The word "rooibos" (rooibos) is translated from one of the official languages spoken in South Africa (Afrikaans), as something resembling a "red bush". In fact, this shrub is attributed to the group of Acacia and called Aspalathus linearis.
The red bush grows only in South Africa, where it is cultivated, and 200 kilometers from Cape Town in the Cedar Mountains. Locals from the Ko-Koi tribe used Rooibos since the beginning as a medicinal preparation, a refreshing drink and a natural dye. By the way, rooibos was described as a curative tincture by Europeans in 1772. So, this tincture was described, and it was forgotten. But spread throughout Europe rooibush thanks to the efforts of the Russian merchant tea-seller Veniamin Ginsberg. He was the first to pay attention to the amazingly smelling tea that the locals drank. Rooibos began to cultivate with great success since 1904, and in the 50s of the 20th century there was a crisis of overproduction of this tea. As a result, a commission has been set up specially, which still controls the quantity of products produced, its quality and hygienic conditions during production.
In order to produce Rooibos tea, needle-like leaves of the "red bush" are taken. Their color may be green or brick-red in color. To prepare a green rooibos leaflets, after they assemble, immediately steamed to stop the process of fermentation. Green rooibos herbal, more delicate, taste. When it is brewed, the drink acquires a light shade. But in red-colored rooibos, the fermentation process is brought to the end. The leaves are then dried under the sun. Rooibos initially had a sweetish flavor, but in local tribes it is further sweetened and diluted with milk.
Not so long ago, entrepreneurs of South Africa have a novelty - espresso. He, being produced from rooibos, in its qualities and effect, bringing cheerfulness, is in no way inferior to the coffee original. An inexperienced novice taste and aroma of rooibos may seem quite specific, therefore, you should try this drink, giving preference to flavored varieties. By the way, there are a lot of such varieties: it's orange, and strawberry, and vanilla, and chocolate flavors, and many, many others. The aroma of rooibos can be strengthened by adding a lemon slice or a piece of orange to the cup.
Externally, the rooibos resembles sawdust of a red-brown hue. Such sawdust-tea leaves are rather small, they can even pass through a fine strainer. That's why you need to brew this tea in a filter bag. For one cup, take a spoonful of tea, pour boiling water and insist for 5 minutes. To prepare medicinal tincture, rooibos should be held on fire for a few minutes. Rooiboshe welding is very easy, so it's quite economical to use.
Rooibos differs from coffee and ordinary tea in that it contains neither theine nor caffeine. That's why you can drink it even in the evening before going to sleep, without thinking that you will suffer from insomnia. These properties of tea from the leaves of the "red bush" make the drink suitable for children, young mothers. The advantage over tea is the paltry content of tannin in rooibos. In ordinary tea it is up to 3%. It does not allow the body to absorb enough iron. This is the reason that pregnant women and young mothers are not advised to drink a lot of Rooibos tea. Tannin gives strong tea an astringent bitter taste, so rooibos is not recommended to overstrain in the brew. Another advantage of rooibos before the usual tea for us is a scant content of oxalic acid in it. It can be safely drunk to people who are prone to stone formation in the kidneys. By the way, you can brew tea "red bush" and several times, from this drink does not lose any taste. If you drink the infusion of rooibus cold, then it will perfectly refresh, and even the next morning it will still remain tasty, useful and fragrant.
Useful properties roybusha require, of course, a separate conversation, because they are very, very much. Just one cup of this tea can be compared with an excellent food additive, because in tea contains a huge amount of minerals and vitamin compounds.
Let's start, perhaps, with its antioxidant capabilities. They (antioxidants) are able to fight free radicals, which can damage the DNA of the cell and cause serious ailments. Antioxidants can neutralize them before they begin their destructive activities. Green rooibos are 10 times stronger antioxidant than red.
The rooibos infusion contains many vitamins. This A, P, E, C, it contains compounds of iron, magnesium, potassium, fluoride, calcium, sodium, manganese, zinc, copper. Rooibos is a source of natural tetracycline (a bactericidal agent). The tincture of rooibos can be used as lotions, compresses. They treat dermatitis, itching, eczema, irritation and inflammation of the skin, acne. Rooibos is suitable even for babies!
Tincture of the leaves of the "red bush" can be used to combat insomnia, especially in newly born babies. You can fill the bottle with infusion of rooibos instead of water, and your baby will sleep perfectly and see colorful dreams. Rooibos is able to normalize the pressure, digestion, it is an excellent expectorant, which strengthens. They are treated with allergies, they are used to prevent caries formations.
The European population of South Africa uses rooibos infusion as an antipope agent. Currently, work is under way to use this tea in the fight against cancer, diabetes, hepatitis. Extracts of "African tea" are often used in cosmetics, in hair products, and in the skin. It can be used as an additive for baths, for washing.
Of course, in tea from the leaves of the "red bush" is not worth seeing a panacea, but this tool, no doubt, will help maintain and maintain an excellent shape for a long time. Rooibos, without restrictions, you can drink to the whole family.
In cooking, it can be used as a basis for cocktails, in baking they can replace milk, and it will also come in handy when preparing soups.
Now rooibos can be found in any tea shop, and the price for it is not higher than for regular tea.
In the winter, rooibos is especially useful because of its huge content of vitamin compounds and trace elements. If you have not discovered this drink yet, you should do it as quickly as possible. Try it and drink to your health.