Assessing the effects of Turkey berry (Solanum torvum) tea consumption on cardiometabolic indices in people living with hypertension

People all over the globe are becoming aware of the benefits associated with tea consumption. The use of Turkey berry (Solanum torvum) tea as a natural remedy and functional food high in flavonoids and other phytochemicals may improve bodily function, as well as help attain blood pressure control. This pilot study sought to assess the effect of Turkey berry (Solanum torvum) tea consumption on cardio-metabolic indices in people living with hypertension in Ghana. We hypothesized that Turkey berry (Solanum torvum) tea may improve blood pressure outcomes in people living with hypertension. In this pre-post interventional pilot study, thirty (30) adults, constituting 27 females and 3 males aged 18 years and above with hypertension, were recruited from the Mampong Government Hospital Chronic Care Center in the Ashanti Region of Ghana. Following a baseline nutritional and body composition assessment (body mass index, visceral fat, body fat, and muscle mass), blood pressure readings, and lipid profile assessments, the participants received 30 bags of Turkey berry (Solanum torvum) tea that was consumed by each participant for 1 month (4 weeks), followed by an endline nutrition and body composition assessment, blood pressure readings, lipid profile assessment, and the assessment of Turkey berry tea compliance rate. Nutritional status was assessed using the Body Mass Index (BMI) based on the WHO cut-offs. The mean values of total cholesterol (TC) levels of participants improved significantly after the consumption of the Turkey berry tea from 5.20 ± 1.24 mmol/L to 2.13 ± 0.86 mmol/L (p < 0.001). High-Density Lipoprotein (HDL) levels of participants improved after the 30 days of Solanum torvum tea intake from 0.86 ± 0.24 mmol/L to 2.63 ± 0.76 mmol/L (p < 0.001). Low-density lipoprotein (LDL) levels of participants also improved from 2.39 ± 0.91 mmol/L to 1.53 ± 0.77 mmol/L (p < 0.001). The mean Triglycerides (TRIG) levels of participants, however, increased from 1.13 ± 0.43 mmol/L to 2.47 ± 0.77 mmol/L (p < 0.001). Cardiovascular Heart Disease Risk (CHDR) of the participants improved from 15.83 ± 11.04% to 11.96 ± 7.80% (p = 0.073). There was no significant change in the systolic blood pressure (SBP) (p = 0.1015), the diastolic blood pressure (DBP) (p = 0.485), the BMI (p = 0.47), the percentage body fat (% BF) (p = 0.26), or the visceral fat (VF) (p = 0.152) of the participants. Muscle mass (MM) of the participants also decreased from 27.3 to 25.3 (p = 0.008). There was an improvement in the mean values of the lipid profile and a slight decrease in DBP of the participants, which supports the potential therapeutic benefits of Turkey berry tea consumption in providing cardiovascular health benefits.