Metabolic syndrome
Metabolic syndrome refers to a group of risk factors, such as high blood sugar, high blood triglycerides, low HDL (good) cholesterol levels, and excess body fat. These factors make you more susceptible to having severe conditions like diabetes and heart disease. Recent studies show that hibiscus contains various compounds that can help treat metabolic syndrome.
A small study in 16 older women with metabolic syndrome showed that taking hibiscus tea twice a day for 21 days helped reduce blood pressure, fasting blood sugar, and blood triglycerides compared with placebo.
Another study in 40 adults with metabolic syndrome showed that people who took hibiscus powder once a day for 4 weeks showed a greater decrease in blood triglycerides and systolic blood pressure compared with a placebo group. Hibiscus plays a significant role in managing aspects of metabolic syndrome, especially blood sugar problems.