Cranagranate
Rooibos tea (pronounced “roy-boss”) has a long history of therapeutic use by the Bushmen of southern Africa. Recent studies confirm that it contains many wonders, from flavonoids to fluoride.
Rooibos tea comes from a plant found along the slopes of the Cedarberg Mountains of South Africa. Its green leaves turn red through the fermentation process, giving the tea its distinctive colour.
This tasty tea contains no artificial colours, preservatives, additives, or caffeine – good news for pregnant women and nursing mothers. Compared with other teas and coffee, Rooibos contains very low amounts of tannin, ensuring effective iron absorption and protein digestion. Also present are copper, iron, potassium, calcium, zinc, and magnesium, all necessary for normal metabolic processes. Rooibos also contains fluoride, useful for healthy teeth and bone development, especially children.
But Rooibos is most beneficial for its high flavonoid antioxidant levels, particularly quercetin, which is also believed to be an anti-spasmodic, accounting for rooibos’s effectiveness against stomach cramps and colic in infants. Recent Japanese studies show that Rooibos helps with constipation, liver function, blood sugar levels, skin diseases, depression, anxiety, and the immune system.
Along with its many nutritional benefits, Rooibos can be quite useful in the kitchen and on your skin. For added colour and flavor, substitute it for milk or water in baking or use it as a base for soups, stews, sauces, and marinades. Look for skin lotions and cosmetics that contain Rooibos.
To get the most beneficial antioxidant effect when drinking Rooibos tea, brew or boil it for more than 10 minutes.
Rooibos is a true wonder plant to be enjoyed by all!
