What isrooibos? This red beverage from South Africa is gradually replacing teas. Often called red tea, this infusion is however very different. The African nature offers the rooibos tree and its drink with a sweet nutty taste. It produces leaves, which when infused in hot water, give a sweet drink full of health benefits. Zoom on this drink with a thousand virtues, emblem of South Africa.
Where does rooibos come from?
Rooibos is a red infusion that comes from South Africa. It is a shrub from the tea family that grows in the mountains. This drink is however very different from the classic teas. Its composition, rich in antioxidants and low in theine and caffeine, makes it a drink full of health benefits.
In South Africa,rooibos infusion is a highly appreciated drink. This drink seems to have existed there for several hundred years. The red infusion has been popularized in the West since the 1930s. However, the capricious nature only allows the rooibos tree to flourish in the waterless mountains of South Africa.
What is this red African drink made of?
Unlike tea and coffee,rooibos tea contains no caffeine or theine. The red drink from the African plant is therefore suitable for children and pregnant women.
The red drink from Africa contains rare antioxidants. Less rich than green tea, rooibos does not contain caffeine or theine. The Cape red infusion has very little tannin.
There are two varieties of rooibos: red rooibos (red tea or infusion) and green rooibos. The color of the drink is defined by the fermentation process. Rooibos should not be confused with honeybush, another South African infusion plant.
How is a red rooibos drink prepared?
TheAfrican red infusion is prepared with leaves. The branches of therooibos tree are harvested with their leaves. The leaves are put through a machine to be crushed. Then, the rooibos leaves are fermented to make the African red infusion.
The rooibos leaves are fermented in the open air. The longer the fermentation, the redder the rooibos infusion.
The rooibos is immersed in hot water. Unlike "classic" teas, the red African drink brews longer. In Cape Town, rooibos brews for up to 10 minutes in hot water. Even when steeped longer, the African red drink does not become bitter.
The drink has a slightly sweet taste. Red rooibos can be consumed cold or hot.
In Africa, it is customary to accompany thered rooibos infusion with milk and sugar. In the West, people prefer to brew it plain or with spices.
To vary the pleasures, the infusion of red rooibos is sometimes accompanied by spices. The spices that are added to the drink are sweet spices such as cinnamon, star anise, cardamom or vanilla. Some people also enjoy the effect of strong spices in their rooibos infusion such as chili, muscatel or red pepper.
For a more surprising effect, many recipes mix red infusion and chai spices. There are many recipes to vary the pleasures.
What are the traditional uses of red rooibos infusion?
In Africa,red rooibos tea is used as a traditional remedy. Nature has provided it with many benefits.
The main health virtues ofCape red infusion are :
- its healing virtues ;
- its digestive virtues;
- its antioxidant virtues;
- its anti-allergic virtues;
- its detoxifying virtues.
And this, without theine or caffeine. A concert of benefits for your health.
What does the medicine say about the red infusion of the Cape?
Western medicine is interested in the supposed virtues of the red African drink. Rooibos teas, unlike "conventional" teas, do not contain caffeine or theine. This makes their health benefits even more interesting.
In Southern Africa, nature seems to offer a perfect health drink for everyone. And without any side effects. The recipes are multiple, which makes the studies complicated. Indeed, depending on where they are grown, rooibos teas seem to have different properties.
The traditional consumption of teas from the rooibos tree, i.e. the plant and water, does not pose any particular problems. However, despite the numerous health benefits announced, the benefits of the plant remain difficult to prove.
In any case, as the infusion is rich in antioxidants and devoid of theine and caffeine, there is no reason to deprive yourself of it. Especially since its sweet taste seduces all the taste buds. Moreover, the red drink of Africa is associated with spices with proven virtues in dozens of recipes. A "Wow" effect with each cup!