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The Wonders of the Rooibos Tea

The rooibos plant, a member of the legume family, is grown and harvested only in the Cederberg region of South Africa. Also called red tea, for centuries it has been known for its medicinal purposes and its delectable flavor. It is used to make the sweet herbal rooibos tea which is brewed and served with milk and sugar or lemon and honey.

The three main kinds of rooibos tea are the original rooibos tea, green rooibos tea and flavored rooibos teas. The original rooibos tea when brewed is a rich red in color and tastes sweet and nutty. It has a less astringent flavor compared to other teas. It can be enjoyed plain or with milk and honey or sugar. It can also be served as iced tea or blended with fruit juices.

While the original tea undergoes fermentation, the green rooibos tea is made with unfermented leaves giving it a lighter color and twice as much antioxidants. By mixing rooibos with a variety of flavors, some examples of flavored rooibos teas are vanilla, caramel, tiramisu, mint and chamomile.

Rooibos exhibits most of the health benefits of green tea and white tea but without the negative side effects of caffeine and tannin. Scientific studies show that it has high antioxidants, fights free radicals, prevents cancer, reduces headaches, insomnia, irritability, stimulates the immune system and strengthens teeth and bones. It also helps alleviate allergies, asthma, nervous tension, infantile colic and digestive and dermatological problems. It also known to have cancer fighting properties and decreases the risk of heart disease. Recent studies in Japan also suggest it can be used as a topical treatment for acne. As an antioxidant, it increases enzymes that detoxify carcinogens and protects DNA, cell fats and proteins. It strengthens the immune system against illnesses with its minerals. Since it has no caffeine, it has calming effect and reduces insomnia and headaches by regulating the sleeping pattern. It strengthens teeth and promotes bone growth with manganese, calcium and fluoride. It relieves colic in infants and reduces stomach cramps since it is an anti-spasmodic agent.

The rooibos was first used for its medicinal properties by the indigenous Khoisans . In 1772, Carl Humberg, a Swedish naturalist, first discovered the rooibos tea natives were making from the plant. It was Benjamin Ginsberg, a Russian-Jewish settler in the Cape, who first developed the processing of rooibos into tea in 1904 and started selling it as a Mountain Tea. It gained popularity in 1968 when Annique Theron wrote a book on the rooibos highlighting its health advantages.

While it is less known than other kinds of tea, the rooibos tea, already popular in South Africa, has since become known worldwide, too, and is now sold as tea under different brand names, often with various flavors. It is a popular choice with tea enthusiasts and health conscious people worldwide. It is now sold in coffee shops in South Africa as red espresso, red cappuccino and red latte. It is now also being marketed as rooibos-flavored iced tea.