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I didn’t know (but I just found out)… that Red Rooibos tea can be a part of preventing heart disease, diabetes, Alzheimer’s and more.
Japanese researchers have confirmed red tea’s anti-viral… anti-mutagenic… and anti-allergic properties, in addition to its anti-carcinogenic and anti-inflammatory powers.
Superfood As Medicine
Red Rooibos (RR) contains a high level of minerals and antioxidants, including copper, iron, potassium, calcium, zinc, manganese, alpha-hydroxy (great for the skin), and magnesium. It acts as an anti-spasmodic agent to relieve stomach cramps and colic in infants, boosts the immune system, and helps with nervous tension, allergies, and digestive problems.
The Western world has a fascination with all things exotic, and RR is no exception.
(red rooibos cut leaf)
Rooibos tea (pronounced roo-ee-bosh), which originates in the Cederberg province near Cape Town, South Africa, isn’t technically a tea at all.
It is a robust herbal tisane, (the catch-all term for any non-caffeinated beverage made from the infusion of herbs, spices, or other plant material), and its flavor has a sweet, almost nutty quality. It is caffeine-free, flavonoid and antioxidant-rich.
Health Benefits Of Red Rooibos
Aspalathin, one of the flavonoids it contains, carries many health benefits:
- Balances blood sugar
- Improve glucose tolerance
- Increases glucose absorption in muscle
- Increases insulin secretion in the pancreas
For all of these reasons, this flavonoid reduces your risk of developing type 2 diabetes, yet it is naturally sweet tasting!
Together with the another relatively rare flavonoid, nothofagin, aspalathin protects your nervous system and lowers your risk for Alzheimer’s disease.
Red Rooibos doesn’t stop there.
It also contains the super-antioxidant compound quercetin noted for promoting heart health. Chronic inflammation is tied to virtually every life-threatening illness, and quercetin acts as both an anti-inflammatory and as an anti-cancer agent.
Studies have shown RR has great heart health benefits:
• Reduced cholesterol oxidation, a primary cause of heart disease
• Lowered levels of LDL (bad) cholesterol
• Increased levels of HDL (good) cholesterol
Making Fabulous Rooibos Spiced Chai
We’ve been using loose leaf Red Rooibos Spiced Chai Tea and are loving the rich, exotic taste. Also in tea bags.
Chai, with all the warming organic spices (cinnamon chips, orange peel, fennel, ginger, cloves, bay, and peppercorns), gives added health benefits on top of the red rooibos!
Directions to make this winning combo:
- Make tea as you usually do, steeping the mixture in not quite boiling water for 10 minutes (as above)
- Strain off the tea mixture (which I usually steep a second time)
- Pour your mug or cup 3/4-full with piping hot RR Spiced Chai tea
- Stir in a dollop of raw honey or a sprinkle of stevia for sweetener (you may not need any – it is naturally sweet w/o the glycemic index bump!)
- Top with whole milk, cream, dairy-free almond or coconut milk (my favorite is Vita Coco coconut Milk, unsweetened).
And enjoy!
I believe you will be able to say it is “Better than Starbucks.” My favorite is to drink it with my quick, no-cook coconut snowballs.
Red rooibos is distinctively red when held up to the light.
Instead of sodas and high-sugar fruit juices, go for a nutrient-packed cup of red tea!
“Let thy food (in this case, tea) be thy medicine.” ~Hippocrates (circa 460 – 370 BC)
“The Herbs ought to be distilled when they are in their greatest vigor, and so ought the Flowers also.” ~Nicholas Culpeper, Complete Herbal (1653). English botanist, herbalist and physician.
Nabila Grace
Isn’t it fun finding out all kinds of new things? I just found out about Rooibos tea last week on accident. I was in the health food store trying to get a few herbs to make my own tea and instead of getting rosehips like I thought I grabbed it was Rooibos tea instead. Needless to say I had to do some research and was thrilled to find out all the information about it. Isn’t it wonderful how God works in mysterious ways by helping me pick up the wrong packet of herbs. 🙂
Jacqueline
That’s a great story, Nabilia 🙂 Maybe the Lord had you pick up that ‘wrong’ package on purpose?!
Africanaussie
I grew up in South Africa, and rooiboos was the ‘common tea” ! I always have a stock of it in my pantry – I love it by the potful.
Jacqueline
Isn’t God good in that He gives us wonderful medicinals from ALL over!?!
Jennifer P
Jacqueline thank you for this great info.
I had bought 1 lb. from Azure Standard of the Red Rooibos and LOVE it; so good with a tad of milk & honey 🙂
Jacqueline
Jennifer, I am new to rooibos, and am so glad to learn of its lower tannin and caffeine levels. Heavenly with cream and honey!
Taryn Hayes
Ah! Lovely reading about my favourite tea from the land of my birth! If I ever left South Africa, I would make sure to bring loads of rooibos with me. Not sure if you know, but the pronunciation of this Afrikaans-origin word, meaning Red Bush, is ‘roy-bors’ 🙂
Jacqueline
Taryn,
Thank you SO much for help with the pronunciation! I got it from other websites 🙂 I have so much to learn! I will be giving some Rooibos away later this spring!
Andrea
Is it the same as hibiscus tea?
Jacqueline
No, I don’t believe so. Hibiscus is a flower. This is what Wikipedia says, “Hibiscus tea is a tisane or “herbal tea” consumed both hot and cold by people around the world. The drink is an infusion made from crimson or deep magenta-coloured calyces (sepals) of the Hibiscus sabdariffa flower.” Rooibos is a bush as I mentioned in the article 🙂 Hope that helps, Andrea 🙂
Kim
Thank you for sharing the information about the rooibos tea, Jaqueline. It is something that may be able to help my special needs son. Alzheimers has some similarities to autism. The Lord’s blessings~Kim
Dean Wright
this is amazing website thank you I love the red and green rooibos I drink it all day
Hayley
This is amusing to read because as a south African I was literally weaned onto rooibos and have been drinking it ever since. At every social occasion there will be the option of rooibos or “normal” (ceylon) tea. If I don’t have rooibos tea for a day or two my body craves it. Wonderful to think of all the health benefits I’ve enjoyed over the years.
The pronunciation is actually a bit different. The “rooi” part rhymes with “toy” and the “o” in “bos” is like the sound in “buoyant”.