Recently, rooibos tea has become popular. This is a drink from South Africa, where it has been consumed for many centuries. In European countries, he became known only recently, but has already gained popularity. Indeed, the pleasant taste, unusual aroma and tonic properties distinguish it from other types of tea. And the presence of many nutrients and the absence of caffeine make this drink useful. The main thing is to know how to brew rooibos correctly. Then he will give the drink all the healing properties and will be tasty.
General characteristics of rooibos tea
How to brew this drink correctly, while few know. Only recently, rooibos tea has become popular all over the world. And in South Africa, where it grows, local residents have long used the leaves and branches of this plant as a medicine. They believed that this drink gives vigor, health and prolongs youth.
Rooibos is a small shrub that grows in only one area of Africa. Only here climatic conditions are favorable for him, in other places the rooibos does not grow. Therefore, it is grown on an industrial scale and supplied to all countries of the world. Rooibos tea is most popular in Germany and Japan.
This drink is made from young twigs and needle-like leaves of a plant. Those who know how to brew rooibos correctly note that tea has a pleasant sweetish taste with a slight sourness. Its aroma is also unusual: a little nutty, woody or herbal.
The benefits of this drink
Many are now trying to figure out how to brew rooibos. After learning about the many medicinal properties of this drink, everyone wants to try it. This tea has a tonic and refreshing effect, has a pleasant taste and aroma. But unlike the now popular tea and coffee, it does not contain caffeine, so even children can drink it.
This plant contains many trace elements, vitamins and nutrients. It has a lot of antioxidants, essential oils, flavonoids, contains magnesium, iron, fluorine, copper, calcium. In addition, rooibos contains a substance similar in action to tetracycline, so it can be considered a natural antibiotic.
If you know how to brew rooibos correctly, you can take advantage of its beneficial properties just by consuming a tasty drink. It has the following effect on the body:
- calms, helps to cope with stress, normalizes sleep;
- strengthens the immune system, has anti-inflammatory properties;
- helps to cope with intoxication, removes toxins from the body;
- thanks to a large amount of calcium strengthens bones and protects teeth from caries;
- relieves spasms, removes flatulence and increased gas formation in the intestine;
- strengthens the walls of blood vessels;
- activates blood circulation;
- improves memory and mental activity;
- slows down the aging process;
- improves skin and hair condition;
- prevents the development of cancer.
Who needs to drink rooibos tea
Unlike many other medicinal plants, rooibos can be consumed even by children and pregnant women. During the bearing of the child, the use of this drink favorably affects the health of the mother and baby. And during lactation, rooibos increases the production of breast milk. This drink can be consumed by everyone, at any time of the day, without fear of overexcitation and insomnia.
Rooibos tea is especially useful for nausea, heartburn, flatulence, constipation. It is recommended to drink with diabetes, hepatitis, high blood pressure. They give rooibos even to young children to improve sleep quality and fight intestinal colic. And due to the lack of oxalic acid and tannin, it can be drunk by people with a predisposition to stone formation.
It is recommended to know how to brew and drink rooibos for people with high blood pressure, nervous disorders, depression, sleep disturbance, allergic diseases. This tea helps to cope with anxiety, overwork, headaches, and a hangover. It should be drunk to prevent cancer, to normalize the work of the heart and kidneys. It is recommended to use rooibos in spring, when the body is weakened, with increased physical and mental stress.
Possible harm to rooibos tea
This drink is considered absolutely safe; it is not in vain that it can be given even to small children. But some people may experience individual intolerance to the components of the plant, in which case it can not be used. It is not recommended to drink this tea on an empty stomach, with exacerbation of diseases of the gastrointestinal tract, diarrhea. People with severe chronic illnesses should consult a doctor before consuming a new drink.
Types of Rooibos Tea
Twigs and leaves of this plant, which are needles, are brewed. Despite the fact that rooibos has nothing to do with ordinary tea, it is made in the same way. There are two types of tea: fermented and not. Rooibos green tea is a plant leaf, only slightly steamed. This helps preserve the color and aroma of the plant, as well as its specific taste.
For fermentation, the raw materials are laid out on baking sheets, moistened, and then dried. After that, they crumple it with special presses. Fermented rooibos tea is also called red; the drink from it acquires a pleasant orange tint.
Rooibos is for sale, like regular tea: by weight, packaged in boxes, as well as in bags for single tea leaves. Sometimes manufacturers add other herbs, fruit slices, flavorings to the plant. You can find on the shelves of shops strawberry tea rooibos, very popular in Africa, as well as a drink with slices of orange, mango, apples, lemon, cinnamon or rose petals. Rooibos goes well with lemongrass, chamomile, stevia, immortelle, hibiscus, cornflower, goji berries. Many well-known tea manufacturers produce their specialty drinks with rooibos. This is Greenfield with a delicate creamy taste and aroma of vanilla or Lipton with cinnamon.
How to brew rooibos tea
This is a vitamin drink, the value of which depends on how well it is prepared. Amateurs note that there are no difficulties in brewing rooibos. The main thing is not to use clay dishes for this, as it absorbs the aroma and taste of tea. Rooibos is brewed in an enameled, metal or glass teapot. Add a few tablespoons of dry raw materials or a tea bag to a cup and pour boiling water. Tea is infused for 3-5 minutes. But many say that the longer it costs, the tastier the drink. In Africa, rooibos is brewed for at least half an hour.
Many people wonder how many times you can brew a rooibos. A feature of this plant is that the taste of the drink only benefits from re-brewing. Some lovers when making tea prefer to boil it for several minutes. In this case, a specific taste and aroma is formed, but many useful properties are lost.
Beverage Options
In addition to the usual method of brewing rooibos, many prefer to cook it in the traditional African way - on fire or in a water bath. So the plant gives off more aroma, and the drink turns out to be more saturated. It needs to be heated no longer than 2-3 minutes, and it is recommended to mix it with a wooden stick.
It is good to eat rooibos tea for breakfast, all day and even before bedtime. It goes well with other herbs, cinnamon, lemon. Drink it with honey, cream or milk. This tea is delicious both hot and cold. It can be the basis for non-alcoholic cocktails with fruit juice or fruits. Also, decaffeinated coffee is prepared based on this plant. You can make espresso, latte or cappuccino. It turns out a delicious tonic drink that can be drunk even by children.