The health benefits of rooibos tea
Although its role in traditional medicine is sometimes overestimated among the Khoisan tribe rooibos tea was already considered a medical plant. In traditional medicine it was used to ease children’s colics, as well as to relieve asthma, allergies or skin irritations.Today, rooibos tea is praised for its high nutrition levels, the lack of caffeine and the relatively low tannin levels in comparison with other types of tea (camellia sinensis), which is why the consume of rooibos neither leads to caffeine induced sleeping problems, nor has it any tendency to cause stomach irritations. Thus rooibos is very suitable for elderly people and even for very young children, who love the natural sweet aroma. As no additional sweetener is necessary, the risk of caries for children is quite low.
Because rooibos it is said to quickly replace sodium lost through sweating, the tea has furthermore become a respectable alternative to cold refreshments for sportsmen, manual workers or other people who suffer under high physical strain. The proportion of mineral nutrients and micro nutrients in rooibos (it contains considerable amounts of potassium, sodium, magnesium, calcium fluorine, iron, copper, zinc and manganese), is also supposed to improve the quality of hair, teeth, fingernails and bones.
Among the major substances of content, considered to add to the health improving effects of rooibos tea the so called flavanoids are mentioned. Those are water-soluble herbal colorants, which work as antioxidants. Binding free radicals, antioxidants are discussed within the scientific community as a major protagonist in preventing cancer, as well as in slowing down its progress. Currently, a large amount of studies are undertaken, in order to verify the effect of those antioxidants in rooibos tea.