Rooibos tea has gained popularity not so long ago, but already has a huge number of fans. Rooibos means “red bush”. Since ancient times, it has been used in the form of decoctions and infusions for various purposes.
Tea is made from needle-like leaves and twigs of the rooibos shrub. The branches of this plant grow up to 1.5 meters tall. You can meet rooibos only in the southern part of Africa, where the most favorable natural conditions for growing are created.
The mechanism of production of rooibos tea consists of difficult steps. Seeds are sown in the soil in nurseries specially designed for this purpose in February or March; in the summer, seedlings are transplanted into open ground. After 1.5 – 2 years, the plant matures and produces useful raw materials. For tea, leaves and shoots of branches located in the upper part of the plant are used. All work is done manually. Cut branches are tied into bundles and delivered to a factory where the leaves are sorted and cut into identical pieces, no more than 5 centimeters long. This is followed by the production of fermented and non-fermented tea. Completely finished tea goes through the sorting stage. The highest grade is packaged and sent for export, while low quality tea is sent to the locals.
There are two types of rooibos tea: green and red.
Harvesting of green tea occurs before the start of fermentation by steaming the needles. Infusion of green rooibos has a light shade with a pronounced grassy taste.
Red tea is harvested at the end of the fermentation process. The needles are dried in the sun. The red variety tea drink has a shade of red brick, a sugary sour-sweet taste and a hay aroma.
Chemical composition
Rooibos tea is the custodian of a rich chemical composition. It includes iron, potassium, calcium, fluorine, copper, manganese, zinc, magnesium and sodium. Also, tea pleases with an abundance of vitamins, especially vitamin C. Rooibos is rich in 8 acids, 9 flavonoids, tetracycline, glucose and essential oils.
The positive effect of tea on the body
The main health benefits of rooibos tea include:
- Enriches the body with iron.
- Contains no caffeine. Therefore, it is allowed to be used by pregnant women and mothers during lactation.
- It has a strengthening effect on the walls of blood vessels, thanks to the content of vitamin C.
- Strengthens the immune system and protects against infectious diseases.
- Has a tonic effect.
- Has a low calorie content.
- Helps speed up metabolic processes.
- It has a mild diuretic effect.
- Positive effect on the state of the nervous system. Tea acts on the body as an antidepressant: it reduces stress, makes nerves stronger, fights problems of poor sleep, and relieves headaches. It also helps the child to sleep soundly and peacefully.
- Strengthens the heart muscle.
- Normalizes the activity of the cardiovascular system.
- The drink effectively helps with coughing.
- Effective in the fight against parasites, especially worms.
- Normalizes the functioning of the digestive system, relieves signs of heartburn and belching.
- Improves the condition of bones and teeth, making them stronger.
- Daily use in reasonable amounts helps to reduce cholesterol levels, relieve swelling and fatigue in the legs.
- It has antibacterial and anti-inflammatory properties when used externally.
- Slows down fatty deposits in a liver.
- Helps fight hangovers.
- Helps to cope with gas formation in children.
Women’s Health Benefits
Rooibos tea is a useful assistant in the care of women’s beauty and health. Namely:
- Due to the antioxidants contained in tea, the aging process slows down.
- Rooibos has a positive effect on the female menstrual cycle. Due to the absence of theine in tea, iron is better absorbed by the body.
- The tea drink has a beneficial effect on the nervous system and balances the psychological state, it perfectly fights insomnia, depression, irritability, headache.
- Tea decoction has a good effect on the skin. It is great for cleansing and rinsing the skin of the face.
In body and hair care
Recommendations for face and body care:
- For a healthy complexion, it is useful to wipe the skin with cubes of iced tea.
- Tea at room temperature effectively fights dark circles around the eyes.
- Rinsing your hair with infusion of tea after each wash will help stimulate hair growth and increase volume.
- A strong tea infusion added to bath water will help relax the entire body.
- Tea infusion helps to restore the skin after sunburn.
Contraindications
Along with a huge number of useful ones, tea has a number of contraindications. It is not advisable to drink it during exacerbation of gastritis, manifestation of ulcers, hypertension, colds and atherosclerosis. Essential oils contained in tea can cause an allergic reaction, but this is extremely rare.
It is not advised to drink the drink on an empty stomach, as this can lead to vomiting. It is better to drink a drink after eating.
How to brew and drink tea?
The procedure for brewing tea is not difficult. But in order for rooibos to give up all its beneficial substances, it must be brewed correctly. To do this, heat water to 90 degrees, be sure not to boil, and pour dry tea with it. Proportion – 1 teaspoon of tea with a slide per glass of water. After 10 minutes, the drink is ready to drink. In the homeland of rooibos, the brewing time is 30 minutes. It is not customary to dilute brewed tea with water.
A distinctive feature of tea is that it can be brewed repeatedly. It does not lose its useful composition, the color remains bright, and the aroma is saturated.
It is best to prepare tea in porcelain, faience or glassware. But earthenware will not convey the rich aroma and unique taste of tea.
It is recommended to drink the drink in a pure form without sugar. But lovers can add sugar, honey, cinnamon, mint, milk, lemon or orange to it. Rooibos is good both hot and cold.
They like to use rooibos tea instead of the base for creating non-alcoholic cocktails containing fruit juices. Soup is also prepared on the basis of a tea drink, and confectioners replace milk for baking.
Selection and storage rules
It is recommended to buy tea only in specialized stores. You should definitely look at the information regarding the manufacturer, production date and expiration date.
When choosing rooibos tea, you should focus on its characteristic features:
- It should have a light and crumbly texture;
- Bright and uniform coloring;
- Appearance resembles sawdust;
- The aroma of raw materials…
