May Help Build A Stronger Immune System*
Maintaining a strong immune system is essential to our bodies year-round but particularly so when sniffle season is approaching. With coughs, colds, and cases of the flu threatening to set you back, many people will take the time to prioritize boosting their defenses by making changes to their diet or increasing the number of dietary supplements taken each day or week.
Polyphenols are the powerhouse antioxidants in rooibos tea that make it so much more than a sweet, herbal beverage. In fact, it is these polyphenols that may very well be the answer to your flu-season concerns.* Whether you plan to combine the forces of rooibos tea and other antioxidant-dense foods or simply rely on rooibos itself, your body may thank you later if it manages to avoid a cold or two this year.
Does Rooibos Tea Have Any Side Effects
- Rooibos tea is generally safe with negligible side effects. However, there have been some reports that it caused complications in liver function.
- Rooibos tea may also interact with hypolipidemic medications.
- In one research, it was found that rooibos tea interacts with blood pressure medications and diabetes , if you are taking medications, consult your doctor before taking rooibos tea.
Should You Be Drinking Rooibos
Its a mild and very pleasant tea, and given some of the health properties it may be a good idea to start drinking the stuff. In any case, like most herbal teas, it can ensure you are staying hydrated, and being uncaffeinated is a great drink to have before bed.
Got any other questions for us? Let us know in the comments below!
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Caffeine Free To Help You Sleep
We often get asked why we don’t sell a ‘decaf’ black tea, and quite simply, the decaffeinating process isn’t for us. In order to create decaf tea, harsh chemicals are used to strip the tea leaves of their naturally-occurring caffeine. Traces of this solvent might remain on the leaves, affecting their colour, quality and taste – something we’re definitely not on board with. That’s why we always reccomend a naturally caffeine-free herbal tea like rooibos – It can be enjoyed at any time of day and can be drunk with milk as an English Breakfast replacement for those with a night-time craving!
Rooibos Tea Helps Build Strong Bones
Like numerous herbal tisanes and true teas, rooibos tea contains minerals like manganese, calcium, and fluoride. And all these minerals help to build strong bones. In addition, the minerals produce high activity in osteoblast cells, which are responsible for building strong bone mass.
Several teas contain these essential minerals that help protect healthy bones and prevent diseases such as arthritis and osteoporosis. However, rooibos tea contains two additional compounds that are more relevant to bone health.
The flavonoids orientin and luteolin have the potential to increase content in bones.
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Where To Buy Red Rooibos Tea
It is easy to make this tea at home. All you need is either of these products:
- Red rooibos tea bags
- Red rooibos loose leaf tea
Both are available online or in gourmet grocery stores. You can also get flavored versions available in chocolate, vanilla, and so on.
If you come across green rooibos tea, dont get confused! Green rooibos tea is when the rooibos herb is steamed and dried immediately. It remains green in color and has a more grass-like flavor.
Brewing Iced Rooibos Tea:
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Benefits Of Rooibos Tea For The Skin
The antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties of rooibos tea help prevent toxins from damaging cells Skin. These free radicals or toxins can speed up the aging process.
Folk remedies have used rooibos tea extracts to calm down skin burns Because of the sun and a cure eczema . Some studies suggest that tea may also improve the appearance of skin and reduce wrinkles.
In another study, an herbal anti-wrinkle formula containing rooibos was found to be the most effective in reducing wrinkles. Rooibos tea is a good source of ascorbic acid, an isolated form of vitamin C.
Vitamin C is known to help fight aging, lighten the skin and reduce hyperpigmentation. Vitamin C also boosts collagen production and promotes healthy skin. Collagen is an integral protein in the skinâs structure. Maintains skin firmness.
These are the benefits of rooibos tea. While some of them have been created by science, others need more research. However, you can have rooibos tea at home and start reaping its benefits.
Where Do I Get Rooibos Tea
Rooibos tea has become quite easy to find in recent years.
But whether you get it online or at your local health food store, I suggest always buying organic and fair trade.
If you want to save money, I also suggest getting loose leaf rooibos tea in bulk. Its much cheaper in the long run. But if you dont care or like the convenience of teabags, you can get rooibos tea bags on Amazon by clicking that link.
If you want to get bulk loose leaf tea, this is the brand of organic rooibos tea I like to get:
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May Benefit People With Type 2 Diabetes
Rooibos tea is the only known natural source of the antioxidant aspalathin, which animal studies suggest may have anti-diabetic effects .
One study in mice with type 2 diabetes found that aspalathin balanced blood sugar levels and reduced insulin resistance, which could prove promising for people who have or are at risk of type 2 diabetes .
However, human studies are needed.
Summary Animal studies suggest that specific antioxidants in rooibos tea can help balance blood sugar and improve insulin resistance. However, human research is necessary.
