rooibos

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Rooibos tea plant, red bush, red tea.

Description:Rooibos is a member of the legume family of plants. The rooibos

shrub can grow up to 2 meter in height. The erects red coloured rooibos

stems contain many dark green needle shaped leaves. The rooibos shrub

produces small yellow flowers in spring through early summer. Each flower

produces a one seeded small bean. Roobos has a long tap root, sometimes up

to 2 m in length, enabling the plant to survive periods of drought.

Parts used:Only the rooibos leaves and twigs are used. Rooibos leaves are

harvested in summer, cut or chopped and are left to ferment. During the

fermentation of the rooibos leaves, some chemicals are oxidized by enzymes

resulting in the typical red colour and flavour of rooibos. Unfermented

rooibos tea is also used and contains more antioxidants. Unfermented rooibos

tea has a yellow color rather than the red colour of fermented rooibos.

Phytochemicals:Aspalathin, Nothofagin, Caffeic Acid, Chrysoeriol,

Isoquercitrin, Orientin, Isoorientin, Luteolin, Vitexin, Isovitexin,

Luteolin, Rutin, Flavonoids, Quercetin, Polyphenols

Medicinal properties:Rooibos has anti-carcinogenic and antimutagenic effects

Rooibos tea is used for its anti-inflammatory and anti-allergic properties.

Consumption of rooibos tea may relief fever, asthma, insomnia, colic in

infants and skin disorders. Rooibos extracts are used in ointments against

eczema. In South Africa it is very common to give rooibos tea to babies who

suffer from stomach cramps (colics).

Rooibos is the only known source of the phytochemical aspalathin. In vitro

and animal studies have indicated that quercetin and luteolin help to

prevent cardiovascular disease, some cancers and stroke. Rutin has been

associated with the maintenance of blood vessels walls.

Because rooibos contains no caffeine, it is suited for babies and children.

The low level of tannins in rooibos will prevent problems with iron

absorption.

Sasaki YF et all (Mutat Res 1993;286:221-232) showed in their study ' The

clastogen-suppressing effects of green tea, Po-lei tea and Rooibos tea in

CHO cells and mice' that fermented rooibos tea reduced cancer-associated

changes in animal cells induced by the certain mutagens both in vitro and in

vivo. Other researchers found that rooibos extracts from fermented rooibos

leaves reduced cancerous transformation of mouse cells irradiation with

x-rays. They found that extracts from unfermented green rooibos tea did not

show this protective effect.

Other facts:Rooibos is grown only in the Cedarberg area and around the villages

Clanwilliam and Citrusdal, which are situated to the north of Cape Town in South

Africa. Efforts to cultivate rooibos in other areas or countries with similar

climates have failed. Apparently rooibos needs a very specific climate and soil

to grow. Rooibos tea has always been very popular in South Africa. To make the

popular rooibos tea, the dried rooibos leaves are boiled in water and is often

consumed with milk. Rooibos tea is much appreciated because it does not contain

caffeine and is low in tannins.