Rooibos, meaning "red bush" in Afrikaans, is a South African plant of the leguminous family, with bright green, needle-like leaves that turn red during processing. The shrub, Aspalathus linearis has a very small acreage, the plant only grows in the Cedar Mountains near the Western Cape of South Africa. The Khoist hill tribes living in the area were the first to develop a way of making tea from rooibos, a practice dating back to 3,000 years ago. This tea was also prized by the English settlers in the 19th and 20th centuries.
Popular for its deep aroma and full flavor, Rooibos is the most popular drink in South Africa. It is drunk cold and warm, without or with sugar and milk. Rooibos is rich in antioxidants and flavonoids and contains higher concentrations of these substances than regular tea. While no health claims of rooibos have been scientifically proven, much research has been done on the potential health benefits of rooibos tea. The active antioxidants found in rooibos are quercetin, luteolin, isoquercetrin and rutin. Rooibos contains no caffeine and is low in tannins, so you can drink it any time of the day, you will have no sleeping issues afterwards! Rooibos is also low in tannins, that is highly present in green and black tea, interfering with the absorption of certain nutrients, such as iron. Rooibos may also boost heart health and lower the risks of cancer, while it is also suggested it benefits those with type 2 diabetes.
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