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Rooibos, or Red Bush in Aficans, is rapidly growing in popularity throughout the world due to it's great taste and the amazing health benefits.  The source of Rooibos tea (Aspalathus linearis) is a native of the Western Cape of South Africa.  The needles of this shrub turn red when when fermented, and the brewed needles were first drank by the native Khoi people of the Cape.

The Khoi's magic cup of tea is no longer a secret.  There is currently a boom in the popularity of Rooibos that is spreading around the world.  This naturally caffeine-free cup is most popular in Germany, the UK, the US and Japan with more than 15,000 tons of Rooibos leaves brewed each year.  The health conscious world has made this simple red bush a 23 billion dollar a year industry and still growing.  Where else can you get the antioxidant equivalent and possibly even more so than green tea in a caffeine-free, smooth cup?  

Here are the top 5 benefits of Rooibos:

1)  Rooibos contains quercetin.  A powerful antioxidant that helps prevent heart disease, many forms of cancer and is an anti-inflammatory.

2)  Rooibos contains aspalathin.  A rare antioxidant that reduces stress and helps regulate blood sugar, protecting against diabetes and slows fat production.

3) Rooibos contains nothofagin.  Another rare antioxidant that is an anti-inflammatory that helps reduce the risk of Alzheimer's disease.

4)  Rooibos is very popular with pregnant women as it is an anti-spasmodic.  Drinking Rooibos while you are pregnant soothes the stomach and lowers stress which is key for proper neurological growth for the fetus.  It is also given to infants with colic to help reduce symptoms.

5) Recent studies in Japan show that drinking Rooibos help reduce the symptoms of many seasonal allergies.

Rooibos has a delicate, sweet taste.  We've found that it blends very well with spices and preserved fruits and we use Rooibos as the base of several of our super popular tea blends such as Gingerbread Chai and Lemon Meringue Pie.

Are you looking for some natural beauty tips?  I've been an educator for a cosmetics company for the last few years, so I'm always interested in what's on the ingredient panel. We carry a number of products that contain red, black, green, and white teas. Tea is always a great addition to cosmetics-they contain tannins that naturally tighten pores and antioxidants that protect the skin from aging. 

While using tea as part of one's beauty regime goes back millennia, I've done some research for you and found some inexpensive, modern ways to keep you Beau-TEA-ful from head to toe.  Here are some natural beauty tips using tea:                                                                                 

Looking for a lightweight hair conditioner to improve shine and feel? Green tea to the rescue! Check out this simple recipe from Squidoo.com: www.squidoo.com/Hair-Conditioner

Puffy, dark, tired eyes? Sooth them with used tea bags. Check out the Livestrong website for instructions: www.livestrong.com/article/22062-use-tea-bags-under-eyes/

Spend a little too much time out in the summer sun?   Find pain relief in some tea-soaked gauze pads.  The burn will be relieved in no time.

Is your skin acneic or is your complexion just plain dull? Looking to bring large pores back down to their natural size? Twingodesses of San Diego has the cure for what ails your skin:

www.twingodesses.blogspot.com/2011/02/acne-remedy-apple-cider-vinegargreen.html

(Tip: In general if your skin is oily, exfoliate 3-4 times a week. If you're more dry or sensitive, 1-2 times a week is appropriate.)

Beat on your feet?  Not only is a soak in tea relaxing, but tea also has anti-fungal qualities. Add tea leaves to your tub for a super relaxing, aromatic soak.

Want to learn how to get pregnant?  That might sound like a silly question, but if you're trying unsuccessfully, it's a very serious and emotional question.  As a new mom, I am constantly reading about motherhood and child care and I recently came across a great study about the relationship of tea and pregnancy that I want to share with you.  If you're looking for tips on getting pregnant, this could be the big one:

According to the latest study, you can start by drinking a cup of tea. Professor Elizabeth Hatch of Boston University studied 3,600 Danish women with an average age of 28 years for over a year. She observed that women who drank 2 cups of tea per day increased their chances of getting pregnant by 27 percent. 27% is enormous!

Interestingly enough, women who drank carbonated soda, whether regular or diet, at least two times a day actually decreased their chances of getting pregnant by 20 percent. Moreover, women who drank coffee had no effect at all.

She also cautioned that “tea is not a miracle cure to get pregnant” but “drinking two or three cups a day for anyone wishing to get pregnant will be fine.”

Prof. Hatch further noted: "Tea contains a lot of antioxidants which are very good for male and female fertility."

The study invites many questions, leaving one thirsty for more data. It was unclear what type of tea was used, if the tea was caffeinated or herbal, and how it was taken, how many cups each woman drank per day, whether the teas were hot or cold, and what region they were from. Thankfully, her research team is conducting further studies on these findings. It will come to no surprise if tea’s special antioxidant property, ECGC, which is has already been credited for combating serious severe illnesses ranging from cancer to multiple sclerosis, is responsible for this benefit. It may be safe to rule out caffeine as a factor given that coffee had no effect at all. As soon as I find out more details I will be sure to fill you in.

*Image from Buzzle.com

I'm not proud to admit it, but though I consider myself a tea lover, I've never been a fan of green tea. I'd love to get a dose of green tea's healthy antioxidants, like the EGCG I profiled in a previous post, which can fend off cancer and Alzheimer's. I like green vegetables, green lights, and the green movement to save our beautiful planet - and yet, somehow, green tea left me cold. 

I recently received, as a gift, a small tin of green tea flavored with pomegranate and hibiscus. Honestly, pomegranate is another so-called superfood that has just never thrilled my taste buds. And while two wrongs don't make a right, today I learned that two flavors I don't particularly like can combine to create a beverage I truly enjoy. 

Yes, I brewed a cup of pomegranate tea. I was first charmed by its pleasant pink color, then by its gently fruity and tropical sweetness. (Full disclosure: I added sugar.) It may never be my go-to tea, but it's another pleasant afternoon infusion to add to my tasty arsenal. I wish that every time I tried something new it went this well!  When was the last time you tried a new tea?

The health super-hero, green tea, does it again.

There are lots of studies showing the positive effects of green tea and its role in combating countless types of diseases including many forms of cancer, IBD, liver disease and it even helps lower cholesterol.  Recent medical study results were released indicating that green tea can even combat and help prevent lung cancer.  To make these findings even more compelling, the reduction in the risk of lung cancer due to drinking green tea even had this effect on cigarette smokers.

According to an article published this year in oncology and hematology journal, HemOnc Today, a study was conducted in Changhwa Christian Hospital using 170 lung cancer patients and 340 healthy, control patients, and the results were fascinating.  Individuals who drink one cup of green tea a day have a significantly reduced lung cancer risk.  This result indicates that smoking-induced pulmonary carcinogenesis may be modulated by green tea consumption.  Polyphenols in green tea can halt the growth of cancer cells.  The tests also took into account the correlation between genetic factors, cooking fumes and other pollutant exposure.

These findings don't at all mean that you can light up as long as your cup of green tea is handy, but it certainly adds to my already long list of reasons to enjoy my daily cup (or three).