Your Complete Rooibos Tea Guide: Every Tea Lover Needs

Rooibos is a herbal tea that many people enjoy once it's brewed properly. It's naturally caffeine-free, has a mild, slightly sweet taste, and comes from a different plant to regular tea. This guide covers where it comes from, its potential health benefits, the different types available and how to brew, store, and choose the best rooibos.

Where Does Rooibos Tea Come From?

Rooibos is indigenous to the Cederberg region of South Africa, a mountainous area northeast of Cape Town where the Aspalathus linearis (commonly known as rooibos) plant grows wild. The name rooibos translates to “red bush” in Afrikaans, a reference to the deep red-brown colour the leaves turn after they are harvested and left to oxidise in the sun. Unlike black or green tea, rooibos has nothing to do with the Camellia sinensis - the tea plant; it comes from an entirely different family of plants, more closely related to peas than to tea as most people know it. 

What Does Rooibos Tea Taste Like?

Rooibos has a naturally sweet, earthy flavour with a smooth finish and just a hint of honey. It doesn't carry the bitterness or astringency that black tea sometimes can, which makes it a pretty strong tea to brew. It also works well either way you fancy it: a comforting hot cup on a cold evening, or brewed strong and poured over ice when the weather turns warm.

Rooibos Tea Benefits: Why Tea Lovers Enjoy It

Being naturally caffeine-free makes rooibos a good choice at any time of the day, but especially in the evening, when you don't want caffeine keeping you up. It's also a good source of antioxidants, including a polyphenol called aspalathin that's found almost exclusively in rooibos. Research suggests these compounds may help support the body's defences against oxidative stress. Rooibos tea is naturally low in tannins too, so it has a smooth taste and is less likely to become bitter, even if it's brewed for a little longer than intended.

Quick Benefits:

• Naturally caffeine-free, suitable any time of the day

• Rich in antioxidants, including aspalathin

• Low in tannins, so it never turns bitter or stewed

• Gentle on the stomach

• A relaxing, comforting evening drink

• A hydrating, caffeine-free alternative to tea or coffee

Types of Rooibos Tea to Try

Traditional Red Rooibos

This is the most common type of rooibos and the one most people are familiar with.The leaves are fully oxidized, giving the tea its deep red color and that smooth, naturally sweet flavour with a hint of honey.

Green Rooibos

Green rooibos undergoes no oxidation at all, so it is less processed, with a fresher, lighter character and a hint of grassiness. Because less processing has been done to the leaf, it can also hold onto higher levels of antioxidants than the traditional red version.

Flavoured/Blended Rooibos 

Just like regular tea, rooibos takes very well to added flavours and blending, thanks to its naturally sweet base and lack of bitterness. Most popular being Vanilla rooibos, a smooth, dessert-like cup with real vanilla.  Other blends worth trying are Lemon rooibos, for a brighter, citrusy cup, and Rooibos chai, spiced with cinnamon, ginger and cardamom for a caffeine-free take on chai. Tea People do their own unique one called the Choco Mint rooibos, which pairs rooibos with cocoa and cooling mint - reminiscent of an after dinner mint chocolate but without the added calories. 

How to Brew the Perfect Cup of Rooibos Tea

Getting a great cup of rooibos tea is simple: 

1.Heat fresh water to 95–100° C. Rooibos can be brewed in boiling water without turning bitter. 

2. Use around 2 to 3g of tea per cup, roughly one heaped teaspoon of loose leaf. 

3. Let it steep for 5 to 7 minutes. Rooibos need a little more time to release its full flavour compared to black tea. 

4. Adjust the time to suit your taste. Steep a little longer if you like it bolder.

5. Enjoy it plain, or add milk, honey or a slice of lemon, depending on your mood. 

How to Store Rooibos Tea for Lasting Freshness

Keep rooibos in an airtight container, away from heat, moisture and direct sunlight - a cool, dry cupboard is ideal. It's worth keeping it away from strongly scented foods and spices too, since tea leaves happily absorb odours from whatever's nearby. Check the best-before date and try to use it while the flavour and aroma are still at their best, since both fade gradually over time. 

Buying Rooibos Tea in the UK: What to Look For

A few things are worth checking before you buy rooibos tea. Decide whether you would prefer loose leaf or tea bags. Loose leaf and the speciality pyramid teabags generally use higher-quality leaves and give a fuller flavour. Look out for the provenance and check whether the seller is upfront about ingredient quality and where the tea actually comes from. Freshness is important too, so you should also buy from a retailer that moves stock regularly, rather than from one where tea may have been sitting on a shelf for a while. Ethical sourcing is worth asking about as well. Specialist tea retailers are often more reliable than generic supermarkets when it comes to product quality and information. 

Tea People Rooibos (Red Bush) Collection

If you are looking for a high-quality rooibos tea, the Tea People's Rooibos collection is a great place to start. The range includes Organic Luxury Rooibos, Organic Vanilla Rooibos and Choco Mint Rooibos. All three are available in both loose leaf format as well as in speciality pyramid teabags.

The whole range is built around careful sourcing and sustainable practices, which is a big part of why we think they are worth reaching for day to day. They are easy to brew and have a smooth, rich flavour, even if you leave them to steep a little longer.

What Is Honeybush, and How Does It Differ from Rooibos?

Honeybush is another South African herbal tea, made from the Cyclopia shrub, whose honey-scented flowers give the plant its name (Heuningbos in Afrikaans). Like rooibos, it's naturally caffeine-free, and the leaves go through a similar process of harvesting, cutting, bruising and oxidising before drying.

The main difference is taste: honeybush is sweeter, with a smooth, honeyed flavour, while rooibos leans more earthy. If you enjoy rooibos, honeybush tea is well worth trying as a change of taste.

Final Thoughts

Rooibos tea has become popular for good reasons. It is naturally caffeine-free, easy to enjoy at any time of the day, and has a smooth, pleasant flavour that suits all types of tea enthusiasts whether you are new to herbal teas or a lifelong tea lover. Try different varieties and pay attention to how they are sourced and brewed. A well-sourced, good-quality loose leaf rooibos really can make a noticeable difference to what ends up in your cup.