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Better Than Green Tea?

The antioxidant content of a number of popular beverages is compared: black tea, coffee, Coke, espresso, grape juice, green tea, hibiscus (Jamaica flower) tea, milk, Pepsi, Red Bull, red tea, red wine, and white wine. Which beats out even powdered (matcha) green tea?

January 6, 2012 |
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Supplementary Info

Better Than Green Tea?, 4.9 out of 5 based on 18 ratings

Sources Cited

Carlsen MH, Halvorsen BL, Holte K, Bøhn SK, Dragland S, Sampson L, Willey C, Senoo H, Umezono Y, Sanada C, Barikmo I, Berhe N, Willett WC, Phillips KM, Jacobs DR Jr, Blomhoff R. The total antioxidant content of more than 3100 foods, beverages, spices, herbs and supplements used worldwide. Nutr J. 2010 Jan 22;9:3.

Draženka Komes, , Dunja Horžić, Ana Belščak, Karin Kovačević Ganić, Ivana Vulić.. Green tea preparation and its influence on the content of bioactive compounds. Food Research International Volume 43, Issue 1, January 2010, Pages 167–176

Acknowledgements

Custom tea photography thanks to Alicia! Other images thanks to TheCrimsonMonkey, mycola, Leandroid, temmuzcan, FotoJagodka, Renee Comet at the National Cancer Institute, André Karwath aka Aka, KENPEI, Ultratomio, MASA, Sissi Lin, Berthold Werner, Julius Schorzman, 抹茶とお菓子via Wikimedia Commons, Dr. Williams, and Katie from dishindishes.com.

Transcript

This new data on the antioxidant content of thousands of foods revolutionized the way my family eats. For example, you’ve known me as a veritable green tea fanatic, not because I particularly like it, but because that’s what the science said was the best thing to drink. But that was before 283 beverages were tested. I don't think I could even name 283 beverages. They tested everything from red bull, to crowberry liquor.

Let me pull out a few… Water has zero antioxidants, as does Red Bull. At this scale Pepsi, Coke, and cow’s milk get a 1; glass of white wine; a cup of red tea; … black tea… green tea, red wine—7 times the antioxidant power of white, but neither as good as grape juice. Here's a shot of espresso, a cup of coffee, and matcha tea—tea made out of powdered green tea leaves, which is what I’ve been drinking.

But what is this? What beverage could be better than actually eating green tea leaves? Matcha has met its match. In terms of antioxidant power, the healthiest thing to drink on the planet earth appears to be… hibiscus tea! So like red zinger blows everything else out of the water.

Here’s my latest recipe. Half gallon of water—8 cups, 4 bags of tea in which hibiscus is the first ingredient—I like wild berry zinger, the juice of one lemon, and 3 Tablespoons of erythritol. I just put it in the fridge overnight. No need to heat it; it can just cold brew. In the morning I take out the tea bags, shake it up, and drink throughout the day, every day, all day long.

And as always, extra credit, for green foam: pour a cup of the tea into a blender with a bunch of fresh mint leaves, blend on high, and then pour it back. So you have dark green leafies blended into what may be the highest antioxidant beverage in the world, and it tastes - like fruit punch. Your kids will love it!

To see any graphs, charts, graphics, images, and quotes to which Dr. Greger may be referring watch the above video. This is just an approximation of the audio contributed by MaryAnn Allison.

To help out on the site please email <a
href= “mailto:volunteer@nutritionfacts.org” >volunteer@nutritionfacts.org

Dr. Michael Greger

Doctor's Note

The sweetener I use is erythritol, detailed in Erythritol May Be a Sweet Antioxidant.

Please feel free to post any ask-the-doctor type questions here in the comments section and I’d be happy to try to answer them. Check out the other videos on beverages and don't miss all the videos on ranking foods. And there are 1,449 subjects covered in the rest of my videos–please feel free to explore them!

For some context see my blog posts: Hibiscus tea: flower power, Acai to Zucchini: antioxidant food rankings, Amla: Indian gooseberries vs. cancer, diabetes, and cholesterol, Is Caffeinated Tea Really Dehydrating?, Top 10 Most Popular Videos of the Year, and  Treating PMS with Saffron

  • http://nutritionfacts.org/members/mgreger/ Michael Greger M.D.

    Please feel free to post any ask-the-doctor type questions here in the comments section and I’d be happy to try to answer them. Check out the other videos on beverages and don’t miss all the videos on ranking foods. And there are 1,449 subjects covered in the rest of my videos–please feel free to explore them!

    For some context see my blog post Hibiscus tea: flower power.

    • HemoDynamic, M.D.

      If you can convince my wife, you are my idol! You can only guess what we have been drinking for the last two weeks! I’m surprised she want’s me to live that long ;-}
      And the next American Idol is. . . NutritionFacts.org and the Master, Michael Greger.

  • http://nutritionfacts.org/members/dgmusselman/ dgmusselman

    Do you add the lemon to the hibiscus tea as a matter of personal taste or to boost antioxidant effectiveness as in the case of green and white tea (as you’ve noted in the past)?
    I’ve taken to using Red Zinger instead of water as the base of my blended cranberry drink–yummy!
    I use dried mint leaves in these drinks rather than fresh mint leaves. Is there an appreciable difference nutritionally?

    • http://nutritionfacts.org/members/mgreger/ Michael Greger M.D.

      Great idea about the cranberry drink dgmusselman! I’m following your lead and doing the same thing with my Pink juice with green foam recipe. Looks like dried mint has only about 1% of the antioxidant power of fresh by weight, but of course fresh is about 90% water so there is a 10-fold concentration. So it’s probably about 1/10th as good based on antioxidant content.

  • http://nutritionfacts.org/members/drdons/ DrDons

    I add lemon to increase the antioxidant absorption and as a matter of personal taste see http://nutritionfacts.org/videos/green-tea-vs-white/
    Either dry or fresh would add nutritionally but fresh is generally best although how plant products are prepared or cooked can make a difference see http://nutritionfacts.org/videos/raw-vs-cooked-broccoli-2/.

