Rooibos – A Tea You Should Be Drinking

Posted on 16 February 2009

 a.drian

Rooibos Tea

Wait here we go again, another tea we should be drinking I hear you say? well its worthwhile, if you have never heard of Rooibos (pronounced “roy-boss”) or Redbush tea then lets have a look into this stuff. Its pretty amazing and can be drunk at anytime during the day. I regularly enjoy it in the evening and late afternoon thanks to its relaxing effect and hydrating properties. Plus it tastes amazing especially with a touch of raw honey…….

Its often called Red-Bush tea and is a staple in its native South Africa and its also popular in the Netherlands. Its derived from the red bush plant which is a shrub that grows in places like Cape Town, the plant is filled with yellow sharp flowers which are chopped up and left to dry in the sun and ferment making the tea.

It has been found to have a great effect as an anti-oxidant and works to protect the brain. In fact mice who regularly drink their Rooibos tea are shown to age far far slower than regular mice, this is thanks to the tea’s protecting effect on the nervous system and brain. It doesn’t stop there the red stuff has other benefits like being able to ward off skin conditions and get you into deeper more restful sleep!

Big Benefits

As you probably know we aren’t too keen on supplements over at Zen to Fitness therefore optimizing the benefits of foods to keep you healthy is key.

Rooibos teas are naturally caffeine free, so they can be enjoyed at any time of day and are suitable for the whole family. Rooibos is rich in antioxidants and AHAs, long valued for fresh glowing skin, gently rehydrating and low in tannin.

Immune Stimulating

Rooibos is known for its cancer fighting and immune stimulating effects this is thanks to the flavnoids in the tea when its brewed which have a potent protecting effect on your body.

Skin and Liver Cleansing

Once brewed Rooibos has been shown to have a great effect on treating skin problems. applying a used Rooibos bag to a cut or rash will give you instant benefit. Drinking the tea is also known to give people more radiant skin and ward off acne and other skin problems.

Stomach Benefits

This is my favorite benefit of drinking Rooibos it has an amazing effect on settling the stomach. I usually start drinking a cup in the late afternoon then have another before bed. Not only does this help me wind down but it soothes digestion and improves general well being of the intestines. Rooibos is also Tannin free which is beneficial to those who cannot drink high tannin tea like black tea or peppermint….

Calming Effect

If you don’t believe me just try it out, this stuff is a super relaxant. Have a few cups this evening/afternoon and I can guarantee you that you will feel far more relaxed and enjoy more restful sleep. I have no idea why this is but it is defintely the most relaxing herbal tea I have ever tried trumping both green tea and comomile….

Perfect Anytime

Rooibos tea has long been used as a replacement to black tea is places like Holland where they drink it with honey and a dash of milk in the morning. Its also very tasty to compliment all kinds of food and if you ice it you can sip on your tea all day long and reap the benefits.

Another Staple

I really feel that Red Bush tea should be a staple in everyone’s pantry along with Green Tea and Coffee. Remember to brew it for at least 6 minutes before drinking and reel in the anti-oxidant super punch that it brings with it, remember bagged rooibos tea is fine and there is no need to get the loose variety to get the benefits.

Diggdel.icio.usFacebookStumbleUpon

13 comments so far

Comment by David at Animal-Kingdom-Workouts.com
16 February 2009

Hmmmm, more tea to try. I’m not a big tea drinker, but all of the health benefits you mention tells me I should at least try it. I’m guessing this is the kind of tea you find in a health food store? Maybe I’ll just search for it online.

Cheers,

Dave

@ Dave: In the UK Rooibos is pretty easy to get hold of, as in its available in all grocery stores. When traveling through the USA I can’t say I ever saw it so its possible its the type of stuff you would only find at health food stores. All I can say is that this is the tea to drink if your not a big tea drinker, far more pleasant tasting than the majority of herbal tea’s and the effects are pretty amazing….
Comment by Ashley
16 February 2009

i have fallen in love with rooibos tea! it tastes amazing and there is no need for sugar or milk because it has such great flavor on its own. glad it has such a good name because it is my favorite tea!
Comment by John
17 February 2009

I love Rooibos. Rishi Tea has a few blends of rooibos and my favorites are their peppermint and blueberry blends.

One note of caution though: I’ve read that there is fluoride in Rooibos and green/black teas.
Comment by DR
17 February 2009

Rooibos is part of my nighttime, winding down before bed ritual.

I drink a rooibos tea blend that has small cocoa nibs in it. The combo of rooibos and chocolate is awesome.

While I started drinking rooibos a few months ago after reading about the health benefits, I continue to drink it for the taste and the calming effect.

@ DR: Nice Cocoa nibs with rooibos sounds like a great combo to relax at night and too soothe away the afternoon will have to give the combo a try…..
Comment by Tom Parker - Free Fitness Tips
17 February 2009

Hey Chris. Never noticed this in any of the shops before but I’m off to Asda tomorrow before work so I will have to go pick some up and try it out.

I have a question though. You say Rooibos should be a staple along with green tea but the picture shows ‘Organic Rooibos Green Tea’. Is this a combination of both?

@ Tom: Rooibos Green Tea is still Roibos tea its just the unfermented variety which leaves it a greenish color rather than the orange color the known and looved Rooibos is. Go for the original variety if you can find the “Tick-Tock” brand in Asda (which you should) its the best one IMO…..
Comment by Kujo
18 February 2009

This is the best tasting tea imho. I’ve started drink both green, and red rooibos. I always drink two bags in a big mug prior to bedtime.
Comment by Anna
18 February 2009

Hi Chris, thanks for sharing. What attracts me the most to the tea is it’s calming effect. I could definitely use it at night time. I will look for it at Whole Foods this weekend. Thanks, again!

Anna
Comment by Rusty - Fitness Black Book
5 March 2009

Chris,

This stuff sounds great. I love it that you are a big believer in tea and coffee. When I want to have a productive day, I love to sip on Green Tea while fasting. Too much food during the day just slows me down.

I will need to hunt this down. Where do you live, by the way? I’ve never asked.

Rusty
Comment by pnw fitness
4 April 2009

I added this to the tea arsenal few months back. Can’t even remember where I heard about it. Possibly an AOX tea search on google.

I believe I had 7 cups of green tea, 1 really black coffee, and I just ended the day 12:15am with a cup of Rooibos.
Comment by pjnoir
30 July 2009

Tazo’s African Red Bush and Africian Sunset by two leaves and a bud tea company are two fine blends. It took me a while before I found some I liked to drink, so try a few. The Whole Foods brand is pretty good too.

The simple, no-nonsense guide to staying fit while living life

Rooibos – A Tea You Should Be Drinking

Rooibos Tea