If you’re looking for the best rooibos tea to buy this year, then you’ve come to the right place.
You can also get more info by jumping to our Rooibos Tea Guide.
Top 10 Rooibos Teas
| #1 |  |
Davidson’s Tea Bulk Organic South African Rooibos | More Info |
| #2 |  |
Twinings Herbal Tea Pure Rooibos Red Tea | More Info |
| #3 |  |
Choice Organic Fair Trade Caffiene Free Rooibos Red Bush Tea | More Info |
| #4 |  |
Freshpak Rooibos Tea | More Info |
| #5 |  |
Rooibos Rocks 16oz Delicious South African Red Bush | More Info |
| #6 |  |
Twinings Tea Red African Rooibos Tea | More Info |
| #7 |  |
My Red Tea Rooibos Tea Organic | More Info |
| #8 |  |
Topqualitea Rooibos Certified Organic Fair Trade South African Red Bush | More Info |
| #9 |  |
Solstice Tea Traders Rooibos Tea, South African Red Bush Tea | More Info |
| #10 |  |
Laager South African Rooibos Tea | More Info |
Rooibos Teas Guide
What is Rooibos Tea?
Rooibos literally means “red bush,” as it is derived from a plant called Aspalathus linearis, a bush native of South Africa. The bush is actually green, with pine-like needle leaves and yellow flowers, and can be used to make green Rooibos. However, red Rooibos tea is obtained when the leaves are dried and oxidized and is the type of Rooibos often found in natural foods and health stores. The dried leaves steeped in hot water to produce a reddish brown tea that is a traditional herbal tea used to soothe a number of different ailments in South Africa. It has a sweet taste, that is very pleasant to the palete. It is also available in supplement form.
Benefits of Rooibos Tea
The National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI), a division of the National Institutes of Health (NIH), has catalogued a number of the potential benefits of Rooibos tea. They note that Rooibos is naturally caffeine-free and is very low in tannins. It is also very high in antioxidants and polyphenols. In fact, some sources suggest that it has 50% more antioxidants than even green tea, a popular superfood supplement. It is also very rich in minerals. Studies reviewed by the NCBI show benefits for treatment of:
- Heart Disease – The fact that Rooibos is high in flavanoids makes it ideal in the reduction of heart disease. In particular, there are two antioxidants which the Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center indicate can fight vascular inflammation: aspalathin and nothofagin. By reducing vascular inflammation, you can help combat heart disease.
- Asthma and Allergies – Rooibos tea has proven to be an effective antispamosdic and bronchodilator. These are two qualities that any asthmatic or allergy sufferer can appreciate when they need to open up their airways a bit and soothe the lungs.
- Anemia – Rooibos tea has even been recommended to pregnant women who have pregnancy-related anemia. Since it is high in minerals, like iron, and soluble in water, it is an easy way to supplement the diet with iron.
- HIV -There are studies done in vitro that show that Rooibos tea had the ability to suppress HIV infections. However, more studies need to be completed to see how that translates to in vivo situations.
- Diabetes – The aspalathin in Rooibos tea isn’t just good for the heart. It also has beneficial effects to stabilize glucose in Type 2 patients with diabetes. The fact that it is naturally sweet makes it easy to drink without additional sweeteners.
- Blood Pressure – Rooibos tea can reduce blood pressure due to the way it fights vascular inflammation. It can also relax and soothe a person, even though it has no caffeine.
- Sleep Disturbances – Rooibos has a noted soothing effect on the nervous system. The calming effect and lack of caffeine is why Rooibos tea is also used for people suffering from sleep disturbances, such as insomnia.
- Digestive Problems – Since it is low in tannins, it is easier to digest than black teas. It also has no oxalic acid, unlike black tea. It is naturally sweet so no added sugar is needed, thus making it an excellent choice in weight loss diets.
