Did you know that the nighttime sleepy tea is great for your heart too?
Of course, anything that helps you sleep promotes heart health.
But there is more to Chamomile than better Zzz’s.
It can also help to clear heart blockages.
You see, chamomile herbal tea is the best-known source of apigenin, a small molecule that scientific studies are finding to improve HDL function1.
HDL’s are the protein particles made by the liver to clear excess cholesterol from around the body, including coronary arteries.
Apigenin upgrades the ability of HDL to do its job and clear out those arteries1.
What is apigenin?
- It is a natural plant bioflavonoid and yellow pigment found in many fruits and vegetables. It is a powerful source of antioxidants and can help to fight inflammation, oxidative stress and harmful molecules.
- Research has shown that apigenin is a molecule that protects against certain cardiovascular and neurological diseases that are greatly impacted by oxidative processes2
- Apigenin has health-promoting functions similar to those of the well-known compounds ECGC, resveratrol and curcumin.
Sources of apigenin:
-Chamomile tea
-Onions
-Grapefruit
-Oranges
-Celery
-Tarragon
-Parsley
-Cilantro
-Basil
-Oregano
-Spearmint
Why is apeginin heart-healthy?
- It is a natural source of plant flavonoids, which can lower blood pressure and normalize cholesterol levels. Inflammation and blood lipid accumulation are two risk factors for atherosclerosis. Apigenin can modulate both of those risk factors.
- Specifically, in a mouse-model study, apigenin was found to decrease atherosclerotic lesion size and its speculated this is due to its ability to decrease inflammation and improve blood cholesterol levels1
- In embryonic mouse heart models treated with bacteria that cause infection, apigenin was found to block the activation of inflammatory pathways and protect the heart muscle cells from damage from this condition3
- Increased flavonoid intake is associated with a lower risk of stroke4
- Research has shown apigenin can decrease hypertension-associated cardiac hypertrophy (abnormal thickening or enlargement of the heart muscle due to high blood pressure), which is associated with multiple types of heart disease5
- One study found that apigenin has vasodilatory and relaxing effects on rat thoracic aorta6
- Apigenin has been found to exert cardioprotection as it can inhibit heart cell death and inflammation7, which prevents tissue damage and cardiac injury as well as helps to keep the heart strong.
- Research has found that apigenin can increase nitric oxide (NO) production in the blood vessels, which is heart-protective (improves blood vessel structure)8
Overall, it is a great source of antioxidants to decrease inflammation and oxidative stress to support heart health. Additionally, it helps to normalize blood lipid levels through its stimulatory action of HDL.
Other health benefits of apigenin:
- Anti-cancer effects
- Potent at selectively inhibiting cancer cells as opposed to non-cancerous cells
- Anti-cancer doses can be obtained through diet alone
- Chemopreventative effects against skin cancer
- Has been shown to induce apoptosis (death) of cancer cells in vivo9
- Lowers anxiety
- Sedative effects
- Promotes sleep and relaxation
- Neuroprotective
- Research suggests it could potentially decrease neuroinflammation, which is preventative Alzheimer’s disease10 and stimulate neuronal cell growth
- Anti-diabetic effects
- Can help to decrease insulin resistance
- Anti-inflammatory effects
- Can suppress inflammatory proteins in the body
- Can boost testosterone activity
- Can decrease cortisol
- Can increase liver detoxification through enzymatic regulation
- Can induce phase 2 liver detoxification enzyme glutathione11
- Can increase intracellular levels of the antioxidant glutathione11
- Has anti-viral effects
Other benefits of drinking chamomile tea:
– Soothing to the digestive system
-Promotes relaxation and tranquility
-Decreases stress
-Calms and soothes the nerves
-Boosts immunity
-Promotes healing as it is highly anti-inflammatory and anti-microbial
Apigenin-rich recipes:
Check out our favorite chamomile tea brands:
Always purchase organic tea to avoid heavy metal toxicity risk. Additionally, seek out loose-leaf varieties as these types stay fresher longer and do not come packaged in toxic bleached bags.
There are also a many different varieties of chamomile tea so be sure to try several kinds in order to find your favorite one!
–Organic lemon chamomile tea by Positively Tea LLC
–Organic citrus chamomile tea by Tea Forte
–Organic 100% chamomile loose-leaf dried flowers by U.S. Wellness Naturals
–For stress relief try: organic rose lavender chamomile tea by The Tea Company
–For extra relaxation try: organic lavender chamomile tea by Paromi
Suggested Usage:
It’s completely up to the user how much they want to consume. Whether it’s once per week, 3-4 times per week or daily, adding chamomile tea to your regimen is heart-healthy!
You can also try adding in some apigenin-rich foods into your diet daily to boost antioxidants and health. Overall, apigenin is rich in antioxidants and phytochemicals that can help to decrease inflammation, lower oxidative stress and reduce risk of diseases like cancer or heart disease.
Summary of information:
- Drink chamomile tea for heart-health! It is rich in a cardioprotective phytochemical called apigenin.
- Apigenin can beneficially regulate blood cholesterol levels by increasing the action of the scavenger HDL molecule. HDL is responsible for grabbing LDL cholesterol in the body, recycling it and reducing risk of atherosclerosis.
- There are many other positive health benefits of apigenin. It is a potent antioxidant that has been shown to fight inflammation, prevent cancer, regulate hormones, boost immune function, lower anxiety and possibly even help to combat Alzheimer’s disease.
References:
-
- Ren et al., 2018: https://www.karger.com/Article/Abstract/491528
- Shukla et al., 2010: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2874462/
- Venegas et al., 2016: https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007%2Fs12272-016-0756-2
- Peterson et al., 2014: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4130174/
- Zhu et al., 2016: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/26987380
- Ko et al., 1991: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/1659912
- Zhang et al., 2015: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/25557508
- Erdogan et al., 2007: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17488347
- Gupta et al., 2001: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/11573952
- Venigalla et al., 2015: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4590215/
- Myhrstad et al., 2002: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/11864778