Teas for heart health are becoming one of the simplest and most science-backed ways to support long-term cardiovascular wellness naturally. Most people don’t think much about their heart health until a warning sign appears, but the small daily choices we make — including what we drink every morning — can have a powerful impact over time. Many of us rely heavily on coffee throughout the day, often without considering healthier alternatives that may actively support blood pressure, cholesterol levels, circulation, and overall heart function.
The good news is that many heart-healthy teas are backed by decades of scientific research. From green tea and hibiscus tea to rooibos and ginger tea, these natural beverages contain powerful antioxidants and anti-inflammatory compounds that may help support better cardiovascular health. Adding the best teas for heart health to your daily routine is simple, affordable, and requires almost no effort beyond boiling water. In this guide, we’ll explore what science actually says about tea and cardiovascular health, which teas offer the strongest benefits, and how to drink them properly for maximum results.
Heart health teas are far from a fad or a social media trend. Many of these have been supported by decades of research. Not only is it nearly free to add to your routine, but it also tastes great – and it takes absolutely no effort other than boiling some water.
We’re going to find out what the best teas are for your heart, what the science actually says, and how you can use these as a part of a lifestyle to ensure long-term cardiac health.
Table of Contents
Why Teas for Heart Health Are Good for Your Heart
Before we dive into the details, it’s important to know why tea, in general, is good for the heart.
Polyphenols are abundant in most teas, made from the Camellia sinensis plant (green, black, white, oolong), as well as herbs and flowers. They are naturally occurring compounds that have potent anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effects.
What does this mean for your heart? Due to the fact that cardiovascular disease doesn’t simply occur overnight. It takes years to develop, due to oxidative stress, chronic inflammation, high blood pressure, high LDL-cholesterol, and stiff arteries.
Polyphenols inhibit all of these processes. They are known to help relax blood vessels, prevent the bad cholesterol (LDL) from oxidizing, which makes it harmful, lower blood pressure, decrease systemic inflammation, and promote healthy blood flow.
Imagine that you are investing in your cardiovascular system on a daily basis with a small amount of tea. You can’t get a healthy heart with just one cup! But two or three cups a day, every day, for months and years? The research reveals that it adds up to something that is really important.
Read our article on heart health explained — how to protect your heart for a wider discussion of daily steps you can take to protect your heart.
Green Tea is Considered the Gold Standard for Heart Health
Green tea is the tea that has been truly scientifically studied. This evidence is not thin or preliminary, but deep, broad, and consistent across populations and research designs.
What is special about it?
Green tea is filled with a particular class of polyphenols called catechins, the strongest of which is EGCG or epigallocatechin gallate. EGCG is a plant compound that has been studied more than any other compound in the cardiovascular system in the world.
The research is consistent that green tea has these effects on the heart:
- It helps to decrease LDL cholesterol that deposits in the artery walls and forms plaque.
- It helps to make blood vessels more elastic and functional, thus lowering blood pressure.
- It reduces triglycerides, another blood fat that’s closely associated with risk for heart disease.
- It lowers inflammation markers such as C-reactive protein.
- It enhances endothelial function — the ability of your arteries to dilate and constrict, to regulate blood flow.
In one large Japanese study that tracked more than 40,000 adults for 11 years, those who consumed five or more cups of green tea each day were at a significantly reduced risk of dying from cardiovascular disease compared to those who had less than one cup of green tea daily. This is an intriguing observation from a real-life population over an extended period.
How to Drink It
Make green tea between 75 to 85°C — not boiling. If the water is too hot, the delicate catechins that you’re after will be destroyed. Steep for 2-3 minutes. Serve straight or with a little squeeze of lemon juice – vitamin C helps the absorption of catechins. Avoid milk because it can bind polyphenols and thereby decrease their bioavailability.
The target of 2-3 cups per day is not only realistic but it is well supported by research. In fact, coupled with weight management, if you’re interested in it, check out our article about weight loss through green tea, as green tea benefits reach much beyond the heart.
Hibiscus Tea is the Blood Pressure Powerhouse
Hibiscus tea should be a staple in your kitchen if you are dealing with high blood pressure, or you are concerned with it.
What makes it special?
The dried petals of the flower Hibiscus sabdariffa are used to make hibiscus tea. It is crisp, richly colored, and truly beautiful. What’s more important is it’s one of the most researched natural remedies for lowering blood pressure.