  • http://nutritionfacts.org/members/thea/ Thea

    I wanted to know the actual number of antioxidants for the hibiscus tea to see how much higher it is than matcha tea. I couldn’t read the number in the video. When I click on the link for “Source Cited”, I didn’t see hibiscus on the report (though I admit that I skimmed it pretty quickly).

    I have the DVD for this, so I can probably get the number myself. I just thought I would ask here, because I figure I will not be the only one with this question.

  • http://nutritionfacts.org/members/thea/ Thea

    Also, after seeing Dr. Greger’s other videos on matcha, I did some research on it and tried to buy some. The research turned up various levels of quality of matcha, which I found a bit daunting. Which one should I get. Then when I tried to just go out and buy some, I wasn’t able to find just “matcha” tea. I found lots of tea bags that claimed to have matcha in it, but the matcha was always the last ingredient, and I suspect the amount actually present is microscopic.

    So, can someone recommend a product from a mainstream American store? Or (maybe even better) recommend a specific website and product for matchs tea? I’d like to try it, but I don’t want to waste money. I’d love to get a recommendation.

    Thanks

    • http://nutritionfacts.org/members/barbarah/ BarbaraH

      You can find matcha at the tea stores that have popped up in malls over the last few years, but it’s usually really overpriced and bitter and stale. I found the best matcha through a recommendation on chowhound.com for a farm in Japan called Hibiki-an which ships directly to you. Hibiki-an.com.

      • http://nutritionfacts.org/members/thea/ Thea

        BarbaraH: Thanks so much for the matcha tip!

  • http://nutritionfacts.org/members/thea/ Thea

    Finally, this video is awesome and I particularly appreciate that Dr. Greger not only gave us the scientific info, but his latest recipe.

    My question is a bit of push-back on the effectiveness of drinking the zinger teas mentioned in the video vs green tea. My thoughts are: green tea is usually all green tea or green tea with some flavoring. All the hibiscus teas that I have seen have hibiscus listed as only one of many ingredients and often not even the first ingredient. Did the study look at the antioxidant levels of real-life hibiscus tea or only pure 100% hibiscus?

    My point is: depending on how much hibiscus is really in the tea, I wonder if in practice, drinking green tea (or matcha) might still give one the most antioxidants. Perhaps? hibiscus tea is merely a flavor alternative rather than a dramatically superior antioxidant option? Just wondering.

    • http://nutritionfacts.org/members/livetodiscover/ livetodiscover

      If you want 100% Hibiscus tea, go to your local Mexican or Asian Market and there you can find large bags of the dark purple colored flowers for a couple dollars. It is called Jamaica in the Mexican markets. Steep like you would any loose tea, and you can eat the cooked flowers too :) I’m sure if you wanted you could grind up the dried flowers into a sort of “hibiscus matcha” tea as well. In fact, I’m going to try that in a smoothie of acai, goji berries, blueberries, strawberries, date sugar, flax and hibiscus “matcha”. (:

      • http://nutritionfacts.org/members/thea/ Thea

        livetodiscover: Thanks for the tips on getting 100% hibiscus. Much appreciated!

        I hope your smoothie was delicious. I don’t think it could possibly be any healthier!

        • http://nutritionfacts.org/members/livetodiscover/ livetodiscover

          I ended up making a smoothie with banana, frozen strawberries and blueberries, ground flax, non-dairy milk, erythritol, and ground hibiscus. It was great! (I didn’t have any acai or goji berries at the moment-time for a trip to the store!)The way I ground the hibiscus was with a mortar and pestle then sifted out until I got a fine powder. It took a little time, I’m sure with some sort of electric grinder it would work much better. Being in the military I don’t have room for too many gadgets; but if you do, more POWER to you! (excuse my pun) I’m sure an electric spice grinder would work great! I found the ground hibiscus ads well to smoothies or to powdered healthy drink mixes. Cold brewed “Agua de Jamaica” works great too. Pretty much the same recipe as Dr. Greger explains on the video but use the powdered Hibiscus; brew it, shake it up, and drink it all. (I haven’t tried it with the lemon yet) Good luck! :)

          • http://nutritionfacts.org/members/thea/ Thea

            livetodiscover: Thanks again for the second update. I love how you found a way to make it work without a bunch of silly gadgets. Me, I love the gadgets and I don’t have space problems. So, I also appreciated the idea of using the coffee grinder. I don’t drink coffee, but I have a grinder to grind my flax seed.

  • http://nutritionfacts.org/members/struzjunkatt-net/ Ted

    This sounds like a fantastic drink, and I plan to make it. Just wondering, though, to what extent do antioxidant compounds survive the digestion process and how do they ultimately affect the body? Are there studies that indicate differences in people who consume high levels of antioxidants versus those who don’t—all other factors controlled for?

    Thanks

  • http://nutritionfacts.org/members/cbetter/ cbetter

    An FYI. My mother used to take Lasinopril (sp?) for high blood pressure. It gave her a terrible dry cough and she quit taking it. Then I read hibiscus tea was good for high blood pressure and bought her tea where hibiscus was the 2nd ingredient. Then one day I found one where it was all hibiscus tea and bought that. It made her dry cough come back (so the active ingredient in lasinopril must come from hibiscus). Anyway, if you develop an unknown cough, it could be from the hibiscus tea.

    • http://nutritionfacts.org/members/thea/ Thea

      cbetter: So interesting. Thanks for sharing! I hope you find a remedy for your mom that addresses the high blood pressure without the coughing.

    • http://nutritionfacts.org/members/mgreger/ Michael Greger M.D.

      The mechanism of action for the blood pressure lowering effect of hibiscus tea does appear to be the same (at least in part) as that very drug. Both hibiscus and lisinopril act to inhibit an enzyme called ACE. When our kidneys detect a drop in blood pressure they release an enzyme called renin into our bloodstream which converts a protein secreted by our liver into something called angiotensin I which in our lungs is converted into angiotensin II by our angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE). That angiotensin II then acts to constrict our arteries and boost our blood pressure–isn’t our body neat? Anyway, lisinopril (and the anthocyanin phytonutrients that so brilliantly color hibiscus flowers) inhibits ACE, preventing the formation of angiotensin II and subsequent rise in blood pressure. But that’s not all ACE does; it also degrades bradykinins, which can increase cough reflex sensitivity. So that’s the reason ACE inhibiting drugs may cause coughing in up to a third of users and it makes sense that hibiscus could cause a similar reaction. So there’s definitely science to back up your intuition cbetter–thanks so much for sharing (and letting me geek out on physiology :). If you do develop a chronic cough on hibiscus, please stop drinking it.

