Did you know that rooibos is one of Time Magazine’s Top 50 Superfoods? Long celebrated as an entirely natural and delicious healthy drink, scientific studies are now beginning to unlock the secrets behind its wide-ranging benefits.
ROOIBOS SUPERFOOD:
At Tick Tock, we think of rooibos as a wonder plant.
NATURALLY CAFFEINE FREE
The rooibos bush (Aspalathus linearis) simply doesn’t contain caffeine. Traditional black or green tea, on the other hand, comes from caffeine-containing Camellia sinensis. Natural stimulant caffeine isn’t necessarily harmful, but consumed in excess, it can interfere with sleep, intensify anxiety and cause physical effects such as jitters and heart palpitations.
RICH IN ANTIOXIDANTS
Rooibos is packed with powerful antioxidants – most notably aspalathin and nothofagin – protective plant compounds unique to rooibos.
Scientists say that regular consumption of antioxidants can help protect against free radicals, which have been linked to conditions from heart disease to diabetes.
CARDIOVASCULAR HEALTH
Reducing ‘bad’ LDL cholesterol, boosting ‘good’ HDL cholesterol, protecting your cells from oxidative damage and inhibiting the enzyme linked to high blood pressure: These are just some of the heart-friendly effects studies have shown drinking rooibos daily for six weeks can have.
BLOOD GLUCOSE CONTROL
Initial animal studies suggest that rooibos’s special antioxidant, aspalathin, can help balance blood sugar levels and reduce insulin resistance. This exciting area of research, so important to those with or at risk of type 2 diabetes, requires further investigation.
IMMUNE BALANCE
The strong anti-oxidative activity in rooibos could help support a healthy immune system. Early lab studies also suggest that rooibos could boost cells as they prepare to make antibodies to fight bacteria and viruses.
WEIGHT & METABOLISM
Naturally sugar and dairy free when consumed ‘red’, rooibos tea is ideal as part of a healthier lifestyle. Channel 4's Food Unwrapped series also linked rooibos to weight management, calling aspalathin 'the secret ingredient in redbush tea that could help us burn fat'.
LOW IN TANNINS
Sweet and smooth rooibos has very low levels of tannins, the astringent compounds found in many plants. They’re what accounts for the bitter flavour in green and black teas, and they can interfere with iron absorption. Iron is an important part of a healthy diet and is key to making red blood cells which carry oxygen around the body.
GENTLE HYDRATION
Your body is around 60% water. Every cell needs water to function, so staying hydrated is an important part of staying healthy. What’s water but tastier and with added benefits? You guessed it – rooibos, the gentle and naturally calorie and caffeine free wonder drink.
THE SOOOOOTHING FEELING
In South Africa, soothing rooibos tea has been esteemed by its drinkers for generations. Mothers have traditionally fed colicky infants this gentle drink, and many adult sufferers of stomach cramps and other gut health issues swear by it. This soothing aspect, which might be down to an inhibitory effect on cortisol production, also makes it great for anxiety, asthma, allergies and dermatological problems such as eczema.
New analysis reviewing research studies from the last 20 years and the largest data review of its kind reveals that 4-6 cups of rooibos tea a day could provide a wealth of surprising health benefits.
WHAT ABOUT SIDE-EFFECTS?
“After centuries of use, no negative side effects of Rooibos have ever been recorded.”
- The Rooibos Council
Both young and old have delighted in this special tea for generations. At Tick Tock, we look forward to sharing our delicious, healthy rooibos with tea lovers for years to come.
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