14 Rooibos Tea Benefits for Feeling Amazing

rooibos tea in cup

Unless you are from Southern Africa or Britain, you might not be acquainted with a phenomenal, herbal tea rooibos, but you might know it as bush tea or redbush tea. Whether you are familiar or not, you’re going to enjoy the amazing boost in your health that you get from this potent tea. We’ll take a look at 14 rooibos tea benefits, but before we do, what is rooibos tea?

Rooibos tea comes from a plant in the Western Cape province of South Africa. The plant and its needle-like leaves resemble a rosemary bush. The leaves are harvested and allowed to oxidize using the same process as is used to make black tea, but rooibos tea turns red in color as it oxidizes. It is typically brewed and served just like tea in most parts of the world where it is consumed, but there are some places in South Africa that have begun to brew it in a similar fashion to espresso.

This tea is high in antioxidants, which is just one of the many rooibos tea benefits that are causing a stir. In fact, Rooibos tea has 50% more antioxidants than green tea. It also has some other nutrients that make it a great addition to your health regimen. The main nutrients in a cup of rooibos tea include:

  • Potassium – 7.12 mg;
  • Sodium – 6.16 mg;
  • Magnesium – 1.57 mg;
  • Calcium – 1.09 mg.

One very uncommon compound found in rooibos tea, which provides several health benefits, is alpha hydroxyl acid. Let’s take a look at a few of the precautions and warnings connected to the tea’s use before we dive into those 14 rooibos tea benefits for feeling amazing.

Precautions for Using Rooibos tea

As with most every other thing in live, you can get too much of a good thing with rooibos tea. Used in moderation, this tea is considered safe, but studies have indicated that with extreme use, or for certain individuals, there are possible adverse reactions. Those reactions are typically related to its estrogenic properties and how those properties relate to hormone sensitive cancers. If you have this condition, you need to consult a health care professional before using rooibos tea as a therapeutic treatment for any condition.

14 Rooibos Tea Benefits for Feeling Amazing

Treatment of Allergies

One of the rooibos tea benefits that will get your blood flowing relates to its use in the treatment of allergies.

What to do:

  • Use 1 tsp of tea leaves for each cup of boiling water.
  • Pour the water over the leaves into a cup and allow steeping for 5 minutes.
  • Add milk and honey to taste.
  • If you prefer, you can brew this tea in hot milk.

How it works:

Rooibos tea contains flavonoids known as quercetin, which blocks the mast cells responsible for triggering allergic reactions.

rooibos tea cup

 

Skin Vitality

Glowing skin is another item on the long list of rooibos tea benefits.

What to do:

  • Besides consuming rooibos tea, it can be used
  • Brew especially strong tea 1 tsp in ½ cup of water.
  • Allow the water to cool.
  • Apply like toner using a cotton ball or cosmetic pad.

How it works:

Skin and hair health is where the alpha hydroxyl acid in rooibos tea comes into play.

Digestive Aid

Another of the many rooibos tea benefits is found in its use as a digestive aid.

What to do:

  • Brew 1 tsp of tea in 1 cup of water as shown above.
  • Consume tea 20 minutes before each meal.
  • Use as needed to calm indigestion and heartburn.

How it works:

Anti-spasmodic compounds in rooibos tea help to avoid abdominal pain and the occurrence of diarrhea.

Balancing Blood Sugar

Balancing blood sugar is another excellent addition to the many rooibos tea benefits.

What to do:

How it works:

A study at a University in Tokyo shows that aspalathin, found in rooibos tea, has anti-diabetic potential.

Immunity Boosting

Another addition to our list of rooibos tea benefits is immunity boosting.

What to do:

  • Replace that daily caffeine-loaded latte with a rich and delicious rooibos tea latte.

How it works:

The abundance of antioxidants found in rooibos tea helps to reduce free radicals in the bloodstream, protecting you from all sorts of illnesses and diseases.

May Prevent Cancer

Cancer prevention is another prized use on the list of rooibos tea benefits.

What to do:

  • Besides the other recipes included in this list, combine your omega-3s with the benefits of rooibos by adding Salmon with rooibos as a regular part of your diet.

How it works:

A study in Taiwan has shown that quercetin, abundant in rooibos tea, helps to suppress malignant tumor growth by stopping processes related to cancer cell mutation.

rooibos tea in box

Protects Against Arteriosclerosis

Protection against arteriosclerosis is yet another of the many rooibos tea benefits.

What to do:

  • Replacing your usual afternoon soda with rooibos spiced apple tea is one more way to obtain the benefits of this wellness giant.

How it works:

The two chemical compounds, aspalathin and nothofagin, present in rooibos tea help reduce the inflammation and hardening associated with arteriosclerosis.

Lowers Blood Pressure

Believe it or not, rooibos tea benefits your cardiovascular health by helping to lower blood pressure as well.

What to do:

How it works:

Potassium is abundant rooibos tea, which aids in lowering your systolic blood pressure, but a flavonoid known as chrysoeriol is also a blood pressure lowering essential found in this tea.

No Kidney Stones

Another one of the great rooibos tea benefits is that it does not have the potential of producing kidney stones like other teas.

What to do:

  • Add rooibos tea to your morning smoothie. Here is a great rooberry smoothie you might try.

How it works:

People prone to developing kidney stones are discouraged from drinking teas with oxalic acid, but rooibos tea does not contain oxalic acid, so you can replace your other teas with it.

Treatment for Infant Colic

Treatment for infant colic is also on the list of rooibos tea benefits.

What to do:

  • Brew 2 tsp of tea in 1 quart of boiling water.
  • When making formula, replace 2/3 of the water with the premade tea and then add the remaining 1/3 water to complete the mix.

How it works:

Rooibos tea has no tannins and no caffeine, but it does have anti-spasmodic and anti-inflammatory properties which help relieve colic.

Reduction of Inflammation

Another item on our list of rooibos tea benefits is the reduction of inflammation.

What to do:

How it works:

Rooibos tea helps to inhibit the function of inflammatory enzymes because it also contains magnesium and calcium.

Prevents Bone Loss

Preventing bone loss is also among the many rooibos tea benefits.

What to do:

How it works:

The high magnesium and calcium content in rooibos tea is a major contributor to strengthening bones, but it is even more potent in its task because of the added benefits of two flavonoids, orientin, and luteolin, also found in it.

Anti-Aging Benefits

Anti-aging benefits must also be on our list of rooibos tea benefits.

What to do:

How it works:

Rooibos tea not only has the antioxidant benefits, heart health benefits and bone strengthening benefits, but it also helps maintain healthy cognitive function to make it a complete anti-aging success.

rooibos tea with strainer

Weight Loss

The final, but in no way the least on our list of rooibos tea benefits is its ability to help with weight.

What to do:

  • Experiment and discover your favorite way of consuming rooibos tea and use it as a replacement for sodas and other sugary drinks.
  • Consume rooibos tea 10 to 15 minutes before each meal in order to curb your appetite.

How it works:

One of the three compounds which help burn belly fat are polyphenols, which are found in rooibos tea. Consuming rooibos tea before meals helps produce leptin, which is the satiety hormone, making you feel full and eat less.

A Final Word

Whether or not you were previously familiar with rooibos tea, you are certain to be intrigued to give this potent herbal drink a try. Whether you want to cut a few pounds, prevent cancer, give your immunity a boost, or strengthen your heart and bones, give one or several of these 14 rooibos tea benefits for feeling amazing a try. If you’ve given your overall wellness a major boost with rooibos tea, please don’t hesitate to comment below.

Images from depositphotos.com and pixabay.com.