Herb Profile: Rooibos

I decided to start this series of herb profile posts with what may be a bit of an unusual choice. Rooibos is very widely consumed in tea form and is probably in some of the decaf tea bags in your kitchen cabinet right now! But it isn’t often high on the list of plants associated with herbalism. Yet, rooibos is one of my absolute favorite herbs, and one I would not like to live without! So, read on to learn more about this cozy and versatile plant.

A Bit of Background:

Rooibos grows mainly in South Africa and is a shrub-like plant. It is prepared much like tea leaves: regular or red rooibos is oxidized or fermented like black tea, whereas green rooibos undergoes a similar process to green tea. Their tastes and benefits are also quite comparable, with the main exception being rooibos is caffeine free and actually contains much higher levels of antioxidants than tea! Also, the taste varies in that rooibos has a bit of a sweet, cinnamon-y tartness that is absent in black tea.

Health Benefits:

Rooibos is purported to carry with it a host of benefits. Full of antioxidants and polyphenols, it is said to be an immune-boosting, inflammation-busting, blood sugar-regulating wonder.

On a personal and anecdotal note, I find both varieties of rooibos to be earthy, grounding, delicious, and cozy! It meets my standards of a highly hygge herb. I love drinking it hot or cold, any time of year.

Recipe Time!

It is hard to go astray blending rooibos with other herbs for tea blends. It is often my go-to base ingredient for anchoring tea blends and giving them a full-bodied, satisfying, cozy flavor. To get you started, here are a few of my favorite simple combinations for rooibos-based teas:

Red rooibos—

Rooibos + chai spices

Rooibos + chamomile + ginger

Rooibos + mint + cacao nibs + fennel

Green rooibos—

Green rooibos + tulsi + dandelion root + ginger

Green rooibos + dried fruit + chamomile

Green rooibos + elderflower + ginger + calendula

Are you a fan of rooibos? Or if you’ve never tried it, are you ready to now?