6/2/2019 2 Comments Down to a T: Rooibos TeaGeneral Info Origin: Aspalathus Linearis Taste: Smoky, sweet, vanilla, woody, honey, herbal, caramel, floral. Caffeine level: None Storage: In a cool, dark place, away from light, oxygen and moisture. Best before: Up to 2 years Today, I am coming at you with a tea that is growing in popularity; rooibos tea. Fun fact, rooibos tea is not made from the Camellia sinensis plant, from which we get black, green and white tea (if you haven’t seen my previous blog posts in this series, find them here). Some people state that, for that specific reason, rooibos is not a “real” tea. I beg to differ. I think tea can be made from a whole lot of different plants. Actually, rooibos tea holds a very dear place in my heart. With its sweet taste and beautiful amber color, it is one of my favorites. Read on to learn more about this unique beverage. History Rooibos tea comes from a plant called Aspalathus linearis, from the Fabaceae family. This plant, exclusive to the Western Cape province of South Africa, looks like an upturned duster. Each stem holds many “needles”, with the occasional yellow flower. It grows in the mountains, where the climate is dry, with significant rainfall. When rooibos (which means “red bush”) blooms in the spring, each flower contains a legume with a single seed inside. When it is ripe, the seed pops out and lands on the soil, where it will usually be harvested by ants. Rooibos takes about 18 months to grow completely and is usually harvested during the summer. It is the Dutch settlers of the Western Cape region who discovered that this plant could be made into tea. They started drinking it because it was much less expensive than the black tea they were used to. That was in the 1700s. After that, it took years for rooibos tea to be commercialized and popularized elsewhere. In the 1930s, South African Pieter Lafras Nortier started conducting experiments in order to cultivate the rooibos plant. If he succeeded, local farmers would be able to germinate their own seeds and grow rooibos at will, instead of depending on nature (although, when you plant something, you always depend on nature. But that’s beside the point.). Eventually, he succeeded and taught his fellow farmers to sift the soil around the plant to collect the seeds and germinate them in order to start a new crop each spring. That method would allow rooibos to become a pillar of the region’s economy. Because it can be used in many different ways, this plant quickly became extremely popular. Now, rooibos seeds are one of the most expensive vegetable seeds in the world. In 1994, right before rooibos arrived in the United States, the management consulting firm Burke International hurriedly registered the name “rooibos”. Later on, when the tea made its grand entrance in the Western world, herbal tea companies and the American Herbal Products Association tried to reclaim the new, very popular name. Eventually, Burke International lost and had to give up the name, which is now public property. That goes to show how popular rooibos tea was becoming and how companies were ready to fight for their part of it. Because rooibos grows in harmony with nature and local micro-organisms, it is particularly threatened by climate change. With higher temperatures and fewer rainfall, cultivators are afraid the plant might eventually not get the proper environment to grow anymore. That’s a nice reminder to care for the environment and do our part in order to slow down global warming. The making To make rooibos tea, the plants are cut down by hand, once they have shed their seeds. The stems and the leaves are sorted and then bound into little bundles. These are quickly bruised in order to let the oxidation process begin, which happens when the plant is exposed to oxygen. The oxidized leaves and stems can then be brewed to make the red-colored beverage we all know and love. There is a “green” type of rooibos tea, which isn’t oxidized, a bit like green tea. Because producers have to make sure the leaves don’t oxidize by accident, the process of making green rooibos can be demanding, making the final product much more expensive. Once it is made, like black tea, rooibos tea gets graded, based on its percentage of needles. A higher grade contains more leaves, is darker, and much richer. Dust and stems are used to make bagged and lower grade tea. The higher grade is usually exported and sadly doesn’t reach the local markets. Proper Use Tea, in general, can be used in many different ways and is very beneficial. Rooibos tea, however, defies all expectations. With more health benefits than regular tea, it also doesn’t have the occasional health concerns raised by its counterpart. The leaves can also be used in more ways than the leaves of the Camellia sinensis plant. Convinced yet? When fresh, rooibos contains a lot of vitamin C, which is unfortunately lost when it is made into tea, along with other nutrients. For that reason (and for many others), the plant can also be consumed in other forms. Rooibos powder and extract are used for cooking and in various anti-aging cosmetic products. A concentrate can also be used to create other beverages like espresso, lattes, cappuccinos, iced tea and modern cocktails. Rooibos pairs extremely well with food and also makes an excellent natural dying agent. The amount of products made with rooibos is quite surprising. Since this blog post is about tea, let’s talk about the health benefits of drinking actual rooibos tea. Even though some aspects still need solid proof, rooibos tea is said to help prevent inflammation and maintain skin and bone health. It is jam-packed with antioxidants, which is why it is mostly used in anti-aging products. Among other things, rooibos is said to alleviate collic, headaches, insomnia, asthma, eczema and allergies. The plant is rich in minerals like iron, calcium, zinc and magnesium. It also contributes to the health of your heart, regulates blood pressure, lowers bad cholesterol and increases the good one. In addition, drinking rooibos tea can ease stomach cramps and boost the immune system. Contrary to black and green tea, it is low in tannins, which are polyphenols that, consumed excessively, can cause stomach problems and liver damage. So while drinking 5 cups of green tea a day can potentially hurt your liver, there are no consequences to drinking many cups of rooibos tea in the same day. But everything in moderation, eh? To make the perfect cup of rooibos tea, you can check out my Tea Cheat Sheet for precise steeping time and water temperature. Rooibos tea can be steeped more than once and for longer than other types of tea. To put it simply, don’t sweat it; if brewed for too long, or with water that’s too hot, rooibos tea will simply become stronger, never bitter. It is great on its own, but the traditional South African way to drink it is to add a splash of milk and a little honey or sugar. In my opinion, it also makes amazing iced tea, perfect for the summertime. I think that rooibos tea hasn’t even reached its full potential yet. With so many benefits, ways to use it, and with such a strong history, rooibos tea will surely be a hot topic for tea enthusiasts in future years. To be honest, I’m really not complaining. Cheers! Much love,
-TM-
2 Comments
Elaine
6/2/2019 05:29:27 pm
J'adore cet article. On y apprend tellement de choses! Merci!😀
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Isabelle Bernuy
6/3/2019 01:56:41 pm
Contente que tu aies aimé!
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