  • http://nutritionfacts.org/members/sebastianroos/ Sebastianroos

    I just finished reading the cited study and the antioxidant tabel for the 3139 tested food stuffs, nowhere can I find any references to hibiscus. Where do you derive the antioxidant values for hibiscus from?
    Kind regards
    Sebastian

    • http://nutritionfacts.org/members/bpcveg/ BPC

      Sebastian,

      I have essentially the same question as you. I think I made some progress in finding answers. The article only summarizes a subset of the values. There is a supplementary file for this article that gives the complete listing for all of the 3100 items: http://www.nutritionj.com/content/supplementary/1475-2891-9-3-s1.pdf

      Although there was no entry for “Hibiscus”, according to Wikipedia an equivalent name is “Tea, flor de Jamaica”, which was listed and provided 6.99 mmol/100g. To convert to the units given in Dr. Greger’s video, I assume that he means that a serving is 1 cup or 250 mL of tea. Therefore, if density of tea is 1 g / ml, I can convert 6.99 mmol/100g to 175 on his scale (which is in units of 0.1 mmol/serving). However, his chart gives 132 for presumably the same item.

      Additionally, matcha tea is not clearly listed … though “Tea, green (pink) powder” gives an enormous value of 1347.83 mmol/100g, leaving me even more puzzled.

      Until these issues are resolved, I am unconvinced by the argument presented in this video.

      • http://nutritionfacts.org/members/sebastianroos/ Sebastianroos

        BCPveg,
        Thanks you for your input, I remain just as confused as you.
        I sincerely hope Dr Greger will clarify the values for us.

        • http://nutritionfacts.org/members/dsikes/ DSikes

          I am also interested in seeing where these recommendations really come from.

      • http://nutritionfacts.org/members/mgreger/ Michael Greger M.D.

        Thanks for clarifying the flor de Jamaica for Sebastian–imagine how excited I was when I saw that it was actually something folks could actually get (and in bulk no less)! Now you just have to do some detective work and find that pink tea for us :). I had to go elsewhere for the matcha. I looked at a bunch of sources; This the most recent I found: Draženka Komes, , Dunja Horžić, Ana Belščak, Karin Kovačević Ganić, Ivana Vulić. Green tea preparation and its influence on the content of bioactive compounds. Food Research International Volume 43, Issue 1, January 2010, Pages 167–176 (I added it up to the sources section). Once I learned that flor de Jamaica was just hibiscus tea I dug up as many hibiscus studies as I( could find so I could I could arrive at a mean value, but it came pretty close to what Carlsen et al. came up with.

        • http://nutritionfacts.org/members/bpcveg/ BPC

          Thanks for your response, Dr. Greger.
          It’s funny how such a comprehensive study on antioxidants by Carlsen et al, did not provide a value for matcha tea.
          Though I appreciate that you used a mean value for hibiscus.
          And it sounds like the difference between using matcha or hibiscus is not so great when one considers all possible sources of variability.

        • http://nutritionfacts.org/members/tc247/ tc247

          I think the pink tea is a product made by green teahp.They have a web site-www.greenteahp.com.They have 36 flavors and one is pink.I’m wondering what dr. Greger thinks of this product?

      • darkcity darkcity

         I just made a similar comment. 
        Tea, leaves, fresh  gets 26.55 

        and
        Tea, instant, dry powder,  unsweetened  gets 165.86 

        very confusing.  maybe powder is more concentrated.  help explaining figure would be helpful ; -)

  • http://nutritionfacts.org/members/rick1/ Rick1

    Great post! Thanks Dr. Greger. My new daily drink.

  • http://nutritionfacts.org/members/hunniliz/ hunniliz

    You can get matcha tea and hibiscus tea from rishi-tea.com. The have 100% hisbiscus. Just a warning – matcha is very expensive. If there’s a Whole Foods near you, they carry Rishi, but don’t have a huge variety. There’s also a great independent tea shop called Tea Trekker in Northhampton, MA. They are extremely knowlegeable about tea (no herbals) and will ship. The owners wrote a very informative book called “The Tea Enthusiast’s Handbook”.

  • http://nutritionfacts.org/members/vjimener/ vjimener

    Hi Dr Greger
    I have read in a magazine that there are several types of vitamin K. According to the article:
    - Vitamin K1 is found in vegetables.
    - Vitamin K2 mk7 is found in meat, fish and eggs.
    The article also said that Vitamin K1 is stored in the liver for only one hour, time not enough to perform all its tasks. On the contrary, vitamin k2 mk7 would stay in the liver for the whole day. So my question is: should vegetarians take supplements of vitamin k2 mk7 (created from natto) ?
    Thanks

    • http://nutritionfacts.org/members/mgreger/ Michael Greger M.D.

      Not sure what magazine you were reading, but the scientific consensus is that either one (menaquinone or phylloquinone, formerly K1 and K2) is fine for maintaining human vitamin K status. The recommended intake is about 100 mcg. A half cup of kale? >500. No need for natto; just eat your greens. In fact dark green leafies are so packed with vitamin K that if you’re on the drug coumadin (warfarin), a drug that works by poisoning vitamin K metabolism, you have to closely work with your physician to titrate the dose to your greens intake so as to not undermine the drug’s effectiveness!

  • http://nutritionfacts.org/members/vjimener/ vjimener

    Hi again
    I’m checking in internet hibiscus tea. I have found two possibilities: tea made from leaf or tea made from the flower. Which one is the right one?
    Thanks

  • http://nutritionfacts.org/members/bpcveg/ BPC

    Does maximizing antioxidant consumption necessarily lead to better health?

