| Rooibos or Red Bush Tea as it is also known | | | | Rooibos has been found to be helpful with |
| is not a true tea but an herb which is | | | | general health problems. It relieves |
| indigenous to the Cederburg area of South | | | | digestive problems, nausea, vomiting, stomach |
| Africa. Due to its widely publicized health | | | | cramps and constipation. Having a calming |
| benefits it has grown into a billion dollar | | | | effect it helps with irritability, insomnia |
| export industry since the mid twentieth | | | | and depression. |
| century. | | | | |
| | | | Both pre natal and breast feeding Mothers |
| The tea has no caffeine and only half the | | | | supplement their intake of manganese, calcium |
| tannin of ordinary tea. Apart from being | | | | and fluoride drinking Rooibos and therefore |
| refreshing to drink, in place of ordinary tea | | | | promote strong teeth and healthy bones in |
| and coffee, it has the advantage of | | | | their babies. Rooibos, when applied at every |
| containing minerals and powerful | | | | nappy change, relieves nappy rash and when |
| antioxidants. Having no oxalic acid it also | | | | drunk by the baby relieves colic. |
| does not irritate the kidneys. | | | | |
| | | | Preparation of Rooibos is the same as |
| The Japanese scientists, who did studies in | | | | ordinary tea. First warm the tea pot with |
| the 1960's, discovered Rooibos contains a | | | | boiling water and then place one teaspoon of |
| powerful antioxidant similar to SOD which is | | | | tea or tea bag per cup required in the pot. |
| thought to retard aging and quercetin which | | | | Pour over boiling water and let infuse for a |
| is believed to have potent anti-inflammatory | | | | few minutes. The longer it is left before |
| properties. Besides that Rooibos is also | | | | drinking the more antioxidants the tea will |
| found to contain aspalathin which counteracts | | | | contain. Can be served plain, with hot or |
| the atherosclerotic processes that result in | | | | cold milk or lemon. It can be lightly |
| heart disease. Due to this the Japanese | | | | sweetened with honey or sugar or just left |
| promote it as an Anti-Aging Tea and import | | | | without any sweetening. Rooibos also makes a |
| large quantities of the tea. | | | | wonderful ice tea. |
| | | | |
| Research was done elsewhere where the French | | | | In South Africa Rooibos Tea is often used in |
| found that hair lotion containing Rooibos | | | | day to day cooking as not only does it add |
| promoted faster hair growth with improvement | | | | important minerals and antioxidants to the |
| in the hair condition and caused no allergic | | | | diet and help digestion, it also enhances the |
| reactions. In South Africa research found | | | | flavors of the cooking. Just replace the |
| that the polyphenol content in Rooibos is | | | | water in a recipe with the tea. |
| similar to green tea. Polyphenols help | | | | |
| protect the body from damage by free | | | | Next time you are in your health shop or in a |
| radicals. | | | | department store stocking specialty teas, why |
| | | | not pick up a packet and try it out? |