Rooibos

The small pointed leaves of rooibos, a South African shrub, offer us a tea or infusion with a delicate aroma and an intense reddish color that is ideal for enjoying a tea without theine and with interesting health benefits.

What is rooibos and what is it used for?

Rooibos (Aspalathus linearis) is a shrub used for the preparation of herbal teas or infusions that belongs to the Fabaceae family. The plant is characterized by having elongated and pointed green stems and leaves and small yellow flowers. In the wild, it can develop in different ways, reaching up to 2 meters in height.

For the preparation of rooibos tea and other rooibos infusions, leaves fermented in the sun are used, which acquire that characteristic reddish color. Despite becoming popular around the world as a health drink prized for both its taste and its benefits, rooibos is grown exclusively in the Cederberg Mountains in the Western Cape Province.

Rooibos tea too it is known as “red tea”which, since there is also green tea, white tea, black tea or even red pu-erh tea, can make you think that it is a variety of the same tea, but in reality it has nothing in common with the tea that It is prepared with the leaves of the camellia sinensis.

In addition to the classic red rooibos, there is also another type, the green rooibos. In this case, the leaves are dried without fermenting and retain their green color, giving the infusion a lighter color and a milder flavor.

Like other infusions, pure rooibos is sold in bulk, in ready-to-infuse sachets or containers. Other varieties of rooibos obtained by mixing other plants are also quite common.

rooibos properties

Rooibos is a plant that stands out for its high antioxidant content in particular the flavonoids aspalathin, orientin, isoorientin and rutin. It is also a source of ascorbic acid, fluorides, copper and essential oils.

This concentration of compounds would be responsible for the following properties traditionally attributed to this plant:

Antioxidant properties: Taking rooibos could help reduce the negative effects of free radicals, responsible for early skin aging and, in the long term, the appearance of some diseases such as cancer and heart disease.Anti-inflammatory properties: Rooibos could help reduce symptoms of some intestinal disorders.Immunomodulatory properties: The active principles of this plant would have a regulatory effect on the immune system that would increase resistance against diseases and infections.Antidiabetic properties: Rooibos is currently the only natural source of the antioxidant aspalathin that has shown anti-diabetic effects in laboratory animal experiments.Sedative properties: Traditionally, rooibos has been used for its benefits as a natural remedy for nerves and insomnia, as it promotes relaxation.Lipid-lowering properties: The consumption of rooibos tea could promote correct blood lipid concentrations, reducing the risk of diseases such as hypercholesterolemia.

Most of the properties attributed to rooibos come from the popular use of this plant and only a few have been scientifically studied and proven. Of course, it is a medicinal herb with a lot of potential, but more studies are needed to confirm its benefits and understand its pharmacological action.

traditional use

In South Africa native populations used rooibos as a medicinal plant for various health problems such as colic in babies, insomnia, digestive discomfort, constipation and to calm the nerves.

The infusion of rooibos leaves is also traditionally used Topically to relieve inflammation of the skin caused by bites, allergies or infections, and in case of inflammation of the oral mucosa.

Rooibos tea or rooibos infusion is prepared with 1-2 grams of dried leaves per cup of water. In South Africa it is also very common to take it cold as a refreshing drink.

When is it better to take rooibos?

According to the Global Biodiversity Information Facility, some archaeological records indicate that humans used this plant thousands of years ago. However, it is most likely that the custom of processing and brewing rooibos tea is somewhat more recent since “the first available ethnobotanical records of rooibos tea originate from the late 19th century.”

However, today rooibos is mostly consumed as an infusion, often referred to as rooibos tea. So much so that some people use it as a substitute for tea or as a digestive infusion.

As it is a plant that has practically no side effects, rooibos can be taken at any time of day:

At breakfast: Taken on an empty stomach, rooibos favors the assimilation of active ingredients and is recommended to activate the metabolism.After meals: It is traditionally taken this way to promote digestion. Taken before eating, on the other hand, it favors the feeling of satiety and can be helpful in weight loss diets.Before bedtime: Having a hot drink at night can promote relaxation and rooibos mixed with other herbs such as chamomile or citrus peel can be a perfect option to combat insomnia naturally.

Rooibos, a “tea” without theine

Theine is a substance present in tea and is synonym of caffeineso both black tea and green tea have a stimulating action that can be ideal for sports performance, but contraindicated in people with insomnia problems.

Excessive consumption of this substance can also produce symptoms such as anxiety and palpitations when taken in excess. For this reason, more and more people are looking for alternatives to tea or coffee. Rooibos, with its aroma and pleasant color, can help us reduce the consumption of theine and caffeine easily.

In fact, this herb is not only theine-free, but also has a amount of tannins lower than teathus allowing better absorption of some essential nutrients such as iron.

contraindications

Rooibos is considered a fairly safe infusion. Even so, people with chronic and acute illnesses should consult their doctor before integrating rooibos into their diet for the first time.