- Cancer – One cup of Rooibos tea contains 1.5 mg of Quercetin and luteolin. These flavanoids have cancer-fighting properties that actually kill cancer cells in lab studies and inhibit tumor growth. They do provide protective effects against certain types of cancers, but not all. Check with your doctor before using Rooibos tea as it is contraindicated for certain types of cancer that are hormone-sensitive.
- Poor Nutrition – Rooibos tea is a powerhouse of antioxidants, vitamins, and minerals. In addition to the ones listed above, it is high in Vitamin C, Calcium, Potassium. It supplements trace metals like Zinc, Copper, and Magnesium, which are often hard to find in other foods. Daily intake of Rooibos tea can strengthen the immune system as well as your skin, hair, and bones.
- Stress – Research indicates that red Rooibos has the ability to fight stress, by reducing the stress hormone cortisol. Stress is implicated in the formation of many diseases from mood disorders, like anxiety and depression, to weight gain and diabetes. Reducing stress can also have a major impact on the reduction of heart disease. By reducing the stress hormone in the bloodstream, Rooibos may help reduce the appearance of these diseases. It’s also good at establishing a routine to reduce stress in a busy life when you make time for a cup of tea.
Are There Any Side Effects?
The Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center indicates that Rooibos tea does have some type of estrogenic effect. This can exacerbate certain types of hormone-sensitive cancers and thus would not be ideal for these patients. However, for other types of cancer it is recommended.
Be sure to check with your doctor before starting any new supplementation program, if you are taking medication for other diseases or you are under treatment for a chronic disease, before starting a new dietary regime. Prolonged use of Rooibos tea can cause infertility problems in males due to the estrogenic activity. Taking Rooibos in large amounts can cause liver and kidney problems, but for the most part this is a very safe tea to take daily.
However, as with any new supplement, one should exercise some caution before first adding to the diet and start using in small quantities to see if there is any allergic or adverse reaction to it.
How to Take Rooibos Tea
You can take Rooibos Tea as a drink or a powdered supplement. Use 750 mg of Rooibos to a cup of hot water. Since the tea is most powerful as a looseleaf tea, you can use a tea ball to infuse the hot water with the Rooibos. However, if you prefer Rooibos in tea bag supplements, those are available too. The tea can also be iced, if you want a cooler version for the hot, summer, weather. It is good as both a hot or a cold drink.
The powdered supplement form allows you to add Rooibos to other recipes directly, without having to steep it. It can be added to cold water without steeping it for a cool, refreshing drink. It can be put in smoothies or combined with other flavors. The powdered form can also be used in cooking recipes from baked goods to Rooiboos Chicken Pot Pie.
What To Look for in a Good Rooibos Tea
You will have a choice between Red Rooibos and Green Rooibos. The green version is a little higher in antioxidants and more expensive. They both have distinct flavors. Green Rooibos is more earthy whereas Red Rooibos tends to be fruitier. Black teas have a grading system to determine their quality and Rooibos tea is no different. They are evaluated and graded on taste, leaf-to-stem ratio, and color. The leaf-to-stem ratio determines the overall intensity of the flavor. The more
There are three different grades of Roiboos. Super, Choice, and Standard. If the Rooibos tea is not stated to be any of these grades, you can visually inspect the loose-leaf tea to see whether it has more stems than leaves, thus indicating a poorer grade of tea and a less flavorful cup. Powdered forms tend to be premium because they are concentrated. You can also order samples of the tea or a sample bag of assorted teas before you make a large purchase to determine whether the quality is suitable.
Red Rooibos teas now come in many more flavors than just green and red. You can get some with blueberry, blood orange, or vanilla flavors added into the mix. You may find the mixes more exciting than the standard red or green tea. To find the best cup of tea, experiment with the different grades and flavors until you find one that appeals to you the most.
The post 10 Best Rooibos Teas – Reviewed & Ranked for 2017 appeared first on Supplement Hound - Supplement Reviews for 2016.
from Supplement Hound – Supplement Reviews for 2016 http://supplementhound.com/best-rooibos-teas/
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