Does Not Have A Stimulatory Effect
As a naturally caffeine-free beverage, rooibos may be drunk as a fluid replacement and is suitable for those who want to avoid, or are unable to tolerate, the stimulating effects of caffeine. Being naturally caffeine-free, rooibos doesnt need to undergo a decaffeination process, so its rich polyphenol content remains unaffected.
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May Reduce Cancer Risk
Test-tube studies note that the antioxidants quercetin and luteolin, which are present in rooibos tea, can kill cancer cells and prevent tumor growth .
However, the amount of quercetin and luteolin in a cup of the tea is very small. Many fruits and vegetables are much better sources.
Therefore, its unclear whether rooibos packs enough of these two antioxidants, and whether theyre absorbed efficiently enough by your body to provide benefits.
Keep in mind that human studies are needed on rooibos and cancer.
Summary Certain antioxidants in rooibos tea have been shown to kill cancer cells and prevent tumor growth in test tubes. However, no human studies have confirmed these effects.
Strong Bones And Teeth Lush Hair And Young Skin
While beauty sleep can be hard to come by nowadays, a cup of rooibos tea each day could help offset all those late nights. Rooibos is high in calcium, manganese and fluoride, which help to improve bone health and strengthen teeth. High levels of zinc and alpha hydroxyl help to fight wrinkles and other signs of premature aging, and the potent combination of zinc, calcium, copper and potassium can keep your hair long and lush by strengthening hair fibres. Just dont forget to brush it 100 times before bed, too.
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Rooibos Tea Is Low In Tannins And Free From Caffeine And Oxalic Acid
Caffeine is a natural stimulant found in both black tea and green tea.
Consuming moderate amounts of caffeine is generally safe.
It may even have some benefits for exercise performance, concentration, and mood.
However, excessive consumption has been linked to heart palpitations, increased anxiety, sleep problems, and headaches.
Therefore, some people choose to avoid or limit caffeine intake.
Because rooibos tea is naturally caffeine-free, its an excellent alternative to black or green tea.
Rooibos also has lower tannin levels than regular black or green tea.
Tannins, natural compounds present in green and black tea, interfere with the absorption of certain nutrients, such as iron.
Finally, unlike black tea and green tea, to a lesser extent red rooibos contains no oxalic acid.
Consuming high amounts of oxalic acid can increase your risk of kidney stones, making rooibos a good option for anyone with kidney problems.
Summary: Compared to regular black tea or green tea, rooibos is lower in tannins and free from caffeine and oxalic acid.
Rooibos Tea: Health Benefits And Nutritious
Rooibos tea is less well known than its true tea cousins, but it has excellent health benefits and a delicate flavor that is sweet and aromatic. Rooibos tea contains antioxidants, enzymes, and chemical compounds that help skin look youthful, reduce inflammation that causes pain, and prevent serious illness.
Rooibos tea, also known as red tea, is unique in that it is grown mainly on the African continent and contains polyphenols such as aspalathin that are not found in any other foods. With powerful antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties, drinking a cup of rooibos tea every day can help you stay healthy.
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Life History And Reproduction
Aspalathus linearis has a small endemic range in the wild, however horticultural techniques to maximize production have been effective at maintaining cultivation as a semi-wild crop to supply the new demands of the broadening rooibos tea industry. A. linearis is often grouped with the honeybush , another plant from the Fynbos region of Southern Africa, that is also used to make tea. Like other members of the genus, A. linearis is considered a part of the Fynbosecoregion in the Cape Floristic Region, whose plants often depend on fire for reproduction.
A. linearis is a legume and so an angiosperm it produces an indehiscent fruit. Its flowers make up a raceme inflorescence. Seed germination can be slow, but sprouting can be induced with acid treatment. The seeds are hard shelled and often need scarification.
A. linearis
For A. linearis, fire can stimulate resprouting in the species, however this sprouting is less than in other plants in the Fynbos ecoregion. A. linearis can be considered facultative and obligate sprouters and have lignotuber development for after fires. Typically, there are two classifications of A. lineraris in response to fire: Reseeders and resprouters. Reseeders are killed by fire, but the fire stimulates their seeds germination. Resprouters are not completely killed during a fire, and grow back from established lignotubers.
Research On Rooibos Tea In Pregnancy
The bad news here is that researchers havent formally studied the safety of rooibos tea during pregnancy, so theres no way to give it a ringing endorsement without any caveats.
The only research seems to be one study of pregnant rats. In 2017, researchers reported that rats who were given rooibos tea for 21 days showed no ill effects and, in some cases, experienced effects that might increase fertility.
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Rooibos Tea May Reduce Cancer Risk
Test-tube studies note that the antioxidants quercetin and luteolin, which are present in rooibos tea, can kill cancer cells and prevent tumor growth.
However, the amount of quercetin and luteolin in a cup of rooibos tea is very small. Many fruits and vegetables are much better sources.
