Ingredients :: Rooibos Tea (Aspalathus Linearis)

Rooibos Tea Leaves

Jams have now featured twice on my blog within the last one month; the latest being the Raspberry & Rooibos Tea Jam. One thing both jam recipes did have in common was the mix of the usual jam ingredients with the unusual. As with my first jam recipe of Strawberry & Roselle Jam, whereby I later touched upon the benefits of the Roselle, I am now highlighting the benefits of the Rooibos tea from the Raspberry & Rooibos tea jam I made recently.

Rooibos tea, otherwise known as Redbush tea, is local South Africa - which was precisely where a dear friend sourced the one used for my jam making from. 

Originally frowned upon as "the poor man's tea", the world has now wisened up to the numerous and proven health benefits of the Rooibos tea, with the lack of caffeine increasing the benefits considerably. 

Cancer: 

Experiments conducted on laboratory rats have shown inhibitions in the growth of oesophageal cancer as well as significant reduction of pre-cancerous lesions

Cardiovascular Health:

Tests conducted on humans showed an increase in anti-oxidant levels in subjects' blood who consumed about 400ml/day; which inhibited the angiotensin converting enzyme associated with cardiovascular diseases

Cholesterol:

It's been proven to reduce the level of "bad cholesterol" while increasing the levels of "good cholesterol"

Mental Well-being:

The high mineral content and lack of caffeine helps to reduce anxiety and sleeplessness

Weight Loss:

It reduces the number and size of fat cells as well as lowering the serum cholesterol (fat in the blood)

Intestinal Inflammation:

The antioxidants soothes gut intestinal inflammation such as Colitis (Inflamed Colon)

In addition to the mentioned benefits, researches have also shown promising and exciting results so far in relation to diabetes - although this is more relatable to the Green Rooibos Tea which is unfermented. 

Sources

Komatsu K, Katro K, Mitsuda Y et al. Inhibitory effects of Rooibos Tea, Asphalathus Linearis, on X- ray induced C3H1OT1/2 cell transformation. Cancer Lett. 1994;77:33-8

Bramati L, Aquilano F, Pietta P. Unfermented Rooibos tea: quantitative characterization of flavonoids. J. Agric. Food Chemistry 2003;51:7472-4

Joubet E, Winterton P, Britz T J et al. Anti-oxidant and pro-oxidant activities of aqueous extracts and crude poly phenolic fraction of Rooibos (Aspathalus Linearis. J. Agric. Food Chemistry 2005;53:10260-7