Most people know of the wonderful antioxidant properties of green tea. As great as green tea is, Rooibos, or African red tea, leaves its Asian cousin in the dust where nutritional value is concerned. For the record, black tea can't match it for nutritional value either.
Rooibos is an Afrikaans word for red bush, and it is pronounced ROY-boss. Although the plant has been around for centuries, it's relatively new to western culture. The indigenous people of the region were the first to make the plant into a tea. Centuries later, it was made popular by a South African immigrant who found the flavor so enjoyable he decided to export it.
Rooibus is so nutrient dense you could almost consider it a super food. The tea contains:
- Copper
- Iron
- Potassium
- Calcium
- Fluoride
- Zinc
- Manganese
- Alpha-hydroxy
- Magnesium
As if that weren't enough, it has medicinal properties as well. Rooibus contains flavonoids which are powerful antioxidants that have more antioxidant activity than vitamin C. As a result, Rooibos slows the aging process and is credited with the following:
- Acts as a digestive aid
- Helps manage allergies
- Soothes skin irritations when applied to the affected area
- Replenishes iron levels
- Kilojoule free
- Aids health problems like insomnia, irritability, headaches, nervous tension and hypertension
- Boosts the immune system
- Healthy skin minerals: zinc, sodium, zinc and alpha-hydroxy acid
- Contains calcium, fluoride and manganese for strong bones and teeth
- caffeine
- oxalic acid
- little to no tannins
- additives
- coloring
- preservatives
© 2006, Clara Myers. Mind Mart offers holistic products that help deal with stress and information from around the Internet. Visit Mind Mart at http://mind-mart.com
Source: www.a1articles.com