Therefore, its unclear whether rooibos packs enough of these two antioxidants, and whether theyre absorbed efficiently enough by your body to provide benefits.
Keep in mind that human studies are needed on rooibos and cancer.
Summary: Certain antioxidants in rooibos tea have been shown to kill cancer cells and prevent tumor growth in test tubes. However, no human studies have confirmed these effects.
May Prevent And Treat Diabetes
Remember how rooibos contains the polyphenol called aspalathin?
Besides having antioxidant effects, evidence suggests aspalathin could also have a positive impact on type 2 diabetes by regulating your blood sugar levels .
Aspalathin specifically,
has beneficial effects on glucose homeostasis in type 2 diabetes through stimulating glucose uptake in muscle tissues and insulin secretion from pancreatic beta-cells.
This means aspalathin could prevent blood sugar spikes that can ultimately contribute to type 2 diabetes.
Another study by the Journal of Traditional and Complementary Medicine concluded that rooibos has a significant therapeutic effect for the treatment and progression of diabetes .
But these studies were either done on rats or in vitro scenarios, so there needs to be more studies on the subject to be sure.
Another study suggests that rooibos is not sufficient on its own as a treatment for diabetes . Since the results are mixed, its still possible that rooibos is helpful for the treatment and prevention of diabetes. It just may not be effective enough to be a standalone treatment.
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Promotes A Healthy Heart
Consumption of traditional fermented tea can significantly improve lipid profiles and oxidative stress parameters. This can reduce the risk of developingheart disease and blood vessels.
Dietary antioxidants and flavones help reduce inflammation and protect the heart. Rooibos tea has been reported to have a heart-protective effect because it inhibits the angiotensin-converting enzyme . More research indicates that rooibos tea can help improve blood levels. cholesterol and reduce oxidative stress.
How To Enjoy Rooibos Tea
Rooibos is a tea that needs to be steeped, but you can use hot or cold water depending on what kind of drink you want. Steep it in boiling water, make a pitcher of sun tea or cold-brewed tea, or even steep it and then add frothed milk for a rooibos latte.
As its gotten popular, more coffeehouses, online tea vendors, and local shops have added to their selection of rooibos tea, making it pretty easy for you to grab a cup at the drive-thru or stock up on a stash of your own at home.
Its usually sold as a loose leaf tea, though, not in tea bags so make sure you have a tea infuser.
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Green Rooibos & Diabetic Complications
Free radical damage and inflammation fuel the long-term complications of diabetes. Rooibos tea reduces oxidative stress in various tissues of the body . It significantly lowered advanced glycation end-products . AGES occur when glucose binds abnormally to protein so that cell proteins do not work well and even malfunction. AGES are big contributors to long-term complications from diabetes, neuropathy, kidney failure, lens damage, and diabetic retinopathy, a leading cause of blindness. They also interfere with the lungs so a person has more difficulty getting the air out as well as in. AGES can cause the connective tissues to lose their elasticity. Some investigators think that rooibos tea, as a commonly used beverage, can be recommended as an excellent adjuvant support for the prevention and therapy of diabetic vascular complications and particularly for protecting the eyes.
Inflammation inside the arteries plays a major role in all the stages of the development of atherosclerosis and is a long-term complication of diabetes. Two phytochemicals in green rooibos suppress vascular inflammation.14
Controls And Prevents Diabetes
Studies have found therapeutic effects of a specific antioxidant found in rooibos tea called aspalathin. This compound is anti-diabetic because it helps to control blood-sugar levels and improve insulin resistance. That means that it can help to prevent and control type 2 diabetes. Just dont add sugar to the tea!
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The Benefits Of Rooibos Tea Include Alleviation Of Allergies
Rooibos tea contains a bioactive flavonoid called chrysoberyl which is an antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effect. As a bronchodilator, rooibos tea can help to alleviate any feelings of coughing and wheezing caused by allergic asthma or rhinitis.
Quercetin, which is another flavonoid, helps to prevent allergy triggers. What quercetin does is block mast cells, which are responsible for discharging histamine, the primary element that triggers an allergic response.
Rooibos tea acts as an antihistamine but without the drowsy side effects that come with the numerous medications. Of course, this is not a replacement for advanced allergy treatments. But a few cups of rooibos tea per day can reduce the body’s highly reactive immune response that triggers allergies.
Health Benefits Of Rooibos Tea
Rooibos tea is gaining popularity as a delicious and healthy beverage.
Consumed in southern Africa for centuries, it has become a beloved drink around the world.
Its a flavorful, caffeine-free alternative to black and green tea.
Whats more, advocates praise rooibos for its potential health benefits, claiming that its antioxidants can protect against cancer, heart disease and stroke.
However, you may wonder if these benefits are supported by evidence.
This article explores rooibos teas health benefits and potential side effects.
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