    • http://nutritionfacts.org/members/toxins/ Toxins

      Definitely! The more antioxidants we have the better we can protect and repair our DNA and considering that our cells are under thousands of different superoxide attacks each day, it is crucial to have a big supply of antioxidants.
      http://nutritionfacts.org/videos/repairing-dna-damage/
      http://nutritionfacts.org/videos/mitochondrial-theory-of-aging
      Also, we cant max out on antioxidants so this is a plus!
      http://nutritionfacts.org/videos/maxing-out-on-antioxidants/

      • http://nutritionfacts.org/members/thea/ Thea

        Toxins: Great reply. (as are most of your replies) BCPveg had a very good, thinking question. I’ve seen versions of this question posted on this site in various places. I haven’t had a good response. Now, (if only I can remember where this post is), I will simply point people to your post. Thanks!

      • http://nutritionfacts.org/members/bpcveg/ BPC

        Thanks, Toxins, for your excellent response!

  • http://nutritionfacts.org/members/lisa21012/ Lisa21012

    I’ve noticed that when I drink hibiscus teas during spring and fall allergy seasons my allergies are exacerbated by the tea. Has anyone else found this?

    FYI – Orange zinger tea, my favorite of the zingers, lists hibiscus as the first ingredient. I usually find it at Vons or Safeway; I’m not sure why the orange is not stocked as widely as the other flavors.

    • http://nutritionfacts.org/members/thea/ Thea

      Lisa: I’m not a doctor, and I don’t know if this reply will help or not. But I wonder if you saw Dr. Greger’s note above concerning hibiscus and coughing? Maybe your allergies feel worse for the same reason that the person above started coughing more when drinking hibiscus?????

      Thanks for the tip on the orange zinger. I’m going to look for it.

  • http://nutritionfacts.org/members/paulb/ PaulB

    Michael,

    Excellent video as always. I like the fact that hibiscus has no caffeine. I’m using 1 quart of water, 3 tablespoons of crushed hibiscus flower (9 grams), 1 tablespoon of ginger juice, 1/2 lime, & 1/4 cup of z-sweet cold steeped. It’s adapted from a recipe in Going Raw by Judita Wignall. Her’s is similar except 1/3 cup honey for the z-sweet (nope) and a little too much ginger juice for my liking.

    I’m organic hibiscus leaves from Amazon for $12.90 per lb. I dry blend them into powder in my Blendtec and store them in Pyrex glassware in 4 ounce batches. I make the ginger juice in my juicer on a per batch basis since it is perishable.

    Paul

  • http://nutritionfacts.org/members/rliebmantx/ rliebmantx

    Is comparing 6.99 mmol/100g for “Tea, flor de Jamaica” with 0.72 mmol/100g for “Juice, fruits with pomegranate” the same as comparing apples with apples? Ten times the antioxidants? If so, I’ll quit buying the expensive mail-order FruitFast Wonderful Pomogranate concentrate and buy the relatively cheap Celestial Seasons Zingers!

  • http://nutritionfacts.org/members/jms/ jms

    EGCG is often cited as the leading cancer-fighting component of green tea. How do the EGCG levels of green and hibiscus compare?

    • http://nutritionfacts.org/members/mgreger/ Michael Greger M.D.

      Though hibiscus has more antioxidant power, green tea still has unique phytonutrients found nearly nowhere else. See my video Dietary Brain Wave Alteration.

  • http://nutritionfacts.org/members/patmcneill/ patmcneill

    According to the USDA Database, an 8 fl oz (237g) serving of hibiscus tea has 20.48 mg of Iron, while the RDA for a male is 8 mg with an upper limit of 45 mg. Furthermore, apparently the Vitamin C in the drink itself or added to increase the antioxidant content tends to increase the absorption of Iron by the body.

    Will a few glasses of hibiscus tea a day be a few too many from the perspective of potentially developing an Iron Overdose, and especially in males?

    • http://nutritionfacts.org/members/mgreger/ Michael Greger M.D.

      I love the USDA Nutrient Database! (accessible here). That’s where the data for videos like The Best Nut, The Best Bean, and The Best Apple came from. I can see how you could get confused, though. I know it says “fluid ounce” but they’re just multiplying their 100 g portion by 2.37. So what they’re referring to is 237 grams of the dried bulk petals (the ash and fiber content can tip you off). So even if you chew and swallow the hibiscus flowers after you drink your tea (or do what I do: blend them in with a high speed blender), it would take about 400 cups to reach that 20 mg, so no need to worry!

  • http://nutritionfacts.org/members/paulb/ PaulB

    I think you raise a valid issue. Assuming an average cup is 4 ounces, you’d need 4 to hit the threshold or two if it’s a large cup. Three thoughts.

    1. If it is non-heme iron and you hot steep it, some of the vitamin C that helps absorption will be destroyed. and the bioavailability of the iron will be lower than heme iron found in meat and animal products. I don’t know what tolerable upper limit is based on, but I assume its heme iron. Of course if it is cold steeped like Michael suggests that’s a different matter.

    2. At least in red zinger tea, the hibiscus is an ingredient in a medley meaning that the hibiscus loading is less than if you were drinking straight 100 percent hibiscus tea.

    3. finally, the definition of the IOM about what constitutes a tolerable upper limit is the lowest level at which a food can be consumed without negative side effects. I’d want to know what the side effects are and how serious to adjust my intake.

    That said Pat, I think you raise a valid issue. Perhaps 1 to 2 cups of pure hibiscus tea or 3 to 4 of red zinger could be prudent. Good catch!

    Paul

    • http://nutritionfacts.org/members/mgreger/ Michael Greger M.D.

      Thanks for your reply Paul! Check out my note to Pat above.

      • http://nutritionfacts.org/members/paulb/ PaulB

        Thanks Michael. Do we know if theanine content of green tea is affected by the decaffinating process?

        Paul

  • http://nutritionfacts.org/members/michaelthomasson/ michaelthomasson

    Like JMS, above, I wonder what is the ECGC content of hibiscus. Matcha is extremely high in ECGC — 10 times a high compared to regular green tea. How much does hibiscus have? And, to my knowledge, matcha is the only food that contains L-Theanine (the amino acid that helps one feel relaxed yet energized). I will continue to drink matcha tea but will also add hibiscus tea to my diet. Sometimes I need to remind myself that it does not need to be “this not that” but instead “this PLUS that.”

