Where To Buy Red Bush Tea

"Rooibos" means "red bush," but the rooibos plant has green, needle-like leaves and tiny yellow flowers. When workers pick, bruise, and ferment the leaves to make tea, they turn a reddish color, giving the tea its name. The leaves are also picked and dried without fermenting to make green rooibos tea.

Many conventional drugs used today, including isoniazid, dapsone, and acetaminophen, are well recognized culprits of hepatotoxicity. With increasing use of complementary and alternative medical therapies, several herbal medicines, such as Ma-Huang, kava, and chaparral leaf, have been implicated as hepatotoxins. Hepatotoxicity may be the most frequent adverse reaction to these herbal remedies when taken in excessive quantities. A myriad of liver dysfunctions may occur including transient liver enzyme abnormalities due to acute and chronic hepatitis. These herbal products are often overlooked as the causal etiologic agent during the evaluation of a patient with elevated liver function tests. We describe a case of hepatotoxicity due to ingestion of red bush tea diagnosed during preoperative assessment of a patient scheduled for laparoscopic appendectomy. Elevated liver enzymes and thrombocytopenia detected in the patient's laboratory work up confounded the initial diagnosis of acute appendicitis and additional investigations were required to rule out cholecystitis and other causes of hepatitis. Open appendectomy was done uneventfully under spinal anesthesia without any further deterioration of hepatic function.

Rooibos (/ˈrɔɪbɒs/ ROY-Boss; Afrikaans: [rɔːibɔs], meaning "red bush"), or Aspalathus linearis, is a broom-like member of the plant family Fabaceae that grows in South Africa's fynbos biome.

Rooibos grades are largely related to the percentage needle or leaf to stem content in the mix. A higher leaf content results in a darker liquor, richer flavour and less dusty aftertaste. The high-grade rooibos is exported and does not reach local markets, with major consumers being the EU, particularly Germany, where it is used in creating flavoured blends for loose-leaf tea markets.[17]

Aspalathus linearis has a small endemic range in the wild, but horticultural techniques to maximize production have been effective at maintaining cultivation as a semi-wild crop to supply the new demands of the broadening rooibos tea industry. A. linearis is often grouped with the honeybush (Cyclopia), another plant from the Fynbos region of Southern Africa, which is also used to make tea. Like other members of the genus, A. linearis is considered a part of the Fynbos ecoregion in the Cape Floristic Region, whose plants often depend on fire for reproduction.

The South African Department of Trade and Industry issued final rules on 6 September 2013 that protects and restricts the use of the names "rooibos", "red bush", "rooibostee", "rooibos tea", "rooitee", and "rooibosch" in the country so that the name cannot be used for things unless they are derived from the Aspalathus linearis plant. It also provides guidance and restrictions for how products that include rooibos and in what measures should use the name rooibos in their branding.[33]

Rooibos tea has also been linked to weight loss, as featured in Channel 4's Food Unwrapped series. In the programme, they looked at ongoing research and discussed 'the secret ingredient in redbush tea that could help us burn fat'. Rooibos tea is ideal as part of a healthier lifestyle as it contains no sugar or dairy when consumed on its own and is wonderfully hydrating and gentle.

This is no ordinary tea harvest. But then Rooibos (Afrikaans for 'red bush') is no ordinary tea. Strictly speaking a legume, the needle-like leaves produce a deeply delicious caffeine-free drink. It has been used as a medicine to cure innumerable ills and drunk for pleasure for many thousands of years by the people of this area.

This is real bush-tea - it's beyond organic and indigenous. To protect the delicate ecosystem of the Cederberg Mountains it's harvested on horseback with machetes, ensuring no damage is done to the fragile local environment.

Rooibos ("red bush") grows as a low shrub, reaching a height of 1.2 to 1.5 m. It has long, needle-like leaves and small yellow flowers. The plant is native to South Africa and is cultivated extensively for its commercial value as a substitute for common tea. The leaves and twigs are collected, washed, bruised, fermented, dried, cut, and packaged for use as teas. During this process, the leaves change from green to brick red due to the release of a red pigment found in the leaves and stems.1 Synonyms are Borbonia pinifolia Marloth or Aspalathus contaminata (Thunb.) Druce.

"Bush teas" are common throughout Africa and are frequently used as substitutes for common tea. Red bush tea has been popular in South Africa for decades, and commercial preparations are sometimes found in Europe and the United States. In 1994, an American company registered the name "Rooibos" with the United States Patent and Trademark Office. However, the American Herbal Products Association and a number of import companies successfully petitioned to defeat the trademark in 2005, returning the name to the public domain.2 In 2013, the South African Department of Trade and Industry issued geographic indicator trade restrictions on the name rooibos in that country.3

Chemical constituents detailed for red bush tea primarily consist of flavonoids (ie, catechin, quercetin, rutin, vitexin, dihydrochalcones aspalathin, nothofagin) and phenolic acids (ie, caffeic, p-coumaric, ferulic, vanillic acids).5, 6, 7, 8, 9 Aspalathin, a dihydrochalcone C-glucoside, was identified in 1965,10 with green (unfermented) rooibos possibly containing more aspalathin than the commercial fermented rooibos tea.11 An enolic phenylpyruvic acid glucoside has also been identified.12

