As far as herbal tea ingredients go, rooibos takes the cake. It’s often used as a decaffeinated replacement for tea leaves. You can find green rooibos, which is often used as a green tea substitute, and red rooibos as a black tea substitute. I find that it’s worthy of its tea title in its own right. Sure, it does not actually come from the Camellia sinensis plant, so it’s technically not tea, but rooibos tea is just as bold and vibrant.
Hailing from South Africa, rooibos comes from a bush that has been brewed as tea for centuries. It’s sometimes referred to as red bush or red tea. Red rooibos is fermented, which give it its bold red color. Whereas green rooibos is not fermented, as a result it has grassier notes and earthier flavors. Both have a delicately sweet flavor which makes it so popular.
We use rooibos in a couple of our blends. You can find it in Number 28, my personal favorite tea blend in the whole world. We also have a light mellow tea blend called African Green, it’s a smooth and delicate green rooibos blend with a hint of lemon and peppermint.
TEA WITH BENEFITS
There may be evidence that this renowned bush may contain antioxidants, which may provide benefits to the liver and heart. Its lack of caffeine make it a perfect drink for those with caffeine sensitivities. Not to mention the added bonus that it can be enjoyed throughout the whole day without sleep interruption, anxiety and jitters. It also does not contain tannins, which may be responsible for nausea or upset stomach symptoms in beverages. It also allows us to absorb iron in certain foods, which beverages with tannins could hinder.
If you haven’t tried it yet, give it a go! It’s a pretty spectacular tea. Pretend like you’re taking a trip to South Africa and make yourself a cup. You deserve it.