Tea is probably one of the most loved drinks in the world, yet every country seems to serve it in different ways. Americans and Japanese seem to prefer green tea whilst Brits like black tea with milk and sugar. In South Africa however people love Rooibos (aka Red Bush) with milk and sugar.
How is Red Bush different from other types of tea?
The most popular types of tea are white, green, oolong and black. They are all made from the sinensis plant. The end product simply depends on how long the leaves have been fermented.
Rooibos (pronounced roy-boss) on the other hand is a completely different plant grown in the Western Cape Province. The leaves are naturally green but when oxidized they turn red.
Although the Africans drink it with milk and sugar most other people drink it with just water.
Health Benefits of Red Bush
Red Bush and camellia sinensis tea have very similar health benefits.
- Full of vitamins and minerals such as zinc, copper, calcium, manganese, magnesium, potassium.
- Great for building strong teeth and bones because it contains calcium, manganese and fluoride.
- Infants suffering from sleeping problems, colic or stomach cramps can take Red Bush. Just add a bit of milt to the tea.
- Contains similar amounts of polyphenols and has been shown to be anti-carcinogenic, anti-mutagenic, anti-inflammatory and anti-viral activity.
- Great for people wanting to give up caffeine as Red Bush is naturally caffeine-free. Because of this you can even take it before going to bed and may even help with insomnia. It’s also very low in tannins.
- Contains alpha hydroxy acid and zinc which is great for the skin. You can even apply it directly to the skin to help with acne, eczema and sunburn etc.
- People with kidney stones can drink it because there’s no oxalic acid.
