of years in traditional medicine systems to treat respiratory conditions, digestive issues, and more.
Lemon verbena, also known in the scientific community as Lippia citriodora, Aloysia citriodora, and Aloysia triphylla, is a medicinal plant native to South America.
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It contains several plant compounds, including terpenoids and phenolic compounds, that have antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. For example, lemon verbena leaves and extract are rich in a polyphenol compound called verbascoside. According to older and newer studies, this compound has strong antioxidant activity.
In fact, both animal and test-tube studies have shown that verbascoside may protect against cell damage and improve your body’s antioxidant defenses. In addition to verbascoside, lemon verbena contains several other plant compounds with antioxidant properties, including geranial, neral, luteolin, and limonene.
Lemon verbena has excellent nutritional values that provide various health advantages.
Reducing Oxidative Stress and Inflammation
Lemon verbena is rich in antioxidants and anti-inflammatory compounds, which may help reduce inflammation and oxidative stress in the body. Oxidative stress is characterized by an imbalance between the body’s antioxidant defenses and the production of harmful free radicals, leading to cell damage and increased disease risk.
A 2014 study involving 30 people with secondary progressive multiple sclerosis found that lemon verbena led to significantly lower levels of an inflammatory marker called C-reactive protein. A recent study in 60 healthy adults demonstrated that taking lemon verbena extract decreased urine levels of an oxidative stress marker and increased blood levels of the antioxidant enzyme glutathione peroxidase (GPx), indicating that it might reduce oxidative stress and protect against muscle damage.
An older study also showed that supplementing with lemon verbena protected cells against oxidative stress and reduced exercise-induced muscle damage in healthy men.
Lemon verbena contains an abundance of compounds that protect your cells from damage.
Enhancing Athletic Performance and Recovery
The cell-protecting compounds in lemon verbena could be particularly beneficial for athletes, as exercise causes stress and muscle damage in the body.
A study in 44 athletes found that lemon verbena extract led to less muscle damage, faster recovery, less pain, and higher levels of the antioxidant enzyme GPx. Another study showed that athletes who took lemon verbena extract had reduced muscle pain and lower levels of a marker of muscle damage.
Combined, these studies suggest that lemon verbena supplements may improve recovery and protect against exercise-induced muscle damage in athletes.
Improving Sleep Quality
Limited research suggests that lemon verbena could be helpful for those with sleep issues like insomnia. In fact, the plant has been used throughout history to treat insomnia and induce sedation.
One study in 100 people with insomnia demonstrated that taking lemon verbena syrup significantly improved their ability to fall asleep, total sleep time, sleep quality, and daytime sleepiness. Further, animal studies suggest that lemon verbena may have anti-anxiety and calming effects, which could also benefit those with insomnia. It can help with insomnia by stimulating the gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) system in the brain.
Potential Anti-Obesity Effects
Some research suggests that lemon verbena could have anti-obesity effects, though research in this area is still limited.
One study in mice fed a high-fat diet found that lemon verbena extract reduced fat accumulation and improved the ratio of Firmicutes to Bacteroidetes in the gut microbiome. A study in 54 people with overweight found that a daily supplement with lemon verbena and hibiscus extracts reduced the hunger-promoting hormone ghrelin and increased the fullness-promoting hormone glucagon-like peptide-1.
Compared with a placebo group, those who took the supplement also experienced a greater reduction of body fat. Results showed that decrease in appetite sensation and satiety quotients were significantly higher in subjects taking hibiscus and lemon verbena extracts. A recent randomized, double-blind, cross-over, placebo-controlled study1 found that a nutraceutical formulation composed of Lippia citriodora and Hibiscus sabdarrifa (Lc-Hs) extract, called Metabolaid, from Monteloeder (Madrid, Spain), helped reduce appetite and increase satiety in subjects.
During the 150-day trial that was divided into two 60-day treatment periods separated by a 30-day washout period, 36 overweight and obese subjects were given either placebo or two 250 mg capsules of Lc-Hs twice before breakfast every day during the study period. Results showed that decrease in appetite sensation and satiety quotients were significantly higher in subjects taking Lc-Hs, versus control.
Culinary and Medicinal Applications of Verbena Leaves
Verbena leaves can be used in both culinary and medicinal applications. Young leaves can be used in stir fry or salad. Moreover, they assist in reducing the fatty flavor of the dishes. Furthermore, the leaves pair well with sweets and cold beverages. A hot infusion of leaves to produce tea is a nice after-dinner or nighttime drink because its relaxing, calming effect supports successful digestion and improves sleep quality, whereas a chilled infusion is a superb cooling drink in hot weather.
Other ways to enjoy lemon verbena
Lemon verbena has a bright, refreshing, and calming scent. As such, it can act as a natural air freshener. Its essential oil may be diffused using a diffuser. It can be applied to the skin after being combined with a carrier oil.
Precautions and Considerations
While lemon verbena offers numerous potential benefits, it's important to exercise caution and consult with a healthcare professional before incorporating it into your routine, especially in concentrated forms like extracts or supplements.
Consider the negative effects of topical usages, such as mild dermatitis.
Pregnant and nursing women should avoid lemon verbena extract, tincture, syrups, or tea. It’s also recommended that pregnant and breastfeeding people avoid lemon verbena extract, tincture, syrups, or tea. For example, some research suggests that lemon verbena essential oils could increase the risk of birth defects. For this reason, pregnant women should not inhale aromatherapy with verbena . If you’re interested in taking lemon verbena supplements, it’s best to consult your healthcare provider first. They can help determine whether the supplement is necessary and inform you of its potential safety issues. This is especially important if you’re currently taking any prescribed medications, other herbal supplements, or have any medical conditions.