Here at Tick Tock we're often asked about Green Rooibos and whether it's caffeine free, so here are some of your questions answered!
What is Green Rooibos tea?
Green rooibos is a gently hydrating and caffeine free tea, made from the rooibos plant which grows only in the coastal mountains of South Africa and is packed with antioxidants and lots of other beneficial properties. Like green tea, it is light and mellow, plus it has absolutely no bitterness, even if you forget about it and leave the tea to brew in the mug.
How is Green Rooibos made?
To make green rooibos, traditional green tea-making techniques are applied to leaves of the Rooibos plant, Aspalathus Linearis. Once the rooibos leaves have been harvested, they are dried very quickly to prevent oxidisation from occurring. Oxidisation is a natural process whereby oxygen slowly darkens the leaves - similar to when you take a bite out of an apple and it starts going brown. Stopping this process means that the rooibos leaves stay beautifully green.
You can discover more about how green rooibos is made here.
What is the difference between green rooibos and red rooibos tea?
The main differences between red rooibos and green rooibos are in the colour and taste. Whilst all rooibos teas are incredibly gentle, green rooibos is a lovely pale green yellow in the cup and the taste is lighter and fresher than red rooibos.
Both green and red rooibos are low in tannins, which is why they will never go bitter - and make amazing iced teas for the summer!
We also suggest drinking red rooibos either with or without milk or a drop of honey, whereas green rooibos is best enjoyed on its own.
Does Green Rooibos contain caffeine?
Green Rooibos contains absolutely no caffeine. This is because the rooibos plant itself is naturally caffeine free.
Normal green tea, contrary to popular belief, does contain varying amounts of caffeine because the tea plant, Camelia sinensus, contains caffeine in its leaves.
Both black teas and green teas are made using the same tea plant which is why they both have caffeine.
In contrast to this, the Rooibos plant has absolutely no caffeine in its genetic makeup, meaning all rooibos teas, including green rooibos, are 100% naturally caffeine free - perfect for getting a great night's sleep.
What is a decaf green tea?
Green tea drinkers looking to reduce their caffeine intake can find a range of 'decaffeinated' green teas available on the market. However these teas will have undergone special decaffeination processes to strip caffeine from the leaves.
Rooibos leaves do not undergo decaffeination processing, as they don't contain any caffeine in the first place! Green rooibos is a brilliant choice for green tea drinkers to enjoy at any time of day, especially before bed.
You can also buy Tick Tock Green Rooibos at Ocado.com, Waitrose, Sainsbury's and Tesco.
Looking for more rooibos tea recipe inspiration? Why not try a Green Tea Watermelon Cooler or a Pimms Iced Tea?
More Rooibos Tea Blog Posts
- What are the Benefits of Redbush Tea?
- Redbush Tea and Caffeine
- What does Rooibos Tea taste like?
- An Introduction to Vanilla Rooibos Tea
- An introduction to Rooibos Vanilla Chai Tea
[Reviewed and updated February 2024]
