That cup of tea is actually a cup of goodness
It's Heritage Month, so how about some insight into one of SA's biggest exports that prevents deadly diseases.
Homegrown rooibos tea, which contains the incredible health benefits of the Aspalathus linearis plant, is enjoyed by millions each day across the globe.
Rooibos is genuinely caffeine-free and full of antioxidants, which have been proven by doctors to improve the sleeping pattern of insomnia sufferers.
According to the South African Rooibos Council, rooibos is not a tea but a herb – which explains its numerous health benefits. Aspalathin has properties that prevent cancer and control diabetes as it balances blood sugar, improves insulin resistance and improves the glucose absorption by muscles – making it the ultimate defensive guard against developing Type 2 diabetes.
Unfamiliar nutrients are also found in rooibos, for example Bioflavonoids and Quercetin, which improve blood circulation and prevent hemorrhaging when blood escapes from fractured blood vessels. Quercetin also improves cardiovascular health, and is linked to averting heart conditions.
Rooibos also relieves stress, nervous tension and hypertensive conditions, it acts as a bronchodilator, and relieves blood pressure and respiratory conditions.
For generations, South African women have recommended rooibos as an effective treatment for stomach aches in infants and children.
This indigenous plant from our backyards is known worldwide for its flavour, aroma and taste, and has been loved since 1772, but it was in 1902 that the beverage entered the market and small time manufacturing.
According to the Botanical Society of South Africa, Aspalathus linearis farming was scrutinised in the 1930s and its monetary worth was utilised – hence the establishment of the rooibos tea industry. Rooibos comes in several varieties, namely, grey, red, red-brown and black rooibos. One of the red kinds is Nortier, the common type that is mostly consumed and simply known as ‘good old rooibos tea’.
Other health benefits from rooibos tea include:
• Skin care and reduced signs of aging: red tea contains zinc and alpha hydroxy acid, which are good for the skin. Applying red tea powder directly to the skin helps relieve pimples, blackheads, and sunburns, retards the human aging process and boosts the immune system
• Rooibos tea is also effectively used to treat allergies, ranging from hay fever and eczema. The phenolic content makes it ideal for asthma and other allergic reactions.
Rooibos drinkers who are cancer patients on chemotherapy must seek the advice of a health professional, as rooibos contains strong substances which may interfere with treatments for several conditions.
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