South African Rooibos Tea

The Rooibos is a tree that can be found at the center of South Africa. It is said to be a multi purpose herb that is capable of producing amazing results. It has a multitude of uses. Over the years, one of the most widely utilized herbs is used in making South Africa Rooibos tea. It has grown to become one of the most fashionable trends in the market.

Similar to other teas, this type has to be taken through a fermentation process. The tea is cut into small pieces, and then it is bruised before it is left to ferment. Fermentation takes place when the tea is piled in heaps in the sun for it to dry. This fermentation process changes the Rooibos from its original color to a deep hue of red. This unique color is one of the reasons why the tea is so wide known.

For the longest of times, the Rooibos tea was only known to South Africa's Bushmen. They used it for all kinds of medicinal purposes. While the rest of the world remained ignorant, they were able to enjoy some of life's greatest treasures. As time passed by, the tribe lost its identity and completely vanished. It is by sheer luck that the knowledge of the existence of the herbal plant was passed to the rest of the world. A botanist stumbled upon it years later and took to it as his preferred tea. The tea spread into the South African way of life and eventually B. Ginsberg decided to brand it and market it to the rest of the world as 'Mountain Tea'. This tea was marketed to be a refreshing substitute to the ordinary tea.

Rooibos tea was further catapulted to fame when it acted as a sufficient substitute for tea when the world faced tea shortage as a result of the Second World War. People liked it for its distinctive and invigorating taste.

Later on, a mother was able to notice that the herb had a calming effect on her colic baby. It was then that she decided to research and document the benefits related to the consumption of this herbal tea. Rooibos tea had finally found its niche in herbal teas.

Further research has led to the discovery of more medicinal effects of the herb. It has been discovered that since mountain tea is free of any caffeine, it is safe for consumption by expectant women and children without any side effects.