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Bringing
South Africa's Favorite Drink to the World Market
(Continued
from previous
page)
Some Facts About Rooibos
Rooibos (Aspalathus linearis, Fabaceae) is a delicate shrub
with bright green, needle-like leaves that is native to the
Cedarberg Mountains of the Western Cape. It grows about one-half
to two meters tall (1½ - 5 feet), with small yellow flowers
in the spring. Rooibos thrives in hot, dry conditions such as
those found in and around Wupperthal. This is part of the reason
that rooibos tea from that region is considered the finest in
the world. Rooibos is botanically unrelated to Camellia sinensis,
the plant whose leaves are used to make black, green, and oolong
teas
The mountain-dwelling people of the Khoi tribe were the first
to develop a method for making tea from rooibos. Though the
process has become more automated, the steps remain the same:
the leaves (and sometimes twigs) are picked, bruised, fermented,
then sun-dried. It is the bruising step, in which the leaves
are hammered or crushed, that gives the material its distinctive
red color.
Rooibos was first cultivated in the 1930s. Seeds can be planted
between February and March, but greenhouse-raised seedlings
have to wait until July or August to be planted outdoors. Harvest
takes place once a year, between January and March. Leaves from
a new plant can be harvested after just 18 months, then again
every year after. One hundred metric tons of fresh leaves yield
40 tons of dried material.
Like other kinds of tea, dried rooibos is graded according
to its color, aroma, flavor, and cut length. Because it comes
from the best growing region in the world, nearly all the rooibos
produced by A-SNAPP partners is considered the highest grade,
or "supergrade." This grade is acceptable for export, and is
currently sold in England, Germany, Holland, Switzerland, Malaysia,
China, Japan, and the United States.
Health Benefits
South Africans have traditionally used rooibos tea and leaves
for treating a wide variety of medical conditions. Scientists
have recently begun researching some of these uses and have
found that rooibos' reputation as a healthy beverage is well
deserved. Rooibos leaves are naturally low in tannins and contain
no caffeine. That makes rooibos tea easy on the stomach and
nervous system, so that even babies can drink it. In fact, South
African mothers often use rooibos as a milk substitute for colicky
babies. Rooibos also contains trace amounts of essential minerals.
Three key flavonoids - quercetin, luteolin, and aspalathin
- give rooibos antioxidant properties, which means it protects
cells from damage caused by pollution, aging, and excessive
sunlight. A longer brewing time releases more of these beneficial
compounds. Alpha hydroxy acids in the leaves have a soothing
effect on irritated skin, which explains rooibos' use as a cosmetic
ingredient in Japan. Preliminary research suggests that rooibos
may have potential as a treatment for HIV. More research on
the health benefits of rooibos is currently under way, but there
are still plenty of reasons to enjoy it now. Cheers!
Nancy Hoegler, Herb Research Foundation
Visit
the Cape Natural Tea web site to order some rooibos tea today!
www.rooibostea.co.za
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Coming soon! A-SNAPP Update Goes to Print 