    • http://nutritionfacts.org/members/mgreger/ Michael Greger M.D.

      I’m with you! (great michaels think alike :)

  • http://nutritionfacts.org/members/katiemgibbs/ katiemgibbs

    I love Red Zinger style teas but I had been avoiding them because I haven’t been able to find a brand that doesn’t contain ‘natural flavors’. (I ran out of my bag of hibiscus flowers and haven’t been able to find more). What are your thoughts on ‘natural flavors’ in general?

    • http://nutritionfacts.org/members/drdons/ DrDons

      The exact definition of natural flavorings & flavors from Title 21, Section 101, part 22 of the Code of Federal Regulations is as follows:”The term natural flavor or natural flavoring means the essential oil, oleoresin, essence or extractive, protein hydrolysate, distillate, or any product of roasting, heating or enzymolysis, which contains the flavoring constituents derived from a spice, fruit or fruit juice, vegetable or vegetable juice, edible yeast, herb, bark, bud, root, leaf or similar plant material, meat, seafood, poultry, eggs, dairy products, or fermentation products thereof, whose significant function in food is flavoring rather than nutritional.” In other words, natural flavors can be pretty much anything approved for use in food. Since these are typically considered “proprietary information” it can be difficult to find out what is in each product. By eating whole foods you avoid things with labels and hence avoid products with natural flavorings. When you cook you control the spices that you add so you know exactly what is in the food. Looking at the big picture the ingredients are a small part of the problem. More of a problem are the various sugars, fats and animal products listed above natural products on the labels and the tricks the food processing industry uses to hide these… like “Zero percent fat” in sprays that contain 100% oil… check out the number of servings on the back of those products. Of course, that doesn’t make them bad products. The point is it is hard to get to the “truth” of what is in products. Personally I use products like Red Zinger realizing the benefits probably outweigh the risks… it is a confusing world out there. Nutritionfacts.org helps us chart the best course possible so stay tuned… You never know when someone will do a study on natural flavors. Congratulations on paying attention to labels. The best advice on reading labels that I have seen is Jeff Novicks DVD entitled, “Should I eat This” available through his website… although he doesn’t get into natural flavorings but more about fats and sugars. Hope these comments are helpful.

  • http://nutritionfacts.org/members/kdahlin/ KDahlin

    That’s 3 Tbs of what? erithritol? I played this over and over but can’t make out what that is. It’s in dates?

    Thanks.

  • http://nutritionfacts.org/members/bpcveg/ BPC

    Dr. Greger said 3 Tbs of erythritol or you can blend in some dates.

  • http://nutritionfacts.org/members/salute/ salute

    Could you please advise if hibiscus tea have the same effect as green and black tea, preventing the absorption of the calcium.

  • http://nutritionfacts.org/members/vegan2u/ vegan2u

    Hey! Here is a great means of getting several beneficial ingredients into 1 serving of food rather than the tea. In an equivalent half cup of water (You can use a tall baby food bottle with a cap to be able to shake it) add 1/2 teaspoon of Konjac powder, which has many benefits you can read about on their website (http://www.konjacfoods.com/) a dozen Goji berries and 1/2 teaspoon of Hibiscus flowers that can be bought in many health food stores in their organic bulk spice/herb section and a cap full of freshly blended lemon water. Finally, add a teaspoon of pre soaked Chia seed that helps your body retain the liquid and releases its carbs slowly assisting the Konjac powder that’s mostly soluble fiber to amplify the slowing of sugar assimilation . It comes out like a Jello that is a super antioxidant mixture and great for kids, I don’t add any sweetener due to the sweetness of the Goji Berries but you decide…In my humble opinion, any artificial sweetener you may use tries to fool the body but you can’t fool your body, it will later say Hey! I want some real sugar so you end up craving and eating a typical high fat/sugar product that defeats the whole purpose…peace

    • http://nutritionfacts.org/members/toxins/ Toxins

      From what I have researched of konjac, the only credible information i can find is that it is a good source of fiber, but i fail to see any other benefits from this root. I prefer not to use your website as a source since it sells this product, and they can glamor the “science” however they please.

      The emphasis on the website is on “soluble” fiber. Soluble fiber is abundant in the plant supply, just look at oats, barley, almost all fruits, and many vegetables. They are rich sources of soluble and insoluble fiber.

      This root seems like an overhyped marketing ploy to me.

      • http://nutritionfacts.org/members/vegan2u/ vegan2u

        Dear Mr Toxins,

        I apologize but even though it looks like I was trying to promote Konjac I was really trying to relate what a good medium it is for making a healthy snack because of its Jello like gelatinous properties. I’m accustomed to making green smoothies every morning and found myself getting hungry about 1-2 hours after consuming them. I recently learned from Nutritionist Jeff Novick that when you blend foods that are supposedly high in fiber, you lose the benefit of the fiber when you blend the food, reason being is that food in its natural state has fibrous branches that do their work when consumed by simply chewing them but blending the food breaks up those branches into microscopic particles and you lose the effect to a large degree. So when I saw this video on Hibiscus, I had a brainstorm on a snack that was less in carbs and fat and more on a filling high fiber meal that that not only works but is high in antioxidants. However, I know enough about this substance because I do, do the research and am aware that for all its purported benefits, it has some issues, I purposely don’t make it too thick because of possible choking or lower intestinal blockage after consuming it. I haven’t experienced any of the noted possible side affects. Just because a website claims health benefits doesn’t mean they’re not true. Here is some information for your review.
        http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/14983741
        http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/1966003
        http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/14993586
        http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12569112
        http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18842808

        • http://nutritionfacts.org/members/toxins/ Toxins

          Thanks for the clarification.

