The red tea that could lower cholesterol – backed by studies

High cholesterol: Nutritionist reveals top prevention tips

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Having high cholesterol can be fatal. Cholesterol is a type of fat found in the blood and too much of it can build up causing blockages. If not treated this could result in a number of dangerous medical conditions and emergencies such as heart disease, heart attacks and strokes among others.

High cholesterol can be lowered via a number of lifestyle changes, such as cutting back on saturated fats, smoking and alcohol.

But one expert suggested that adding a unique type of tea to your daily routine could also help.

Kelly Choi, founder of online food store Kelly Loves, championed the benefits of Korean red ginseng tea.

Speaking to Express.co.uk, she explained: “With many of us trying to find natural ways to improve our health, Korean red ginseng tea has become even more popular over the past few years.

“This warming drink is made with the root of the Korean ginseng plant (not to be confused with American or Siberian ginseng which are both very different).

“The tea has a rather earthy taste, so it is usually mixed with honey, sugar or lemon.

“Many Korean ginseng fans drink a cup in the morning to perk them up and give them an energy boost. It’s a much better option than a high-sugar energy drink and also a good alternative to coffee if coffee makes you jittery.

“A cup of Korean red ginseng tea also packs in some strong antioxidant properties.”

Ms Choi said the drink is high in:

• Vitamin C
• Flavonoids
• Ginsenosides
• Other phenolic acids.

She added: “Many studies have found that Korean red ginseng could help with the regulation of blood pressure, cholesterol levels and blood sugar.”

What does research say?

One study, published in Nutrients journal in 2020, stated that Korean red ginseng could help lower cholesterol and prevent cardiovascular disease.

“Korean red ginseng (KRG) is known to exert beneficial effects on cardiovascular health,” it said.

As part of the study it looked specifically at whether the ingredient could lower cholesterol among postmenopausal women. The trial included 68 postmenopausal women with high cholesterol.

Over a four-week period they were given either two grams of Korean red ginseng or a placebo daily.

It found that the reduction in cholesterol levels was “significantly larger” among the women who consumed Korean red ginseng compared to the placebo group.

The study summarised: “In conclusion, by measuring serum cholesterol metabolites, we found that KRG could have a favourable effect on cholesterol homeostasis in postmenopausal women with hypercholesterolemia [high cholesterol].

“These findings suggest that KRG intake could improve cholesterol metabolism and prevent cardiovascular disease in postmenopausal women with hypercholesterolemia.”

A separate study, published in the Evidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine journal in 2014, found that Korean red ginseng water extract could help lower cholesterol in mice with atherosclerosis – the narrowing of arteries.

“In conclusion, Korean red ginseng extract inhibited serum total cholesterol and triglyceride in western diet-induced atherosclerosis in low-density lipoprotein [‘bad’ cholesterol] receptor gene deleted-mice,” it said.

Korean red ginseng can be bought in teabag form online and in health stores, or as a supplement.

If you are concerned that you could have high cholesterol you should see a GP to get tested.

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