Rooibos Tea Can Fight Heart Disease?

TEA type of Rooibos is believed some people can cure heart disease. However, scientific data and research can not prove it.

Various studies are currently being conducted to find the truth of the benefits of Rooibos tea on human health, one conducted by Dr. Jeanine Marnewick from Cape Peninsula University of Technology.

The first phase of clinical trials have been conducted to determine whether heart health can be influenced by the type of Rooibos tea, especially for people affected by heart disease. In a study that involved as many as 41 men and women aged between 30-60 years. The experiment was conducted for 14 weeks.

The next step, analyzing the results of an experiment that will complete this study in mid 2008. From this research expected to explain the maze of Rooibos on the heart function. Tea is popular because it is believed beneficial to the heart of this comes from South Africa.

The new study focuses more on the potential of Rooibos in maintaining and against oxidative stress and inflammation associated with effects on heart disease.

Oxidative stress is defined as an unbalance content of oxidants and antioxidants in one's body. Oxidant itself is damaging the cells of body tissue, such as lipids, proteins and DNA. This condition can be found in several cases of degenerative diseases such as heart disease.

How is the study conducted?

In each experiment included one or more people with heart disease. But not at levels that require medical help. Participants will be given drinks Rooibos tea per day, while food and other beverages are not allowed. At different times, they will be given drinking water which do not contain specific antioxidants.

Next, they will then compare the two treatments by doing a blood test to find out if there are significant differences.

"Rooibos is easy to obtain. If we can know this tea can fight heart disease then this is the most important discoveries in the prevention of this deadly disease," said Health24 Marnewick as reported on Saturday (10/11/2007).

Marnewick further explained, Rooibos tea can indeed help improve health in animals, particularly in the fight against cancer.

"And our challenge is to find scientific evidence that Rooibos tea is also beneficial to humans," added Marnewick.

What is clear, until now there has been proven that Rooibos tea is really able to ward off heart disease. However, research from Dr. Marnewick will be a milestone in the search for truth in the benefit of the most popular tea in the world.