The Benefits of Rooibos Tea

Photo by Jess Watters on Unsplash

I love nothing more than a cup of Rooibos/ Redbush tea, and discovered it thanks to my South African husband, Peter, who is originally English but was born in South Africa.

He grew up drinking Rooibos, with his Mum, Cathy, even putting some of this tea, cooled, in his baby bottle from 9 months old.

We did the same with our sons too and they loved it! With a refreshing, almost nutty, earthy taste, its health benefits are many making it a health-boosting drink for kids and adults, too.

The tea comes from the shrub, Aspalathus Linearis, whick grows only in the Western Cape Province of South Africa and I’ll be honest and state that it can be an acquired taste at first.

Trying it for the first time in South Africa, visiting Peter’s family, I wasn’t a fan, much to my parents-in-law’s surprise. It tasted and even, smelt quite odd to this Earl Grey loving girl, and I just couldn’t get used it. With time though, it slowly grew on me (they say you have to try something new 7 times to get used it to, right), and it’s literally all I drink now.

Not only do I love the smooth and refreshing taste, I could literally write a book on its myriad of health benefits.

According to WebMD, it has 50 times more antioxidants than green tea which fight damaging free radicals, is anti inflammatory, and due to it’s high Vitamin C content can ease digestive problems after a big meal.

Thanks to the calcium, iron, potassium, copper, fluoride, manganese, magnesium, zinc and alpha hydroxy acid content, this magical tea can also improve skin, respiratory health, bones and teeth, headaches, insomnia, asthma, eczema, bone weakness, hypertension, allergies, and premature aging. Wow!

As it’s free from caffeine and low in tannins, you can sip it all day long without worrying about adverse side effects, too.

I first drank a cup with a slice of my mother in law Cathy’s famous chocolate cake which I must get the recipe for then make it vegan now I’m plant-based.

Have you tried Rooibos yet?