Rooibos tea is made from the leaves and stems of
Aspalathus linearis, a shrubby plant in the pea family. It is native to the mountains near Cape Town, South Africa.
The unfermented product is called ‘green rooibos’, while the fermented product is called ‘red tea’ or ‘red bush tea’.
In folk medicine, rooibos tea is used to alleviate infantile colic, indigestion, heartburn and nausea, stimulate the appetite, reduce nervousness and promote sound sleep.
Rooibos is an antiviral, anti-anxiety and anti-allergy agent. Rooibos is used in the treatment of syphilis to stop generalized inflammation and pain, although it is not a treatment for the disease itself.
It has a beneficial effect on age-related mental decline. Rooibos is also used as a milk substitute for infants who are prone to colic.
The resulting tea has characteristics of pleasant, sweet, sour, butter and tea-like. The major components in the rooibos tea extract including: guaicacol, 6-mthyl-3, 5-heptadien-2-one, demascenone, geranylacetone, β -phenyl ethyl alcohol and 6-methyl-5-hepten-2-one.
What are the health benefits of rooibos tea?
