Many people ask, “what is rooibos exactly? I mean, is it a kind of tea?” Although rooibos (roy-boss) is often called redbush tea or bush tea, it does not come from the Asian evergreen bush, Camellia sinensis, that produces tea. Rather, it’s from the wonderfully woody, South African bush with needle-like leaves, Aspalathus linearis.
So, no, it isn’t tea. However, South Africans have been serving up this delicious leaf as a warm, steeped, tea-like beverage for centuries. They do this especially when high tea prices push tea out of reach.
Cultivation
Rooibos grows as a medium-sized bush in the Western Cape Province of South Africa, in the fynbos—an incredibly diverse biome of shrub and heathland—situated in a mountainous region 100-200km from the coast. Rooibos thrives in a Mediterranean climate that relies on winter rainfall. The plant resembles Mormon tea, a common plant in the American Southwest.
People harvest rooibos in the summer by cutting the branch 12” from the ground. The leaves and stems are processed by chopping and crushing with mechanical rollers. Plant material is then piled in mounds outside and sprayed with water. This allows oxidation to occur—as it does with black tea—and gives rooibos its rich red hue and bold, spicy, woody, honey-like flavor. Finally, leaves are dried in the sun, run through a sieve to remove any stems or dirt, and steamed.
Unoxidized rooibos, or green rooibos, has grassy, herbaceous flavors akin to green tea.
Caffeine-free
Unlike tea, rooibos is caffeine-free, and popular as a caffeine-free alternative to coffee in lattes and other espresso drinks. Rooibos’ appeal as a tea and coffee alternative is matched by its wealth of health benefits, including:
- free-radical fighting aspalathin and nothofagin.
- anti-inflammatory flavanones, flavones, and flavanols attributed with fighting cancer and supporting skin, brain, and blood functioning.
- minerals, such as zinc, calcium, magnesium, iron fluoride, and copper.
Learn more about rooibos’ history and health benefits from our herbalist Greta de la Montagne.
Give rooibos a try
Rooibos is a nice start if you want a new exploration into botanicals. We have it straight and in various tasty blends that offer other health benefits. For a complex flavor, drink our Turmeric Twirl. It comes with a rooibos base, complemented by ginger, turmeric, clove and other delicious and nutritious ingredients. Want a sweeter blend, and one that makes kids and adults smile? Brew a cup of Honey Bear, with rooibos and bee pollen.
Can’t decide which rooibos to order? Stop in at our tea bar the next time you’re in Missoula, Montana. We carry an extensive list of rooibos blends to choose from. See you soon!
by Lindsey Tucker
