Rooibos tea is a tea that comes from South Africa, and while it is often referred to as red tea, the plant it comes from is not the same as the tea plant. For that reason, Rooibos has slightly different properties, one of which being the lack of caffeine in its composition. Rooibos has first become known to the western public during WWII, when it appeared as an alternative to the regular tea, which was becoming harder and harder to obtain because of the war in Asia. While its popularity has been limited to its country of origin for a long time, it has emerged along with other types of teas in recent days, because of the increase in popularity of teas in general and because of the natural properties the Rooibos leaves have, which recommend them as highly beneficial for the health.
The processing process of Rooibos is somewhat similar to that of regular tea, in that it consists of oxidation and of ulterior drying of the leaves. The oxidation process is known to enhance the flavor of the tea, as well as darkening the color of the leaves into a reddish brown. A version of green rooibos also exists, but because of the more difficult production process (the preservation of the leaves without going through oxidation is more difficult), it is also rarer and more expensive.
The health benefits of rooibos rival those of green tea, especially since they come without the presence of caffeine. Rooibos is rich in antioxidants, along with vitamins, minerals and other substances that help treat digestive problems, allergic reactions, and help alleviate stress, treat insomnia and appease irritability. The low oxalic acid content recommends rooibos infusions as great beverages for persons dealing with kidney stones. Because of its caffeine free nature and the reduced levels of tannin in its composition, rooibos is also recommended to pregnant women or to mothers who still breast-feed, but sometimes rooibos can be sold in combination with rosemary, to enhance its energizing properties, in which case it's not indicated for pregnant women.
Rooibos can be served in a number of ways, from plain rooibos infusions(which are naturally sweet) to infusions sweetened with sugar or honey and with added milk, to concentrated rooibos shots. Many sellers offer rooibos tea with special flavoring, from almond to vanilla and to combinations of flavors. The rooibos infusion is made by pouring boiling water over a small quantity of rooibos leaves (or a rooibos bag) and letting it seep for a few minutes, depending on the concentration you want to obtain. Rooibos can be left to seep for longer than regular tea as it does not have the bitter aftertaste when lefy to seep for too long, but the re-infusion of the same leaves for a repeated number of times is not recommended.
Rooibos can represent a healthy, tasty alternative to regular tea, or at least a good variation from your regular tea drinking habits, and its versatility when it comes to combinations along with the many healthy properties it has should attest to the fact that it will remain on the tea scene for a long time.
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Rooibos tea is a tea that comes from South Africa, and while it is often referred to as red tea, the plant it comes from is not the same as the tea plant. For that reason, Rooibos has slightly different properties, one of which being the lack of caffeine in its composition. Rooibos has first become known to the western public during WWII, when it appeared as an alternative to the regular tea, which was becoming harder and harder to obtain because of the war in Asia. While its popularity has been limited to its country of origin for a long time, it has emerged along with other types of teas in recent days, because of the increase in popularity of teas in general and because of the natural properties the Rooibos leaves have, which recommend them as highly beneficial for the health.
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