All About Rooibos

By Chris Robideaux

Rooibos tea comes from South Africa, and has a deep mahogany-red color after fermentation. Also known as Red tea, Redbush or Bush tea, Rooibos is actually quite a versatile, unusual herb.

It’s most prominent usage is in herbal infusions, and it and goes through a unique fermentation process which consists of drying the leaves in the African sun, where it undergoes a radical transformation from green to a deep red color.

Bourbon St Vanilla Rooibos

It was used as an herbal remedy by the Khoisan bushmen for centuries for a wide array of ailments, but nearly disappeared as the tribe eventually dwindled and ultimately vanished. Luckily, it was rediscovered in the 18th Century by Carl Humberg, a botanist, who brought the tea back to his homeland as a beverage.

Rooibos benefited from shipping problems during World War II, which prevented teas normally enjoyed in the West from getting to Europe and America. A substitute tea was needed, to fill demand. Rooibos became the perfect fit, and its popularity soon rose.

Rooibos contains many flavinoids, which are antioxidants. Recent research has even shown that these flavinoids may be up to 50% more effective than those found in green tea. It’s rich, mellow flavor and ability to relieve colic in infants, allergies (one of its nicknames is herbal allergy tea) as well as insomnia and a host of other ailments have helped place it near the top of the list of most popular, versatile teas.

Demand for Rooibos has spiked in recent years, and for an herb produced in only one small part of the world (the Cedarburg region near Cape Town), it’s simply amazing that supply has been able to keep up. But, seeing that it’s smooth, rich flavor, medicinal effects, and drinkers’ ability to drink it before bedtime without any of caffeine’s normally stimulant effects–Rooibos (also called Mountain tea and Long Life tea - in China!) will certainly continue to be cultivated vigorously. It truly seems to be the “little tea that could”.