Posts Tagged ‘Herbal tea’

Rooibos tea and pregnancy

Posted in Pregnancy and breastfeeding, Rooibos tea health on 12/15/2008 12:55 pm by admin

The question frequently arises among pregnant woman. Is it ok to drink rooibos tea during pregnancy? Well first of all rooibos is technically not a tea, thus not derived from the tea plant camellia sinensis. Rooibos is in fact a legume from the aspalathus family.

As a consequence of this rooibos is naturally caffeine free and very low in tannins which brings many health related benefits to everybody drinking it. Especially pregnant women should keep an eye on their health and the health of their baby.

The strong and aromatic taste makes it a natural substitute for coffee especially in the time of pregnancy when caffeine intake should be limited or avoided completely.

Rooibos gift set

The tannins present in large amounts in teas can cause a lower iron absorption in the blood stream. As anemia is quite frequent in pregnancy or breastfeeding the low tannins in rooibos can be quite beneficial to this cause. Some studies have shown that adding vitamin C to Rooibos tea can greatly increase the body’s capacity to absorb iron and antioxidants.

Aside from that Rooibos tea can have a major role in the life of a pregnant woman, easing many symptoms that come with particular state.

Rooibos can be beneficial in states of constipation, nausea or stomach cramps. Further it can improve liver function and help in states of anxiety and depression.

A word of caution however. In many cases Rooibos is mixed with other herbs and those herbs might cause some undesired effects during pregnancy.

 

Rooibos tea

Posted in Green rooibos, Red rooibos, Rooibos tea health on 12/12/2008 06:58 pm by admin

Red, black and green tea

Rooibos tea

In latter years rooibos tea health benefits have propelled the tea beyond the tea.

Full of antioxidants and flavonoids the plant’s extracts are used in shampoos, rejuvinating products and a host of other cosmetics products.

Calming and refreshing it is indicated for all kinds of health problems. Nausea, constipation, stomach cramps, insomnia to name just a few. Highly commanded in situations where caffeine and or tannine intake are not recommended. With its strong taste and aroma it is particularly indicated in pregnancy to women who find it difficult to give up tea or coffee.

Only in recent year has rooibos achieved its deserved fame. With inventions like red espresso a healthy alternative to coffe

a healthy cup of rooibos

e which expresses the full body and aroma of coffee without the ill effects of caffeine and with a very high amount of antioxidants.

History

Rooibos tea. A delicious concoction, a golden-red beverage consumed for centuries by the

Southafrican Khoi tribe. It has been discovered by the westerners only in the seventeenth century.

A swedish botanist Carl Thunberg observed the natives of the Cape area making tea from a plant harvested in the surrounding Caderberg mountains. The plant was called red bush and later rooibos.

The plant’s fine leaves were cut, rolled into bags and transported into the valley with the help of donkies. The leaves were than chopped and bruised on rocks and left to dry in the sun. The dried leaves were then brewed much like tea or coffee in hot water to obtain sweet red drink with a strong aroma. It would then be used as a casual drink and to aleviate many ailments.

The tea was quickly adopted by the Dutch colonists as a replacement for black tea which was already an expensive as it relied on trade from Europe.

In the early twentieth century a russian settler Benjamin Ginsberg exploring the Cape mountains rediscovered the red beverage and the many uses the natives had for it. Being fascinated with the tea he ran a host of experiments perfecting the harvesting and fermentation of rooibos. When he discovered the potential market for the tea he gave locals incentives to cultivate the plant on their farms. His bet payed off.

The rooibos market became one of the most lucrative spice businesses of the time. Since then rooibos tea grew in popularity. It is also mentioned in Alexander Mccall Smith’s detective novels The No.1 ladies Agency as Mma Ramotswe’s favourite drink - the red bush tea.