Due to its many uses, rooibos tea can have a positive influence on nearly every aspect of life.
According to Adele du Toit, spokesperson for the South African Rooibos Council, rooibos (Aspalathus linearis) has become a health phenomenon due to its beneficial effects.
“Rooibos can actually be seen as a multi-purpose survival tool that helps you to stay hydrated, deal with aches and pains and keep you focused and alert in a crisis.”
This unique tea, which only grows in the Cederberg region of the Western Cape, has many benefits.
Starting fires
Tea bags are excellent for starting a fire if you do not have tinder. The dried tea contained in the bag is highly combustible.
Staying hydrated
In the summer heat, excessive sweating can easily lead to dehydration. Rooibos tea can help you to hydrate quickly, as it contains polyphenol antioxidants, as well as flavonoids and phenolic acids that are potent free radical scavengers and has purported benefits for accelerated rehydration.
Alleviating aches and pains
Drinking rooibos tea may help to ease symptoms of nausea, indigestion or bloating. The tea contains antioxidants with anti-inflammatory properties that help to reduce inflammation. Its anti-spasmodic compounds help to ease tummy aches and pains by activating potassium ions in the body.
Soothing eczema
Soaring temperatures, swimming and hours in the sun can cause eczema flare-ups in summer months. Warm and humid weather often leads to more sweating, which aggravates the condition. Research shows that rooibos tea can soothe skin irritations and help improve dermatological conditions – such as eczema, psoriasis and dermatitis – due to the high level of flavonoids, which encourages the body to destroy unwanted pathogens. The tea is also hypoallergenic, anti-inflammatory and anti-bacterial, which means it can be used on the most sensitive of skin types and can treat and alleviate inflamed skin and bacterial infections. You can drink the tea or soak in a bath of rooibos to relieve symptoms.
Assuaging sunburn, rashes, blisters and insect bites
Scientific studies have validated the health properties of rooibos on skin. If you or your children are badly sunburnt, have blisters or are seeking relief from insect bites or rashes, turn to rooibos for help. Its restorative power lies in the abundance of polyphenols or antioxidants.
Treating cuts and nosebleeds
Haemostatic powders and dressings are an important part of first aid kits and help to clot and absorb blood when you have sustained a deep cut. Tea bags are often used in its place. The tannin in tea turns it into a coagulant (blood clotting agent), which helps to dry blood on smaller wounds. While rooibos has a lower tannin content than black tea, it may come in handy if no commercial haemostatics are available. Soothe bleeding gums by biting down on a tea bag or use a dry tea bag to stop a nosebleed.
Curbing insomnia
If you are struggling to sleep, a cup of rooibos tea before bedtime can provide a calming effect to help you slip into slumber.