According to a randomized controlled trial published in the Journal of Nutrition, adults with slightly elevated blood pressure who consumed three cups of hibiscus tea per day for 6 weeks had a 7 mmHg decrease in their systolic blood pressure (the higher number). That’s similar to the impact of certain low dosage blood pressure drugs, but without the side effects.
Hibiscus does so in two ways. First, it is a natural ACE inhibitor, like one of the common blood pressure medications, which dilates blood vessels to lower resistance. Second, it has a mild diuretic effect, which is helpful for the kidneys to eliminate excess sodium, important in raising blood pressure.
In addition to blood pressure, hibiscus tea also helps lower LDL cholesterol, oxidative stress markers, and arterial inflammation — all factors that are important for heart health in the long term.
How to Drink It
Hibiscus tea doesn’t contain any caffeine, so you can enjoy it any time of the day, including the evening. Steep the dried hibiscus flowers or a quality hibiscus tea bag in hot water for five to seven minutes. May be served hot or cold. If you prefer it to be a little more mild, a little honey or a slice of orange will complement the tartness nicely.
The dose used in most clinical studies is 2-3 cups a day. It is consistency over weeks that brings results, not sporadic use.
Black Tea is an Underrated but Effective Tea
Black tea is a tea that is underrated but effective.
People get all the attention about green tea. But black tea is a tea with a solid research history with the cardiovascular system and is consumed by a much larger number of people worldwide than any other tea.
What makes it special?
Black tea is completely oxidized during processing and therefore has a different polyphenol profile than green tea. It contains a lot of compounds called theaflavins and thearubigins, which are a product of oxidation and have different cardiovascular properties.
Studies have demonstrated that regular black tea decreases LDL cholesterol, slightly lowers blood pressure, and boosts endothelial function. In a study that combined the results of several studies, there was a statistically significant decrease in the risk of cardiovascular disease for those who consumed three cups of black tea daily.
Black tea also provides support to the gut microbiome — the gut-heart connection is a new area of research that suggests a diverse and healthy gut microbiome leads to better cardiovascular outcomes and less systemic inflammation.
How to Drink It
Black tea loses less of its strength when brewed with fully boiling water compared with green tea. Steep for 3-5 minutes. It is okay to drink with milk, but for intake of polyphenols, it is best to drink plain. Milk may interfere with the absorption of theaflavins.
A small point to note: black tea does have a significant amount of caffeine – between 40 and 70 mg per cup. If you’re sensitive to caffeine or tea at late times in the day, this is something you should consider.
The Middle Ground is Oolong Tea
Oolong is more oxidized than green tea but less than black tea, and the taste is somewhere between floral/light green tea and roasted/rich black tea depending on the type. Like its place on the oxidation spectrum, it’s interesting to note that its cardiovascular benefits fall somewhere between green tea and black tea.
What makes it so special?
The polyphenol profile of oolong tea is wider than either green tea or black tea and has both catechins and theaflavins. Research shows that oolong tea can decrease “bad” LDL cholesterol, blood pressure, and the overall lipid profile, especially in individuals who already have metabolic risk factors.
Research in Taiwan, where consumption of oolong tea is common, revealed that those who consumed two cups or more daily of oolong tea had a significantly reduced risk of hypertension compared to people who did not drink any oolong tea. It was a large study with a long follow-up, so it is a significant finding.
What’s more, oolong seems to play a role in blood sugar control, which is crucial for the cardiovascular system since insulin resistance and high blood sugar are two major cardiovascular risk factors. Read our article about sleep and type 2 diabetes blood sugar control for more on this connection.
How to Drink It
Brew oolong for 2-3 minutes at about 85-95°C. It is often steeped several times, each time with the release of a different flavor. To reap the polyphenol effects, drink it alone.
Nature’s Heart Tonic is Hawthorn Tea
Hawthorn is not as popular as green or black tea in most western homes. However, in traditional Chinese, European, and other herbal medicine, hawthorn berries have been used specifically as a heart tonic over the centuries. Modern studies are beginning to shed light on why.
What is unique about this?
Hawthorn (Crataegus species) is high in oligomeric proanthocyanidins (OPCs) and flavonoids, which have been demonstrated to dilate blood vessels, lower blood pressure, enhance heart muscle function, and reduce the amount of oxygen needed by the heart during activity.
