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Rooibos tea is becoming famous as a delightful and healthful beverage. It has been consumed in southern Africa for ages and has become a popular drink worldwide. It's a tasty, caffeine-free substitute for black and green tea. Furthermore, supporters tout rooibos' potential health advantages, suggesting that its antioxidants can help prevent cancer, heart disease, and stroke. Red tea or red bush tea are other names for Rooibos tea. It is produced from the leaves of a plant named Aspalathus linearis, which is commonly found on South Africa's western coast. This tea is an herbal infusion and has nothing to do with green or black tea.
How it is produced and other variants
Traditional rooibos is made by fermenting the leaves, turning them a red-brown tint. There is also green rooibos, which have not been fermented. It is typically more expensive and has a grassier flavour than ordinary tea, but it also contains more antioxidants.
How to consume it
Rooibos tea is often taken in the same manner as black tea. It is high in antioxidants, which may have health benefits. Some people add milk and sugar, and rooibos, iced tea, espressos, lattes, and cappuccinos have all gained popularity.
Naturally caffeine-free
Since rooibos tea is naturally caffeine-free, it makes an excellent substitute for green or black tea. It also has less tannin than traditional black or green tea. Tannins, natural chemicals found in green and black tea, inhibit nutrient absorption, particularly iron absorption. Likewise, high oxalic acid consumption can raise the risk of kidney stones. In this scenario, rooibos is safe because it contains no oxalic acid. As a result, it is a viable alternative for everybody suffering from kidney disease.
A cup of rooibos tea, Image Source: Dreamtime
High on antioxidants
It is high in antioxidants that promote health, such as aspalathin and quercetin. Antioxidants may help protect cells from free radical damage. In the long run, their impacts may lower the risk of cancer and cardiovascular disease. In one 15-person trial, participants' blood antioxidant levels increased by 2.9% when they drank red rooibos and 6.6% when they drank green rooibos.
A potential cure for Type 2 diabetes
As previously stated, Rooibos tea is the only natural source of the antioxidant aspalathin. According to animal research, aspalathin may have anti-diabetic properties. The study discovered that in type 2 diabetes, aspalathin regulated blood sugar levels and lowered insulin resistance. This could be beneficial for persons who have or are at risk of developing type 2 diabetes. Human studies are, however, required.
Freshly brewed rooibos tea, Image Source: Bigstock
Controlling LDL and promoting heart health
Drinking rooibos tea may lower blood pressure by suppressing the angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE). By making your blood vessels constrict, ACE indirectly shoots up blood pressure. There is further evidence that rooibos tea can help lower cholesterol levels. A healthy cholesterol level protects against a range of heart problems, including heart attacks and strokes. A study of 40 overweight persons at high risk of heart disease was conducted. They were given six cups of rooibos tea for six weeks daily, which reduced "bad" LDL cholesterol while increasing "good" HDL cholesterol.
Things to remember:
According to some sources, persons with hormone-sensitive diseases, such as breast cancer, should avoid this tea. You might need to ingest huge amounts before noticing an impact because this reaction is so mild. The risk of adverse side effects from rooibos consumption is extremely low. It is a safe tea.
