Post date: Aug 6, 2014 3:14:30 PM

Drinking rooibos tea may have many health benefits

By: Lesley Hebert

It is becoming increasingly popular to enjoy drinking rooibos, or African red bush tea, which makes a very pleasant drink. In addition, rooibos is often recommended as a solution to many health problems.

A quick search of the internet will reveal that drinking rooibos tea is said to be a solution for a wide range of complaints, including headaches, asthma, hay fever, insomnia, acid reflux, nervous tension, digestive irritation, and the pain of prostatitis and cystitis. It is also said to be anti-inflammatory and anti-allergenic, and beneficial for the relief of colic and allergies in babies. In addition, washing with rooibos is supposed to reduce wrinkles, and alleviate eczema, acne, sunburn, diaper rash, psoriasis and dermatitis, while rooibos shampoo is recommended as a cure for dry, itchy scalp.

To the skeptic, these magical-sounding cure-all claims may sound too good to be true. However, it does appear that there may actually be several health benefits to drinking rooibos in preference to black or green tea.

First, some people may be sensitive to substances in traditional tea which are absent in rooibos. Because rooibos is caffeine-free, it makes it a good bedtime drink for insomnia sufferers, and is a safe choice for pregnant women and nursing mothers. Also, compared to black tea it has much lower levels of oxalic acid, which has been linked to kidney stones, gout and rheumatoid arthritis.

Second, rooibos contains many beneficial substances. It is rich in minerals, including calcium, fluoride, magnesium, copper, zinc and potassium. It is also an excellent source ofantioxidants, which help to protect cells from cancer, and a source of flavonoids, which are believed to prevent cancer and cardiovascular disease.

But the question as to whether rooibos can actually cure disease is an open one.

Rooibos is a traditional South African folk remedy for infantile colic, allergies, asthma and skin problems, and South African hospitals give rooibos baths to children with allergic skin conditions.

There has been a great deal of scientific research on rooibos. A partial selection of published findings includes results of animal studies which indicate among other things that rooibos may have the potential to repair liver damage, delay aging, fight allergies, restore immune function, protect red blood cells and act as a bronchodilator. There are fewer clinical trials involving people, and many claimed benefits of rooibos are disputed by researchers. While some studies find no positive detoxification effects or anti-allergenic properties, others demonstrate its effectiveness against inflammatory skin diseases and sensitivity to ultra-violet radiation, and strong antioxidant action.

The focus of scientific research is on the anti-oxidant properties of rooibos. The South African Rooibos Council points out that a review by the Journal of Ethnopharmacology of over 50 years of research indicates that red bush tea may be effective in combating cancer, heart disease, strokes, Alzheimer's disease and diabetes. However, SARC obviously has a vested interest in spreading the word about positive scientific findings. The wider scientific community does not appear to have reached a consensus on rooibos, and research continues.