But what’s unique about hawthorn is that it has much more to offer than the antioxidants found in most teas. It seems to directly tone the heart muscle – enhancing cardiac contractions and the maintenance of a healthy rhythm.
Hawthorn extract has been effective in individuals with mild heart failure, easing symptoms such as shortness of breath and fatigue during activity in such people. Hawthorn tea is not as concentrated as standardized extracts, but regular consumption can still lead to beneficial amounts of these active ingredients.
How to Drink It
Hawthorn tea is commonly prepared by using the dried hawthorn berries or hawthorn leaves. For a strong infusion, simmer in water for about ten minutes. It has a mild, fruity, slightly tart taste. The maximum amount that most adults can tolerate and use on a daily basis is 1 to 2 cups.
A word of warning: if you’re taking heart medications, such as digoxin, beta blockers, or other cardiac medications, consult your doctor before taking hawthorn regularly. It has a bioactivity that may interact with these medicines.
An Uncaffeinated, Cardio-Friendly Tea Made from the Red Tea of South Africa
Rooibos is not from the Camellia sinensis plant and is naturally completely caffeine-free, and is native to South Africa. So it’s a great choice for people who want the benefits of heart-healthy tea without the caffeine, particularly in the evening.
What makes it special?
Rooibos contains two antioxidants that are found in no other plant—aspalathin and nothofagin—which are particularly abundant and unique. In particular, there are studies on the effect of aspalathin on reducing oxidative stress in heart tissue, lowering blood pressure, and improving lipid profiles.
In animal studies, rooibos has been found to substantially inhibit the build-up of arterial plaques. Limited human studies also indicate a decrease in LDL cholesterol and an improvement in the LDL/HDL ratio when taken regularly. In one study, South Africans consumed 6 cups of rooibos each day for 6 weeks and found that the antioxidant properties of rooibos helped to decrease LDL oxidation in the adults at risk for cardiovascular disease.
Rooibos is also anti-inflammatory, naturally sweet (no sugar), and very gentle on the digestive system, and is well tolerated by tea-sensitive people.
How to Drink It
Use fully boiling water to make rooibos for 5-7 minutes. The longer it is steeped, the more antioxidant it will be and the richer the cup will be. Serve it simple or with a bit of plant milk or lightly sweetened with honey. Smooth and rich, it is a great evening drink to help you get sleepy, without being stimulating.
Ginger Tea is a Circulatory and Anti-Inflammatory Herb
Ginger tea is a remedy that most people keep on hand to help settle a stomach upset or cure a cold. But its cardio benefits are really amazing and underrated!
What is it that makes it so special?
Gingerols and shogaols, with potent anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties, directly influence cardiovascular risk factors.
Studies indicate that ginger results in relaxing blood vessel walls, which is a way to reduce blood pressure. It lowers LDL cholesterol and fat in the blood, known as triglycerides. It has the effect of blocking platelet aggregation (clumping), which is a major risk factor for heart attack and stroke. It also decreases C-reactive protein, which is one of the most important markers of systemic inflammation and cardiovascular risk.
The results from one study showed that taking 2 grams of ginger powder daily for 12 weeks can help lower fasting blood sugar, triglycerides, and LDL cholesterol in individuals with type 2 diabetes, who are at a high risk of cardiovascular disease. The results were clinically significant and not negligible.
Read our article about the connection between inflammation and heart health for more details!
How to Drink It
The fresh ginger root is used to create the strongest tea. Simply cut into a 1-inch thick slice, cook for 10 minutes in 2 cups of water, and optionally add a squeeze of lemon and a teaspoon of honey. Dried ginger or quality ginger tea bags can also be used. This is a realistic and beneficial amount of one to two cups daily.
Turmeric Tea — The Anti-Inflammatory Heart Ally
Turmeric is one of the most popular health foods of recent years, though some of the claims are inflated; there is some science that supports the cardiovascular health benefits of turmeric.
What makes it special?
Turmeric contains the active compound curcumin, which is one of the most powerful anti-inflammatory compounds found in nature. Chronic inflammation has become known to be a major factor in the development and progression of atherosclerosis (arterial plaque buildup) and cardiovascular disease.