Drinking tea has plenty of health benefits. Whilst there are many different teas on the market, this brew has demonstrated some remarkable properties. It contains powerful anti-oxidants that can impact favorably on many diseases in the human body.
There are many aspects to tea culture—how it is brewed, ceremonies associated with it, and different surroundings all play a part. Chinese tea ceremonies are where it all began during the ninth century, and tea was then introduced from there to Japan.
You may not have heard of rooibos tea, or red bush as it is known, which is grown on the Western Cape Province of South Africa and is a great caffeine-free alternative to black tea or coffee.
The leaves from a shrub called aspalathus linearisare are left to oxidize, and they turn a deep rusty red, hence the name red bush.
For centuries, this distinctive African tea has been recognized for its many medicinal properties, and for that reason, it’s gaining in popularity worldwide.
It can be drunk in a similar way to black tea, either with or without milk, and its refreshingly nutty sweet taste can be enjoyed by anyone. What’s more, it won’t cause insomnia if you take it as a nightcap. In fact, this tea is known to help you sleep better. What’s not to like about it?
- Rooibos contains high levels of antioxidants, including aspalathin and quercetin, which help to prevent allergies. It has strong anti-inflammatory and anti-viral properties and can help alleviate aches and pains.
- The antioxidants present in red bush promote heart health and reduce the risk of coronary heart disease. A 2015 Korean study found aspalathin worked to lower blood pressure through hormone regulation, and improved blood flow.
- Overweight people in one study who drank six cups of red bush for six weeks had a decrease in bad cholesterol and an increase in good cholesterol. This is encouraging, as heart disease has been on the increase in the United States. The tea also had a beneficial effect on blood pressure.
- Antioxidants quercetin and luteolin present in red bush have been shown to prevent tumor growth and kill cancer cells, but no studies have as yet been done on humans.
- One of the antioxidants present, aspalathin, has demonstrated anti-diabetic properties in mice and reduces insulin resistance. These are promising results for type-2 diabetics; however, more testing needs to be done.
With all these great benefits from drinking Rooibos, perhaps you too should try a little red bush.