Red gold of South African tribes – improves health tremendously, slows down aging and protects against many diseases
Rooibos (“Roy-boss”) is an authentic South African plant which African tea is made from. It grows in Cedarberg Mountains near Capetown.
Red bushes were first used by locals for medicinal purposes.
The wild-growing plant was dried in the sun and prepared a tasty drink from it, which helped them with a variety of health problems.
Technically, it is not a real tea
It is not the tea tree variety (Camellia Sinensis), like most traditional real teas, but its origin is the plant Aspalathus linearis. A plant with small yellow flowers, named after the Dutch word for the red shrub, grows to a height of 1.5 meters. Harvesters pick the leaves, cut them and smash with special hammers, dry in the sun and ferment (leaves in a climatically controlled environment, under the influence of their own enzymes, decompose chlorophylls and progressively darken – tannin is released).
The precisely described fermentation of the colored leaves is red-orange, which, as such, is most commonly used in the preparation of this beverage.
Fermented and dried tea according to the length of leaves, color and taste are classified into three categories: super, choice, and standard.
There is also a green rooibos that skips fermentation in the process of production, which is why it should contain even more antioxidants, but less residual bioactive phenolic compounds. Unlike its red colleague, whose taste is described as strong and fruity, the unfermented Rooibos has greenish shade and mild, less sweet taste.
African tea benefit finder
Since Benjamin Ginsberg, a Russian immigrant and researcher learned the beneficial effects of the red bush and its potential market value in 1904, the production and distribution of rooibos tea has made great progress.
Every year, it produces about 3000 tons and nowadays it is available in almost all countries of the world. Green or red – here are their properties that made it seem worthwhile to expose them as an alternative to many medicines.
African tea has a special, refreshing taste and is fully packed with minerals – it’s the healthiest drink of all time!
- A rich mineral composition that benefits healthily: Magnesium: is needed for bone strength, muscle strength, and heartbeat, as well as the functioning of your nervous system (it calms and helps with mild depression). High in iron (iron is needed to treat anemia). Calcium and fluorine strengthen bones and dental enamel. Calcium and copper help regulate metabolic processes.
- Rooibos also contains a special enzyme that is released at higher temperatures and connects our free radicals: It acts as a powerful antioxidant and slows down aging by its action and helps prevent many diseases such as atherosclerosis, diabetes, arthritis, eye barbell, and cancer.
- African tea is characterized by a low content of alkaloids and tannin, which prevents the absorption of microelements, thus helping to prevent many diseases: The amount of African tea you can drink in one day is not limited, because rooibos does not contain caffeine or teen. This means that everyone, including children and pregnant women, can enjoy it. Tea follows the overall calming effect on the body (nervous system) and promotes deep and high-quality sleep. It can also be consumed by diabetes and kidney patients because it contains no oxalic acid.
- African Tea is great for the skin – regular use should even prevent the formation of acne: Place a cooled tea bag in critical areas to soothe and relieve inflammation.
- Rooibos tea is an ideal drink for all athletes and everyone into sports and active recreation: Everyone who loses a lot of water from the body when exercising physically.
- Rooibos tea contains a high level of flavonoids: Therefore it promotes healthy digestion and supports the entire digestive system. Rooibos can help alleviate diarrhea and cramps, relieve nausea, gastrointestinal disorders and, in addition, reduce inflammation and allergic reactions in the body… The newborns should be relieved of colic in the first months of life, according to the folk tradition. Babies that are allergic to milk may also drink it.
- Rooibos contains a high number of antioxidants: Known to help fuel fat on the stomach and therefore is a great tool for those who want to lose some kilograms. Research even suggests that drinking red African tea makes it possible to raise the hormone that signals that we are full, which means it can help lower appetite, and it also accelerates metabolism and prevents the formation of new fat cells.
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Rooibos in combination with certain herbs acts as an extremely effective agent for weight loss, detoxification of the body and colon cleanser.
Stoning results of a research study
Japanese researchers from the University of Iwate have proved the beneficial effects of red African tea on the brain and nervous system with a comprehensive study.
Red tea prevents the formation of lipid peroxidation (the process that occurs when harmful free radicals occupy nerve tissue and brain cells.) Such continuous activity leads to the deterioration of the outer, protective layer of the brain cells. Over time accumulated damage can cause degenerative brain diseases, such as Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s disease.
Japanese researchers were feeding old rats with African tea instead of water for two years and then studied the activity of their brain. To everyone’s great surprise, they found that there was actually no difference in the brain functioning of old rats compared to the baby rats at the peak of development.
The rat brain in the test group which did not enjoy rooibos showed normal, aging-related changes (atrophy – wasting away of tissue caused by cell degeneration, dopamine depletion, dendritic connections lost).
The brilliant Japanese have concluded that the prevention of aging and waste products accumulation in the brain can be attributed to the functioning of rooibos tea and the active ingredients in it.
Precisely these – active ingredients, called bioactive phenolic components, which are: dihydrochalcones, flavonols, flavanones, flavones, and flavanols constantly indicate beneficial effects not only referring to brain health but also to other health issues such as:
- allergies
- eczema
- stress
- insomnia
- stomach problems
- gastrointestinal disorders and
- nervous tension.
Moreover, there are supposed more studies to be done (I have found a few – Okayama, Research in South Africa…), which indicate a positive impact even on chronic diseases (cancer, HIV).
Read full Red Tea Detox Review Here
As an interesting feature – the main role in the group of the flavonoids has – krisoeriol (luteorin-3′-methoxy ether) and aspalathin2.
Krisoeriol has been shown to possess outstanding antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, bronchodilatory and antimutagenic properties. Beside in rooibos, it is naturally present in celery (Apium graveolens) and purple foxglove (Digitalis purpurea) leaves.
Aspalathin is a dihydrochalcone glycoside which protects the brain. In hand with the pancreas is useful for patients with diabetes because it prevents sudden drops and spikes in blood sugar – it is helping to regulate the level of sugar in the blood. It can reduce the risk of developing type-2 diabetes.
A thing or two about tannins
Low level of tannin prevents rooibos from having a bitter taste that is common to green and black tea. Tannin or tannoid is a vegetable polyphenolic biomolecule that is naturally present in many plant foods, so it is basically nothing wrong with it.
In essence, preparations made from plants containing tannoid are used for therapeutic purposes due to their astringent activity (this is most easily explained as dry and battered taste that remains in the mouth after enjoying wine, strong tea or unpeeled fruit).
Used internally, tannins provide symptomatic relief for diarrhea (anti-diarrheal agents). They form protein bonds and make a protective layer that relieves inflammation of the mucous membrane.
The highest concentrations of tannins are present in Tea Tree, beer (hops), wine, a fruit of vivid colors (berries, pomegranate, cocoa, citrus), legumes (especially red beans) and chocolate.
But unfortunately, tannins also have one unhealthy feature which is worth mentioning – if consumed excessive amounts it decelerates the absorption of calcium and iron in the body from consumed food.
There are no tannin health problems with red tea
If, however, you worry about your iron and calcium, you can neutralize the action of tannins by adding vitamin C (for example lemon juice with tea) or consumption of any of the listed beverages with tannins separate from the meal.
Preparation
When buying, I recommend selecting a 100% pure origin African rooibos tea, in the form of free leaves or dried flowers.
- Pour a spoonful of rooibos with a cup of boiling water, leave for three to five minutes and strain.
- Leafs can be poured again, but with slightly less water and left inside for at least five minutes.
- The beverage will be stronger in color and aroma and will have several useful ingredients if we prepare a curd instead of pouring it once again: put the first poured leaves in cold water, boil, than leave it for five minutes and filter.