RED ROOIBOS TEA: INTRO
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Rooibos tea drinkers are popping up all over the world as people are discovering the benefits of this amazing tea. There are two main forms of rooibos tea, red rooibos tea and green rooibos tea. Red Rooibos Tea is the traditional form of rooibos tea. In fact, its nickname is Traditional Rooibos Tea. Rooibos tea is so healthy and important that I decided to make a detailed post for each form of rooibos tea. This post is dedicated to Red Rooibos Tea, and I have another post dedicated to Green Rooibos Tea. Although green rooibos tea is the newer and trendier version of the two, i still enjoy my red rooibos tea. That’s just the kind of guy that I am.
Read my Ultimate Guide for Rooibos Tea to discover additional information about both forms of this magical tea.
RED ROOIBOS TEA: GUIDE
Red Rooibos Tea Overview
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Red Rooibos Tea is differs from green rooibos tea because it is fermented after harvesting. This is what causes the traditional rooibos tea’s wonderful red color and unique flavor profile. Unfortunately, the fermentation process destroys a large amount of the rooibos tea’s natural compounds containing antioxidants. It also reduces the compound that has anti-allergic properties. That is why the preparation for Green Rooibos Tea was created in 1999.
Red Rooibos Tea Appearance
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The Red Rooibos Tea is derived from the Rooibos bush that is native to the mountains of South Africa. The scientific name for the rooibos bush is Aspalathus linearis. Many people compare the appearance of this bush to a broom. The pointy needles closely resemble the broom’s bristles. These needles are actually leaves, and they are the part of the plant used for tea. All of these plants are technically found in one mountain range, the Cederberg Mountain Range in S. Africa. The bush creates yellow flowers every spring. Many tea drinkers request tea derived from bushes harvested in the higher altitudes.
Red Rooibos Tea History
The famous botanist Carl Humberg discovered the rooibos bush, Aspalathus linearis, in 1772. The Dutch were the first to develop this plant’s leaves into an alternative for the expensive black tea. Many Dutch people preferred black tea, but it was costly to import. Fortuntely, rooibos tea was a much cheaper alternative. This traditional form of the rooibos tea was actually Red Rooibos Tea. The other form of rooibos tea, green rooibos tea, wasn’t created until the late 1990’s. Green rooibos is the healthier alternative because it avoids the fermentation process that kills a majority of the antioxidants found naturally in rooibos. Powdered rooibos was developed in 2002. This powdered form is primarily used in baking and cooking. All forms of rooibos have become extremely popular in the past 10-20 years.
Red Rooibos Tea: List of Benefits & Uses
Although green rooibos tea is knwn as the healthier form of rooibos tea, Red Rooibos Tea is also extremely healthy. Both forms contain high level of antioxidants. Antioxidants fight free radicals and can help improve overall well-being. Red Rooibos Tea also has other health benefits that can be seen on the chart below:
I suggest reading my Rooibos Tea Benefits post to discover more details about the benefits of Red Rooibos Tea.
There very few documented side effects for consuming either form of Rooibos Tea. It is important to speak with your healthcare professional prior to consuming any herbal teas. They can interact with your prescription medications and can be dangerous.
Red Rooibos Tea Taste
Red Rooibos Tea has remained popular for over 100 years due to its pleasant taste and unique flavor profile. Red Rooibos Tea is famous for its refreshing taste, and it doesn’t contain the bitter flavor found in many other tea preparations. Red Rooibos Tea has a flavor profile often described as nutty and flavorful. The tea is delicious by itself, but some tea drinkers add natural sweeteners to enhance the flavor further. Optional natural sweeteners can include sugar and honey.
Rooibos Iced Tea Bags Recipe
Ingredients (2 Servings)
- 2 Rooibos Tea Bag (My List of Best Rooibos Tea Bags)
- 3 Cups of Filtered Water
- 2 Cups of Ice
- 1 Lemon, sliced
- 4 Fresh Mint Leaves
- Optional: Sugar or Honey to taste
Instructions
- Place 3 Cups of Filtered Water into your pot or tea kettle and bring to a boil.
- Reduce heat and place 1 Rooibos Tea Bag into your pot or tea kettle. The rooibos should mix with the hot water, and set the heat to allow the tea to simmer. Be careful not to burn yourself!
- Allow tea leaves to simmer for 3-5 minutes. If you prefer stronger tea, steep it for closer to 5 minutes.
- While the tea is simmering, grab your tea glasses and place 1 cup of ice in each one. Add 2 fresh mint leaves and 1 lemon slice to each glass, as well.
- After the tea is done simmering, add the optional honey or sugar to the hot tea and stir to mix evenly.
- Pour the tea mixture through a strainer into your tea glasses. Once the tea hits the ice, it should be cool enough to drink.
- Enjoy, your tea is now ready to consume.
If you would like to see several other simple recipes, I suggest reading my Free Rooibos Tea Recipes.
Red Rooibos Tea: Buy the Best
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RED ROOIBOS TEA: SUMMARY
I hope this detailed post has helped you become acquainted with Red Rooibos Tea. This tea is amazing and has several health benefits that can be used to improve your overall health. I highly suggest drinking either form of rooibos tea, and I drink several cups myself each month!
Red Rooibos Tea: Comments
Do you have additional information pertaining to Red Rooibos Tea? Please share your knowledge in the Comments section below, and help this community grow!
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