Green tea and hibiscus-based drinks pack antioxidant punch

If you want your beverage to work extra hard for you, pick a green tea with hibiscus. According to a new study out of Portugal, drinks containing both these ingredients were found to have the highest antioxidant content of 19 different beverages currently...

If you want your beverage to work extra hard for you, pick a green tea with hibiscus.

Tea

According to a new study out of Portugal, drinks containing both these ingredients were found to have the highest antioxidant content of 19 different beverages currently on Portuguese grocery store shelves, reports trade publication NutraIngredients.com.

After analyzing the phenolic content in tea-based beverages and fruit juices, analysts from the Universidade do Porto found that a tea formulation containing green tea, hibiscus and pineapple packed the most antioxidant punch, while a borututu roots infusion fell at the bottom of the spectrum with the lowest antioxidant activity.

Borututu bark or root is said to help detox and cleanse the body.
The findings were published in the Food Science and Technology Journal.
Interestingly, while fresh berries are said to be full of health benefits, under the banner of fruit juice they fall flat: blackberry and raspberry-based juices had the lowest antioxidant content, while a cocktail made of pomegranate, grape, and carrot juice, hibiscus and green tea extract was shown to pack the biggest punch.

Researchers make no mention of brand names in the study.
Meanwhile, in a paper out of Norway, scientists compiled a database of more than 3,100 foods, drinks, spices, herbs and supplements used worldwide. Among the most antioxidant-rich food are black currants, wild strawberries, blackberries, cranberries, dried apples, artichokes, and dried fruits like plums, apricots, dates and mango.