  • http://nutritionfacts.org/members/alicej/ AliceJ

    Dear Dr. Greger, I am drinking hibiscus tea, which is cool. But this question is about: Valerian root tea, which I didn’t find on your website. I am taking valerian root as a tea — 1 tsp. steeped for 20 minutes in hot water — just before bed for staying asleep. I have been using it for about four days and have been getting amazing results — being able to sleep 5 to 7 1/2 hours per night and waking up rested and not groggy. I have three questions and seem to get different answers on the web and from where I purchased it. 1) Users are supposed to “take a break from using it.” Please let me know how long of a break. 2) One site says that if you have been using it for a long time you can experience withdrawal symptoms such as: headache, insomnia, racing heart, general grouchiness and depression. How does one avoid those unwanted withdrawal symptoms, if one takes a break from using it? 3) Is valerian root tea safe? Thank you. –Alice

  • http://nutritionfacts.org/members/kdahlin/ KDahlin

    I’m confused. I went to Amazon.com to buy Matcha Tea and there’s a comment on there that Hunmatsu-Ryokucha is the tea with health benefits and Matcha tea is a ceremonial tea – it doesn’t have high nutritional value. The commenter seemed to know what he was talking about : http://tinyurl.com/7unusbp

    • http://nutritionfacts.org/members/toxins/ Toxins

      I would trust what the science says over an informative comment. Check out this video on specifically matcha, which are powdered green tea leaves.
      http://nutritionfacts.org/videos/is-matcha-good-for-you

      • http://nutritionfacts.org/members/barbarah/ BarbaraH

        Actually I think the comment on Amazon is valid, although it’s a question of degree, and of which nutrients you’re looking for. I doubt that Matcha is completely devoid of nutrition, but it does have fewer EGCG’s (the cancer fighting catechin) than Sencha. Shade grown teas have less EGCG’s than teas that have been exposed to sunshine. Matcha is kept in the shade for about a month before harvest, thus reducing the amount of EGCG’s compared to a tea like Sencha, which is grown in the sun.

        This, from http://greentealovers.com/greenteahealthcatechin.htm:

        “The amount of catechin tends to increase as the season progresses. Spring tea (first crop) contains 12-13% catechin (13-17% as tannin) while summer tea (third crop) contains 13-14% (17-21% as tannin). If leaf order is compared, younger leaves include more catechin than mature ones. First leaves contain 14%, second 13%, third 12%, and fourth 12%. This explains why second and third crop summer teas are more astringent while Bancha is less so. Gyokuro green tea, whose leaves are covered during growth, contains less catechin and astringency (10% as tannin) because it gets less sunshine then Sencha.”

        I buy my matcha from Hibiki-an.com. Here is what they say about their matcha: “Our House Matcha is Ichibancha, the first tea harvest of the year, like all our teas, and is carefully grown in the shade for 20 to 30 days before harvest…”

        And here is what they say about their sencha: “Sencha contains more of the beneficial nutrient Catechin than other green teas, because it is grown in full sunlight, thus it becomes yellow-green in color.”

        I also have found the same information in a book called “Foods to Fight Cancer”, by Richard Beliveau, Ph.D. and Denis Gingras, Ph.D. I think they look reasonably trustworthy. http://www.amazon.com/Foods-That-Fight-Cancer-Preventing/dp/0771011350 (Beliveau holds the Chair in the Prevention and Treatment of Cancer at the Université du Québec à Montréal, where he is a professor in the Chemistry and Biochemistry Department. Dr. Béliveau is the director of the Molecular Medicine Laboratory of UQAMHôpital Sainte-Justine (Centre de cancérologie Charles-Bruneau).

        They also say that in general, green teas from China have less EGCG’s than teas from Japan. And they rank teas from Japan from least EGCG’s to most EGCG’s and Matcha has the least and Sencha has the most.

        Much ado about tea!!

        Barbara

  • Benjamin

    Can you give me any insights to Pu erh Tea? I drink lots of it, and have done for years. There are two varieties, the more common of which is the cooked variety which is fairly processed and far from natural. I personally drink the “raw” variety, which apart from sun drying and packing processes is completely natural, to my current understanding. I believe it can be classified as green tea. My question is, how does it rate vs. Matcha, or any other variety of green tea? And do you believe it falls into the “good for me” category, or am I somewhat deluded?

  • Daveahlberg

    One major problem I see is most of the Hibiscus teas have “Natural Flavors” which are anything but natural, it’s a lot of junk. Comment(s)?

  • Sd1694

    Green tea has nothing ,this is just marketing!!!
    You can take more anti oxidan via vegtables(Carrot and……….)
    You can see that how bad is Greentea for Iron

  • http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=1836688212 Robert O. Harris

    I keep a pot of Green/White Chai Tea with Hibiscus in the ‘fridge and use it as the liquid in my morning oatmeal. Because of your videos, I also add a handful of mixed nuts and dried fruit, to include dried Goji Berries. I also sprinkle it with Clove, Cinnamon, Allspice, Ginger, and Nutmeg. Its delicious and loaded with antioxidants!

  • gargichka

    Sounds great, I’d like to add it to my diet. BUT as far as I understood from the discussion below, hibiscus tea lowers blood pressure. Is this true? If so, is it also recommended for people (like me) with sometimes rather low blood pressure levels, I could hardly benefit from something that makes it even lower???

  • http://www.facebook.com/gina.paduano Gina Paduano

    The benefits of cold brewing “tea” tea were pointed out in another video. I’m wondering if there are documented benefits to cold brewing hibiscus tea, or if he is just assuming there would be. I prefer making it this way, but if it was tested brewed hot then why assume cold would be as good if not better, when it is a completely different plant. Just wondering.

  • Bcorprew1

    What is erythritol?

  • Rivka Morgan-Sherman

    Thank you so much Dr. Greger. Today I blended a Hibiscus/Matcha tea soda using my Soda Stream because I love the idea of bathing my organs in antioxidants all day AND promoting alpha brain waves at the same time.  You ROCK!

    • http://nutritionfacts.org/ Michael Greger M.D.

      Whoa!

  • http://www.all-creatures.org/cb/ Gerry

    Do you by any chance post recipes somewhere as it is difficult to jot down recipes as fast as you talk and would really like to try them….

