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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.
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?
 Introducing the first ever tea for dogs, Machu's Blend. An all-natural, herbal tea blend formulated to keep your best friend healthy, happy and lower the stresses that shorten the lifespan of urban dogs. We have a Great Dane named Machu Picchu who has become a bit of a mascot here at California Tea House. Machu spends most of his time laying around on his enormous day bed, soaking up the sun and welcoming guests while we scramble around blending and tasting new teas.
Like all dog lovers, we want only what's best for Machu. We feed him all-natural, grain-free dog food, he sleeps on an organic mat and we use only herbal, topical treatments to prevent ticks and fleas. So naturally, when we needed to treat a skin condition that was causing Machu to shed, we sought a healthy, organic alternative to the chemical, traditional treatments that, until now, were the only option.
After consulting with numerous veterinarians, and compiling research on herbal treatments for canines, we put our tea blending skills to work for our canine companion. Machu's Blend is a once-a-day herbal tea comprised of Chamomile, Ginger Root, Fennel Seed, Skullcap and Calendula that not only promotes healthy skin and coat for your dog, but also lowers stress and aids digestion of dry dog food, easing the stomach and reducing gas. In addition, Machu's Blend is great for treating dogs that suffer from seizures as well as motion sickness caused by car rides.
Brew up some Tea for your Dog today, and enhance your best friend's quality of life. Click here to go to Machu's Blend.
You probably think you've never heard of epigallocatechin gallate, but you have heard everyone from your hairdresser to your favorite celebs to the experts at the Mayo Clinic raving about the practically-magical EGCG. What is it, what will it do for you, and where can you get some?
EGCG is a good-for-you antioxidant found in green tea. It's been shown to aid with weight loss thanks to its appetite-suppressing qualities. (It does this by upping levels of CKK, a hormone that makes you feel full - thanks, Julie Daniluk, RNC, via Dr. Oz.) A blog all about the health benefits of green tea claims that EGCG can nearly double the rate of your metabolism, so you'll naturally burn more calories. Other health benefits include reduction in leukemia cell counts (Mayo Clinic research) and promising findings on prevention of Alzheimer's, treatment of diabetes, heart health, and more.
EGCG (or green tea extract) is available in a concentrated liquid, as a powder, and in pill form. However, sipping a soothing cup of green tea is easily the tastiest way to get your EGCG fix. I couldn't dig up any information on whether you can get too much of this good thing, but be careful with supplement dosages. Score one more for brewing up the tea: even if you're inclined to down several mugfuls a day, you won't risk ODing on your EGCG. Raise a mug to your health!
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