Friday, March 26, 2010

Rooibos Tea is Good for You


You are likely familiar with black and green tea, but there is another tea, not quite as well known as black and green tea, which nonetheless has remarkable health benefits. While rooibos might not be as ubiquitous as green and black tea, it has the ability to positively impact your health in a variety of concrete and substantial ways.

Rooibos comes from the Rooibos shrub and is primarily grown in South African where the plant is widely used. In South Africa rooibos has been used for generations to treat a wide-variety of medical conditions and aliments. Outside of South Africa the tea has really only been traded for roughly the last one-hundred years, but in that short period of time it has earned a reputation as a valuable tea that has the ability to improve overall health and even improve specific medical issues.

Rooibos and Caffeine
Those looking of a tea that has little or no caffeine will certainly be intrigued by rooibos. Rooibos has zero caffeine, whereas green and black teas of course have varying levels of caffeine. Many tea drinkers find that rooibos is a welcome change of pace and a good alternative tea for late in the day or before bedtime.

Rooibos is High in Antioxidants and Vitamin C
Tea, in general, has antioxidants. While many people are aware of green tea's antioxidants most people are unaware of the fact that rooibos has considerable levels of antioxidants as well. One of the antioxidants found in rooibos is aspalathin, which in addition to having antioxidant properties is also an antimutagenic. If you are wondering why this is a good thing, the reason is simple. Antimutagenic compounds help the body combat damage that is occurring to DNA.

Rooibos is also a source of vitamin C. Considering that the tea has no calories, it is definitely an easy way for anyone to increase the quality of their diet. Since Rooibos is high in vitamin C and has no calories, it is a great choice for dieters in particular.

Rooibos and Safety
Rooibos is considered to be extremely safe and is even given to infants and nursing mothers. It is this safety that has also garnered rooibos a good deal of attention as well. Often the tea is prescribed as a treatment for allergic reactions as well as other conditions. Of course, you should consult with your doctor before using rooibos to treat a medical issue.

The Future of Rooibos
Rooibos is the subject of considerable research. Currently, it is being examined for its ability to treat many different medical conditions.

1 comment:

  1. I have one or two packets of Wisdom of the Ancients rooibos in my kitchen somewhere...if I make some and soak my hand in it, will it help my eczema?

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