ROOIBOS TEA

Although my absolute favorite teas are the Pu Erh Teas, when I am wanting a caffeine free option, my go-to is a Rooibos Tea, commonly known as the “red tea!" These teas are great anytime throughout the day, hot or iced, and have a wide range of health benefits associated with them!

Unlike White, Green and Black teas, Rooibos tea does not come from the typical Camellia Sinensis plant. Instead, rooibos is actually from the South African bush known as Aspalathus Linearis, which is a member of the legume family (beans, peas, peanuts, etc.). There are two types of rooibos, red and green.

When rooibos is harvested, the farmers cut the young branches by hand, and the leaves and stems are bound into bundles and taken to be processed. The bundles are then sorted, and then are either cut or bruised to start the oxidation process. Oxidation brings out the natural essential oils of the rooibos, which helps develop the color and flavor of the leaves. Red rooibos is the more oxidized bundles of rooibos, which are redder in color, and sweeter and richer in flavor. Green rooibos is a less oxidized rooibos. It is steamed and immediately dried, allowing it to stay more green in color and milder in flavor. OBTC carries both red and green rooibos!

Rooibos tea is caffeine free and has a lot to offer as far as health benefits go! Rooibos teas aid in allergy and asthma relief! When I see the pollen start to kick up in my area, I increase my intake of rooibos teas and bee pollen! Rooibos tea is also good for lowering high blood pressure and high cholesterol. Rooibos tea naturally contains flavonoids, which helps soothe stomach cramps, reduce diarrhea, and calms muscle spasms. The polyphenols in rooibos teas improve osteoblast activity, keeping bones strong! And if that wasn’t enough health benefits, rooibos teas are also anti-inflammatory, anti-viral, and great for skin health!

OBTC carries both red and green rooibos teas, and they’re all amazing! Our red rooibos teas are Horchata Rooibos, Lavender Creme Brulee, and Vanilla Rooibos! These are very decadent in flavor and dessert-like! Our green rooibos teas are Mountain Sunrise and Prickly Pear. These two rooibos teas are tropical, fruity and extremely refreshing! One of our staff favorites rooibos blends is American Wildflower, which is a blend of vanilla rooibos, peppermint, lemongrass, and chamomile!

Paola, one of our owners, says, "I have a HUGE sweet tooth and I find that rooibos tea settles it! I'm super into fitness, so it's nice to be able to drink something that settles my sweet tooth, doesn't have any calories, is high in antioxidants and is also good for my skin! How much better can it get?! I also love that rooibos is caffeine free because I can drink it all day long! I especially love to drink a pot of it at night, with a splash of soy creamer and stevia. It tastes just like dessert! I just love the nutty rich flavor rooibos has! My favorite rooibos blends are the Horchata Rooibos and the Lavender Créme Brûlée Rooibos!" 🌱

Sources:

“Tea 101: What Is Rooibos?” Teatulia Organic Teas, Teatulia, 2018. https://www.teatulia.com/tea-varieties/what-is-rooibos.htm.
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Govender, Marcini.  “Aspalathus linearis.” SANBI: Biodiversity for Life: South African National Biodiversity Institute, SA National Biodiversity Institute, June 2007. http://pza.sanbi.org/aspalathus-linearis.