Discover 12 excellent reasons you should drink rooibos tea.

Discover here below 12 amazing rooibos tea health benefits, an excellent alternative to caffeinated tea or coffee.

Lovely, let's travel a while with this amazing beverage with a subtle flavor close to that of black tea. Rooibos, pronounced as ro-iboss (rolling the "r" in Afrikaans), means red bush.

Rooibos can boast many health benefits; It's rich in antioxidants and phytochemicals, with a unique phytochemical not found in other plants.

So please take a seat, and let's discover rooibos with its many health benefits.

What is Rooibos?

Rooibos (Aspalathus linearis), also known as red bush, is a bloom-like plant famously known for its red tea, and it's grown only in the Cederberg, in the West Cape province of South Africa.

The rooibos leaves, like those of tea (Camellia sinensis), have been used for centuries to make a red beverage that is commonly known as "red tea." Note the word tea is only attributed to camellia sinensis.

Rooibos leaves are usually dried just like tea to acquire their red-brown color. During this process, oxidation occurs, making rooibos lose some of its antioxidants. There is unfermented green rooibos, but the process makes red tea more expensive for the market!

Does rooibos tea have caffeine?

Unlike tea, rooibos doesn't have caffeine, making it a great evening drink if you are sensitive to caffeine.

Rooibos is low in tannins compared to black and green tea.

Rooibos tea benefits

So many benefits have been attributed to rooibos due to its high chemical compounds, like polyphenols, that enhance health.

When fresh, rooibos leaves are high in vitamin C and are abundant in polyphenols. Aspalathin (unique to rooibos) and nothofagin are the 2 main flavonoids with stronger antioxidant capacity.

Here are 11 reasons why you should be drinking rooibos tea

1 Anti-inflammatory

Green rooibos is rich in vitamin C, which helps fight free radicals that cause oxidation and damage to the cell.

The aspalathin, quercetin, nothofagin, and luteolin in rooibos are potent antioxidants with anti-inflammatory properties. They can modulate the immune system as well as suppress inflammation by regulating inflammatory promoters like tumor necrosis factor-a, interleukin-6, and nuclear factor-KB.

2 Anti-aging

The appearance of wrinkles develops due to the loss of fat under the skin. One study shows that rooibos protects preadipocytes (the predominant cells found in fat tissue) from degenerating. Factors that can affect skin cells and cause aging is

The inability to fight free radicals causes damage to the cell.
Mitochondria dysfunction, where the cell doesn't get enough nutrients to perform well.

Rooibos is high in antioxidants which can help the cell fight oxidative stress. Therefore, rooibos can be considered anti-aging.

3 Digestion

Rooibos has been used for years by indigenous as a gastrointestinal relaxant.

Studies show that rooibos has an anti-spasmodic (stomach spasms/cramps) effect.

Additionally, rooibos is rich in flavonoids which are known to inhibit gastrointestinal inflammation.

4 Liver disease

Several studies show that the consumption of rooibos tea (rich in antioxidants) can help alleviate liver injuries caused by oxidative stress. Rooibos is also rich in aspalathin, which lowers lipid circulation in the blood.

However, the consumption of high doses of rooibos can cause liver issues.

5 Enhance memory

Regular consumption of rooibos can improve memory by increasing the levels of dopamine.

6 Prevent DNA damage.

Rooibos is high in antioxidants that can prevent DNA damage from oxidative stress.

7 Enhance good gut microbial balance.

Due to its prebiotic effect and the fact it's high in polyphenols, rooibos positively influences the growth of good bacteria in the gut.

8 Support after menopause

Some women experience adverse effects due to reduced estrogen production during and post-menopause. Some plants like rooibos have phytoestrogen-mimicking molecules that can help some women during this period.

Flavonoids in rooibos also influence the adrenal enzymes responsible for producing hormones. They inhibit the production of cortisol, a stress hormone that spikes during menopause.

9 Reduce the risk of cancer.

Rooibos is rich in polyphenols which modulate the gut microbiome by promoting an increase of good bacteria, which in turn enhances the immune system and anti-tumor immunity.

Polyphenols in rooibos are potent antioxidants that may play a role in preventing DNA damage in the cell.

10 Treats skin issues

Rooibos helps in calming eczema, skin allergies, atopic dermatitis, and erythema due to its anti-inflammatory properties. In one study, patients with atopic dermatitis so beneficial results in a reduction of itching upon rooibos intake.

11 Treating allergies

Nothofagin is a specific phytochemical abundant in rooibos leaves, especially green leaves. This compound has properties that reduce mast cell activity, responsible for high histamine and hence allergies and asthma.

12 Helps in case of type 2 diabetes

Rooibos contains a unique chemical compound known aspalathin. Aspalathin has the ability to lower glucose and lipid in the blood, which can help reduce insulin resistance.

How to choose rooibos

Green rooibos would be the best since, like green tea, it contains a high amount of antioxidants. However, green rooibos is generally not available in local markets. I, for instance, only found

On the other hand, fermenting rooibos is what gives the red tea its beautiful bold red color and flavor.

Consider buying loose-leaf rooibos instead of tea bags. Tea bags rooibos, just like tea, can be of low quality with a lot of dusty broken leaves.

Rooibos can also be blended with other plants to add more flavor. Try rooibos alone first, then explore different blends.