  • Diana Zybala

    Are there any studies on dehydrated food?  I love dehydrated kale but found that it is hard on the intestinal tract if too many dehydrated foods are eaten…and I doubt that they are as nutrient dense since they lack water and possibly other nutrients that go with the water.

  • http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=1836688212 Robert O. Harris

    I’m trying to make a great antioxidant herbal tea… and from what I have gathered from your tea videos…

    I have been making cold-brewed white tea with lemon, a hibiscus infusion (Red Zinger) with added peppermint and Chai spices (clove, ginger, allspice, cinnamon, and nutmeg).

    Anything missing? Maybe matcha?

  • http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=1836688212 Robert O. Harris

    Also, if you brew or store tea (or any antioxidant beverage) in a plastic container, do the antioxidants interact with the phthlates to reduce their harm or do they draw them out of the plastic increasing your exposure?

  • John Ammerman

    Just as amla can be found cheaper at an Indian market, or goji berries less expensive at an Asian market, so hibiscus (ie Jamaica) can be found in bulk in any hispanic market in the produce section.

    My wife who was born and raised in Mexico was thrilled to discover that “Agua de Jamaica” which she has been drinking all he life (and serving to us) because it’s so cheap, is really good for you.

    Thanks Doc!

    • http://nutritionfacts.org/ Michael Greger M.D.

      smart wife!

  • Denise

    I made this tea and it is wonderful!!  I actually used aguave nectar that I had.  What else could you substitute if you didn’t have the sweeteners you suggested? 

  • vegan4life

    I just discovered that Fresh & Easy sells 20-pack *hibiscus herbal tea* for $2.49 a box. That’s what I call affordable health care.

    • Valnaples

      Vegan4life…and Wal-Mart sells the Red Zinger hibiscus berry flavor shown in Doc’s video here for $2.09 per box of 20.  I like blending it with Trader Joe’s organic green tea and fresh lemon!
      @3fd05b9e7e2d88cf66d79dbaf868f2b7:disqus 

  • cdwark

    You posted a video in 2011 stating that dandelion tea has the most antioxidants of herbal teas with no mention of hibiscus.

    But there is no mention of dandelion tea in this video.

    So which is better?

  • Chris

    Green tea (pink powder) is clearly the winner based on the research you cited. 
    It’s antioxidant content was 1347.83http://www.nutritionj.com/content/supplementary/1475-2891-9-3-s1.pdfFlor de Jamaica (Hibiscus Tea) is only 6.99 Please explain why you think hibiscus is a higher antioxidant beverage

    Thanks

    • http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100003023308557 Louise White

      After two months, I guess we won’t get answer on this

      • http://nutritionfacts.org/ Michael Greger M.D.

        Please see my above response to darkcity a month ago.

  • Obedientingredients

    Hi Dr. Gregor,

    Thank you so much for this recipe. I write a food blog where I conduct amateur cooking experiments at my home, and I decided to put your fruit punch to the test, asking “does this really taste like fruit punch?” 
    I wrote all about it, citing your blog. 
    http://obedientingredients.wordpress.com/2012/10/01/antioxidant-fruit-punch/
    Thanks again.

    • Valnaples

      CUTE blog! 

  • Blac

    I have been drinking “Dragon’s Well” (LongJin) green tea for the past 10 years (about 10-12 cups per day), I just love the taste of it and how I feel after 2 or 3 cups.  I should also mention that I remove the caffeine when I steep it.
    Wondering if there is any substantial antioxidant content among different varieties of green tea.

    • Blac

       Misworded my question: it should say:  Is there any substantial antioxidant content difference between different varieties of green tea?

  • Entropymm

    Ok, I’ve read all sources cited and I cannot find any information on Hibiscus other than the mention of it in the first study, which clearly states it is not a potent as green tea. I am not alone in my confusion I see by the comments.

  • http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=1126073777 Richard Aiken

    Dried bulk Hibiscus flowers are inexpensive (a lot less
    than tea bags).  Like coffee but concerned
    about raising blood pressure? Grind some Hibiscus with your beans.  Or better yet, for maximum effect of this überflower,
    toss a few flowers into your green smoothie concoction – gotta have higher
    impact than water extraction. 

  • http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=1126073777 Richard Aiken

    Dried bulk Hibiscus flowers are inexpensive (a lot less
    than tea bags).  Like coffee but concerned
    about raising blood pressure? Grind some Hibiscus with your beans.  Or better yet, for maximum effect of this überflower,
    toss a few flowers into your green smoothie concoction – gotta have higher
    impact than water extraction. 

  • Gregorytlink

    So which is better hibiscus tea or chai tea?  You have 2 different videos saying they are the healthiest beverage.

    • http://nutritionfacts.org/ Michael Greger M.D.

      Whichever one you’ll drink the most of! The tannins in tea started upsetting my stomach for some reason so I switch to hibiscus, but I certainly as losing out on all those tea plant specific goodies: http://nutritionfacts.org/topics/tea

  • LumLum2500

    The Wild Berry Zinger in this video is not organic.  I’m surprised that Dr. Greger drinks non-organic tea.  Do you think pesticides in tea are a problem?  I even worry about dioxin in the bleached paper tea bag, so I cut it open and dump the leaves into hot water, then strain it.

  • Guest

    As someone with a high risk of breast cancer (per a stong family history as well as an incidence of DCIS), I am very concerned about identifying whether a particular food or beverage has estrogenic qualities.  I try to eat in a way that does not encourage the production of estrogen–i.e., avoiding foods identified as ”estrogenic.”  (The DCIS tumor, which I had removed six yeas ago,  was estrogen positive.)  I read that Hibiscus does encourage estrogen production (cannot remember the exact source).  Do you have any information on this? 

    I also have a large goiter and so have had to cut my intake of soy and raw greens in the cabbage family because they are goitrogens.  I have been wondering if the Matcha tea that I now drink every morning is made from raw tea leaves and, hence, “goitrogenic,” or does the hot water in which it’s mixed negate that effect?

    These two concerns have complicated my food selection process.  Of course, having become totally vegan over three years ago, I believe that I have substantially cut my cancer risk (and have certainly improved my overall health), and that is heartening. Still the BC and thyroid concerns are ones with which I have to deal, and I could use any information you can provide.