Red bush tea contains no caffeine or pyrrolizidine alkaloids and low amounts of tannins (less than 5%), as determined by spectrophotometry and gas chromatography.14 The tea contains a relatively high level of vitamin C, as well as some sodium, potassium, magnesium, calcium, and zinc.5, 6

Animal studies have shown increased creatinine levels, but no changes in kidney tissue on histology.55 A study of human volunteers receiving 6 cups of tea daily for 6 weeks noted increased serum levels of creatinine, as well as ALT and AST enzymes.30 A case of hepatotoxicity has been reported in a 37-year-old man who consumed 10 cups/day of red bush tea for more than a year. He was scheduled for an emergency appendectomy where his preoperative work-up revealed elevated liver enzymes and thrombocytopenia. All other causes for the hepatotoxicity were ruled out and the tea was deemed to be the responsible agent.60

Historically, Rooibos was made by the people indigenous to the Cedarberg Mountains in South Africa, which is pretty much the only place on the planet where Rooibos will grow. They would pluck the leaves, bruise them with stones to start a fermentation process, and then dry them in the sun. Today the process has been mechanised but follows the same principles. Experiments in growing Rooibos in other parts of the world have failed, partly due to the fact that Aspalathus Linearis has a very long tap root, (which requires deep topsoil) and also because it is claimed by the South Africans to have a symbiotic relationship with the organisms that are particular to their immediate environment. It is even claimed that within 100 years, climate change will have rendered Rooibos extinct! Even its name has been subject to controversy, with an American company, Burke International, attempting to patent the name and ban its use other than on their own products. In 2005, many lawsuits and legal petitions resulted in Burke allowing the name to pass into the public domain.

Today, the Rooibos red bush tea is often enjoyed much the safe way black tea or coffee is, with cream and sugar. However, rooibos is finding a modern preparation via the red espresso. Rooibos is ground to a fine powder and processed as espresso powder would be. The result is a much richer, more intense, dark red brew. In addition, many people enjoy brewing these rooibos tea leaves in milk as opposed to water and sweetening it with vanilla and simple syrup.

Throughout history, Tazo has emerged among the more advanced cultures of the day as a refreshing break from routine. The discovery of red bush in Africa is thought to have been brought to mankind by the eternal tea shaman Zodnas, who is variously depicted in ancient carvings as a bird, a star, and a talking rock. His seal, the wheel of Tazo appears on top of this package as a sign of good luck.You need to login or register to view and manage your bookmarks.$3.81 USD at time of publicationBuy from DrVita.comSharePinTweetEmailBookmarkThe Gardenista editors provide a curated selection of product recommendations for your consideration. Clicking through to the retailer that sells the product may earn us a commission..comments{padding-bottom:0}Have a Question or Comment About This Product?Join the conversation#disqus_thread.disqus-comments iframe#dsq-app1[style]{height:320px!important}Related ProductsLeaves and FlowersFoodTurmeric Wellness$17.00 USDfrom Leaves and FlowersLeaves and FlowersFoodDigestive Seed Tea$16.00 USDfrom Leaves and FlowersLeaves and FlowersFoodAjna Tea$17.00 USDfrom Leaves and FlowersLeaves and FlowersFoodFlower Sun Tea$17.50 USDfrom Leaves and FlowersAncient HarvestFoodSupergrain Pasta Garden Pagodas$3.99 USDfrom Ancient HarvestAncient HarvestFoodPOW! Pasta Red Lentil Rotini$3.79 USDfrom Ancient HarvestFoodPasta Lensi Red Lentil Fusilli$125.94 USDfrom EbayExplore CuisineFoodExplore Asia Organic Black Bean Spaghetti$7.01 USDfrom AmazonadConfig.declaration='L1BST0RVQ1RTL1RBWk9fVEVBX0FGUklDQU5fUkVEX0JVU0g=';adConfig.template='product';adConfig.targeting.wptag=[]join us on gardenista_sourcebookSourcebook for Cultivated Living, sister site to @remodelistaTag us using #gardenista ??Most of our much loved vegetables for the home garHailing from New Zealand and Australia and a membeEvery gardener knows the importance of healthy soiAuthor Emily Murphy encourages us all to plant witBeyond its native East Asian range, Japanese honeyFollow on InstagramRemodelista SitesSOURCEBOOK FOR CONSIDERED LIVINGThe definitive guide to stylish outdoor spaces, with garden tours, hardscape help, plant primers, and daily design news.SOURCEBOOK FOR THE CONSIDERED HOMEThe one-stop sourcebook for the considered home, guiding readers artfully through the remodeling and design process.Your resource for finding the best storage and home organization solutions for every room in the house.Stay Updated!Receive the Gardenista newsletter in your inbox daily.CompanyAboutContactTerms of ServicePrivacyCommitment to AccessibilityHave a Project for Gardenista?Follow UsPinterestInstagramFacebookTwitterEmailForumsCopyright © 2007-2023 Remodelista, LLC. All rights reserved. Remodelista, Gardenista, 10 Easy Pieces, Steal This Look, 5 Quick Fixes, Design Sleuth, High/Low Design, Sourcebook for the Considered Home, and Sourcebook for Considered Living are ® registered trademarks of Remodelista, LLC.The Gardenista editors provide a curated selection of product recommendations for your consideration. Clicking through to the retailer that sells the product may earn us a commission.v5.0 781b155fdc