Hyssop or hyssopus is a plant with tiny purple flowers and small spike shaped leaves which looks like mint leaves. The herb is native to parts of Europe and Middle East. However, people not only enjoy this plant as ornamental perennial, but also for medical herb. Yes, these beautiful flowers are usually cultivated into tea and people can have the health benefits of hyssop tea. The tea has minty taste and people mainly have the tea as to cope with respiratory problems.
However, there are some more health benefits of hyssop tea you can get just by maintaining the regular consumption of the tea. What are the health benefits of hyssop tea? Make sure you read the entire page to convince you that you can start to include hyssop tea as one of your favorite herbal tea.
Nutritional Information of Hyssop Tea
The health benefits of hyssop tea are contributed by the nutrition contained in the herb, especially the antioxidants, such as:
- Limonene
- Caffeic acids
- Oleanolic acid
- Rosmarinic acid
- Glycosides
- Hyssopins
- Camphene
- Pinanones
- Sabinene
- Monoterpenols
- Sesquiterpenols
- Tannins
Those components are also the reason behind the attractive color of hyssop flowers. Therefore, we can tell that the brighter the color of the flowers, the more health benefits of hyssop tea we can get.
The Health Benefits of Hyssop Tea
The high level of antioxidants in hyssop tea enables us to gain many health benefits of hyssop tea. Some of the health benefits we can gain from the regular consumption of hyssop tea are:
- Deal with respiratory problems
Many herbalists recommend hyssop to deal with respiratory problems. The recommendation is based on the fact that hyssop tea can be used as expectorant to the annoying mucus which is the main factors of respiratory problems.
- Relieve cold
Besides the ability in eliminating mucus, consuming hyssop tea is also good to relieve cold symptoms. Drinking 2 – 3 cups of warm hyssop tea throughout the day may ease the fever, fight off nasal infection, and further improve the immune system. You can make a tea from 3 tablespoons of hyssop tea steeped in a cup of boiling water for 10 minutes to get the health benefits of hyssop tea to relieve cold.
- Control blood sugar
A research which was published in 2004 stated that the consumption of hyssop tea is effective to control blood sugar. It is possible since the antioxidants in hyssop tea are powerful to inhibit the enzyme which aids the starch break down into sugar. Therefore, the tea is able to prevent the blood sugar spike in the blood.
- Good for red blood cells
Journal “Acta Poloniae Pharmaceutica” in 2012 mentioned that hyssop tea which includes the flower, stem and leaves of hyssop is good to protect red blood cells from oxidative damage. The study also mentioned that antioxidants in hyssop are considered to be the strongest to combat many diseases among the other perennial herbs. One of the herbs with similar health benefits is the Health Benefits of Violet Leaves .
- Treat digestive problems
The minty hyssop tea is also known for its ability in dealing with some digestive problems. Some institute in America develop the hyssop tea is one of the powerful remedy for digestive problems as it effectively neutralized the stomach acid, improve digestive organs movement, relieve the symptom of heartburn, and gastroesophagal reflux diseases. The facts supported by a study published by “alternative Medicine Review” in September 2007.
- Improve oral health
Use hyssop tea to regularly gargle your mouth, and you’ll have your oral health improved. The health benefits of hyssop tea in improving oral health are contributed by the ability of the tea in curing infection inside the mouth. It can also be used to heal sore throat because of bacterial infections or as one of the symptoms of cold.
- Control blood pressure
A scientific study proved that the consumption of hyssop tea is able to control blood pressure as it is able to prevent the artery wall to grow thicker. Therefore, the consumption of hyssop tea helps in managing the normal blood flow in the artery.
- Fight intestinal parasites
We may easily get intestinal infection due to the existence of parasites such worms in the intestinal organs. It may lead to some problems including diarrhea, nausea, and stomachache. In this case, hyssop tea offers you the remedy to fight intestinal parasites.
- Lose weight
Just like green tea with its Health Benefits of Drinking Green Tea on An Empty Stomach for Weight Loss, hyssop tea also owns the ability to help you lose some weight. The benefit is credited to the ability of hyssop tea in reducing carbohydrate absorption through gastrointestinal tract, so that it lowering energy intake and prevent obesity.
- Heal urinary tract infection
The anti-infection property in hyssop tea is powerful to fight many kinds of infections including urinary tract infections which mainly attack bladder and kidney.
- Useful for HIV/AIDS
A clinical test showed that hyssop tea is able to inhibit HIV activity. The ability is credited to the existence of tannins and caffeic acids. Therefore, it will avoid the replication of HIV for individual with AIDS.
- Relieve stress
Drinking hyssop tea is able to effectively calm nerves. It is very good to relieve stress and reduce anxiousness. you can also have a cup before exam to ease to help you calm and improve your mental alertness. This health benefit is also owned by the Japanese bancha tea with its Health Benefits of Bancha Tea.
The other health benefits of hyssop tea are:
- Relieve menstrual cramps
- Aid cardiovascular health
- Lower cholesterol
- Detoxifying property
- Maintain lungs health
- Prevent cancer
Recommendation in Consuming Hyssop Tea
Although you can easily buy hyssop tea from herbal stores, you can guarantee the health benefits of homemade hyssop tea. It is very easy to pick some hyssop plants from your perennial herb and turn them into beneficial tea loaded with antioxidants. Here is the recommendation consuming homemade hyssop tea.
- Cut some stems of hyssop plants before it flowers. Gather some stems and tied it together with a rubber band. Hang the tied hyssop stems upside down in the dry and warm place for some weeks until the leaves are perfectly dry and crispy. Remove the dried leaves and flowers then place it in a zipped plastic bag or containers.
- To make a cup of tea, pour 4 to 6 teaspoons of hyssop in a teapot. Add boiling water and steep the tea for about 10 minutes.
- Pour the steeped tea through a strainer into the tea cups. Add natural sweetener to enhance the health benefits of hyssop tea such as local raw honey with its Health Benefits of Local Raw Honey . Or else, you can also add cinnamon to enhance the taste and have Health benefits of Drinking Cinnamon Water.
- Serve the tea instantly before it cools down and have the health benefits of hyssop tea.