Rooibos tea is also known as African Red Tea for its location and rich red color. Rooibos is grown in a relatively small area of South Africa and is named for the African word for red bush. Even though it has been used for generations in South Africa, it is quickly becoming a favorite around the world due to its unique flavor and great health benefits.
We cannot keep rooibos tea in my household because everyone loves it. Celestial Seasonings has five varieties of herbal teas which feature rooibos, and our favorite is Madagascar Vanilla Red. Rooibos tea has a sweet fruity, yet nutty flavor that requires no added sweeteners. This interesting mixture of flavors is why we keep going back for more.
One of the most interesting things I learned about this tea is its ability to settle upset stomachs. In South Africa, they use it in milk to calm babies with colic. I tried it when I was going through my gallbladder surgery, and found that it helped. It helped with the bloated feeling and reduced the feeling of acid in my stomach. We now use rooibos tea for nausea and other digestive ailments.
I place rooibos tea on the same level with green tea when dealing with illness. Green tea will help your immune system; rooibos tea will help your digestive system.
Herbalists recommend rooibos tea for several other ailments, such as: insomnia, irritability, headaches, nervousness, allergies, asthma and eczema. The anti-oxidants in rooibos make it idea for treatment for irritated skin. Simply place a brewed tea bag on the affected area for twenty minutes at a time.
Since rooibos tea contains no caffeine and very little tannins, most users feel it is safe for pregnant women, nursing mothers and infants. I gave my grandbaby rooibos tea when she had an upset stomach and she loved it. She also quickly recovered from her upset stomach.
Copper, iron, potassium, calcium, fluoride, zinc, manganese and alpha-hydroxy are all found within rooibos tea. It is also chock full of anti-oxidants and flavonoids, both of which fight free-radicals. Ongoing research is looking into the uses of rooibos to fight cancer and heart disease.
Another great thing about this amazing find is that you cannot seem to over-brew it. The longer you brew rooibos tea, the richer the flavor. We love to drink it hot and cold. When we brew rooibos for iced tea, we brew it longer so the flavor stands up well in the ice.
When I serve rooibos tea to my guests, they always comment on the great flavor. Everyone wants to know about it because few people have heard of it.
You don’t have to worry about going to a health food store to find rooibos tea. The next time you go to the grocery store, check out one of the five flavors offered by Celestial Seasonings. Our favorite is Madagascar Vanilla Red Tea, but Celestial Seasonings also offers: African Orange Mango African Tea, Moroccan Pomegranate Red Tea, Peach Apricot Honeybrush Herb Tea and Red Safari Spice Tea. I am sure one of these will become your household favorite very soon.
Reference:
- Celestial Seasonings
