Blog, Rooibos Tea Facts
Is Rooibos Tea Caffeine Free? What It Does for You Every Day
Oct
Can you drink rooibos all day, and what do you actually get from it?
Plenty of people ask the same thing at the tea shelf: is rooibos really caffeine free, and is it more than a pleasant hot drink? The short answer is yes to the first. Rooibos comes from a plant that grows in the Clanwilliam area of the Western Cape, and it has no caffeine at all.
That is why people drink it at any time of day. You can have a cup after supper and still sleep. You can give it to the whole family. It will not replace a balanced diet or medical care, but it is an easy daily habit with a good track record.
What a daily cup of rooibos gives you
Rooibos is rich in antioxidants and flavonoids. Antioxidants help limit the effect of free radicals, which are linked to ageing and a tired immune system. It is also free of additives, preservatives and colourants, and it has no calories, so it suits anyone watching their weight.
It is low in tannins too. Tannins can get in the way of iron absorption, so a low-tannin tea is kinder to your body when you drink several cups a day. Because there is no caffeine, rooibos has a calming feel, which is why many people turn to it when they are tense or struggling to wind down.
Rooibos also has anti-spasmodic properties. People drink it to settle a cramping or upset tummy. It contains small amounts of minerals such as calcium, manganese, magnesium and zinc, and it is used on the skin too. A cooled cup can be rinsed or sprayed on to soothe itchy, irritated skin.
Red rooibos or green rooibos?
Most rooibos you see is red. It is fermented, which gives the deeper colour and the familiar sweet, round taste. Green rooibos is not fermented. That keeps more of the antioxidants and a compound called aspalathin, which is found only in the rooibos plant.
The cup is milder and lighter than red rooibos. It is still completely caffeine free, unlike green tea from the tea plant. Both kinds are suitable from six months and are safe for pregnant and breastfeeding women.
Products that help with this
Start with Rooibos Tea – 200g. It is the everyday pack: 100% natural, guaranteed 80% rooibos leaf, vegan and calorie free. The 200g size suits a household that drinks it daily, hot or iced.
Follow with Green Rooibos Tea – 50g. It is 100% unfermented and has ten times the antioxidants and aspalathin of regular rooibos. It makes a good second box if you want a lighter, more antioxidant-rich cup.
Practical next step
Swap one caffeinated cup a day for rooibos, ideally the one you have in the afternoon or evening. Drink it without milk or sugar first, as it is naturally sweet. If you like it, keep red rooibos for everyday drinking and add green rooibos when you want something lighter.
The full brewing steps are on each product page, along with the iced tea tips.