    I find your website very helpful.  It helps me stay “on track” with my still “new” diet and lifestyle.

  • darkcity darkcity

    I’m having difficulty referencing this for wikipedia.  Table 2 (excerpt) doesn’t mention Hibiscus.  In the extra documents, Table 2 (full) has   

    Tea, Flor de Jamaica, prepared — 6.99 (mmol/100g)

    I assume this is Jamaica flower – Hibiscus? 

    Also, did you not mention the following because of availability?-

    Tea, Combe Tea, dried  — 57.57 (mmol/100g)
    Tea, green, (pink) powder — 1347.83  (mmol/100g) ???

    Maybe you can further explain the figures.

    • http://nutritionfacts.org/ Michael Greger M.D.

      Note the difference between prepared (including the water weight) and the dried powder.

  • Elizabeth

    Antioxidant ..Green Tea I was told to discontinue as it effected my hypertension medication. I stopped any my pressure decreased and was back to behaving.  Would hibiscus tea have the same effect with my medication ?

    • TCB Health

      Elizabeth, the likeliest culprit is the caffeine in green tea. The Mayo Clinic says that there are about 24 to 40mg of caffeine in green tea (vs. 95 to 200mg in coffee), which can be enough to affect you. Also, depending on the type of medication you take, the caffeine could interact with it, making it less effective. Hibiscus tea, however, does not contain caffeine, and can possibly help lower blood pressure. That being said, though, it also can interact with some medications, so it’s best to consult your personal physician to ensure that hibiscus wouldn’t put you at risk of disrupting your meds. Best of luck!

  • BrunoL

    I would like to print your beautiful color chart on the beverages in the Antioxidant Food Table for my family; is there any way that I could do this?

  • DaveW

    I read quite a bit about consuming too many anti-oxidants and this causing them to actually contribute to the oxidation process. What are your thoughts on over-consumption of anti-oxidants?

  • Dan

    If pasteurization kills probiotics in yogurt, will drinking hot liquids like tea and coffee kill the good bacteria in my stomach?

    • Toxins

      The bacteria are not found in your stomach, but in your intestines.The warm liquid should not affect the bacteria once it enters your intestines as I am sure you are not drinking boiling water, and even so, it would cool in your stomach.

  • Abi

    Dear Dr Greger,

    Thank you for the gorgeous, lovingly made, humorous information that you provide so faithfully.

    As an ideologically lonely mum of one raising a healthy little vegan girl, you have been a source of assurance, confidence and inspiration! I also have a lot to learn, and you are helping me.

    Can you answer a query about tea? I do love my tea. Afraid I really mostly get on with black tea, though I dabble in other hues! My question is this-try as I might, I cannot deny that I really like my black tea with a good slug of soy milk. I can’t help it. It is something I look forward to! Am I totally negating all the tea’s benefits this way? What if I had a couple sips, then added my plant milk? Any good?! We follow a mostly wholefood diet free from any refined sugars, and love it – yet this little thing I really struggle with giving up!

    I would be so grateful for your comments.

    With sincere best wishes.

    Abi Hardy

    • Toxins

      I would not worry about adding the soy milk to your tea. The rest of your diet is particularly healthy, and I am sure adding the soymilk to your tea does not pose any negative health detriments. I say keep adding the soymilk!

  • Richard Aiken

    Maybe an even better way to get your Hibiscus is to place dried Hibiscus flowers into the blender (for example I use Davidson’s Tea Bulk, Herb Pure
    Org Hibiscus Flowers, 16-Ounce Bag). It’s about 1/10 the cost per oz than tea bags and it’s whole plant, so got to be better, right? BTW I’m taking this approach generally no water extracted food – I even “eat” my coffee (put the beans in the smoothie).

  • thissal
  • thissal

    Overdosing on anti-oxidants

    http://whfoods.org/genpage.php?tname=george&dbid=143

    This says anti oxidant supplements could be bad, but not those found in whole food sources.

  • thissal

    Overdosing on anti-oxidants

    http://whfoods.org/genpage.php…

    This says anti oxidant supplements could be bad, but not those found in whole food sources.

  • Fernando

    Dr. Greger,

    You’ve unlocked the secrets of Mexico….I remember going to Mexico City when I was a kid to visit my Grandmother and there would always be “Agua de Jamaica,” which is essentially cold hibiscus too like you make (but with a lot of sugar).

    Great stuff!

    Fernando

    • http://nutritionfacts.org/ Michael Greger M.D.

      Smart grandma! I learned a bunch from mine as well (if you haven’t already, see my video Resuscitating Medicare).

  • Raanan

    Hello Dr. Gregor,
    I drink Hibiscus tea every day now and love it, used to drink green tea. Is there any problem making a mix of hibiscus and earl grey (black tea)? I mix them in the morning to wake up, and drink it through out the day, the mix of both. Thank you very much.

  • Rhys

    Dear Dr. Greger,

    I was interested in your take on this article in Scientific American about studies that are questioning the harmfulness of free radicals and the importance of antioxidants. Apparently it’s more complicated than free radicals = bad and antioxidants = good. Since you’re all about consuming the maximum amount of antioxidants that you can, I thought you’d want to read this:

    http://www.scientificamerican.com/article.cfm?id=is-free-radical-theory-of-aging-dead

  • Veganpower

    what are the 3 spoons you put in? how you i found it? i dont know how you spell it..

    • http://nutritionfacts.org/ Michael Greger M.D.

      If you click on “Transcript” above (or under any video) you’ll see the whole thing written out!

  • MICHAEL

    Is hibiscus tea too acid for the body. I try not to eat foods that lower my body pH.

  • AnthonyF

    Is it bad to use raw unprocessed honey in these drinks?

  • hey.jude

    I drink this tea everyday. I love it! I use the Wild Berry Zinger. Instead of lemon, I use the juice and partial rind of a lime. I don’t use any sweetener and I like it that way. One day it tasted a bit too tart so I added some canned (not from concentrate) pineapple juice to sweeten it up a bit. It turned the drink purple. I repeated it another time and it turned purple again. I am curious to know what made this happen.

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