Is tea made of heart-shaped peepal leaf good for cardiac health? Healthcare experts dispel claims

The claim that herbal tea made from peepal or banyan tree leaves can cure up to 90 per cent of heart blockages has been circulating on social media from time to time. Besides, this 'magical' drink is said to be an excellent remedy to prevent heart attacks in people who have already had cardiac arrests. The post claims that the heart-shaped peepal leaf can protect the human heart, unlike any other concoction. Is that for real? We investigate:

Peepal leaves and heart health
Peepal leaves, or ficus religiosa, contain antioxidants and flavonoids. A few studies conducted on rats have suggested that peepal leaves may be beneficial for heart health. However, it hasn’t been scientifically proven that peepal leaves could cure heart blockages or prevent heart attacks in humans. 

Potential dangers
It is scientifically wrong to assume that tests or research done on animals may be applicable to human beings, too. Herbal concoctions or tea brewed from peepal leaves may contain high levels of potassium. Heart patients and those who suffer from kidney-related diseases may suffer from conditions like hyperkalaemia (elevated potassium levels in blood) that could even stop the heart if such drinks are consumed excessively. 

What healthcare experts say
We consulted healthcare experts to determine whether peepal tea could prevent heart attacks. Blockages in the arteries are caused when fatty plaques get deposited over the years. It cannot be reversed just by drinking some herbal tea or concoctions. This condition can be controlled only through appropriate exercise, a healthy diet, and medications prescribed by a physician. Those who have had a heart attack once should take the antiplatelet medicines prescribed by the doctor.

What does Ayurveda say
Giving up modern medicine for such home remedies could only worsen your condition. Meanwhile, in Ayurveda, peepal bark and leaves are combined with specific herbs to prepare medicinal formulations. However, even Ayurveda doesn’t recommend this as a remedy for heart diseases. So, it is wiser not to consume such herbal teas or concoctions without consulting an expert healthcare practitioner. 

Heart blockage is caused when fatty plaques build up and narrow the arteries. It cannot be melted away by sipping herbal tea. So, doctors warn against giving up lifesaving drugs by believing such false and misleading claims.