What Does Rooibos Taste Like?

Before you taste something new, you kind of want to know what it is, right? But first, you need to know how you say it.

How to Pronounce Rooibos tea: ROY-bows or ROY-bus. Either is acceptable.

Rooibos is a naturally caffeine-free herbal plant that grows only in South Africa. There are two varieties of this herbal tea: green rooibos and red rooibos.

Both Green and Red Rooibos come from the same South African plant. The processing method is what makes them different. By exposing rooibos leaves to oxygen during processing, the leaves become oxidized and turn a reddish brown color, creating Red Rooibos. This is similar to the processing of black and green tea.

In contrast, Green Rooibos leaves are dried soon after harvesting, eliminating the oxidation process. There are various ways to dry leaves, but they all stop oxidation from happening. By skipping the fermentation, green rooibos achieves a higher polyphenol content and therefore, higher antioxidant levels than fermented red rooibos tea. 

What are the benefits of Rooibos tea?

The main health benefit of rooibos tea is its abundant antioxidant content. So plentiful that it can increase antioxidant levels in the blood, helping the body fight against diseases. This is a red rooibos tea benefit as well as green rooibos. This

Green and red rooibos have lots of healthy minerals like potassium, manganese, iron, copper, zinc, and calcium. These minerals, along with antioxidants, can help keep your heart healthy and protect against harmful free radicals.

Some studies have shown that drinking rooibos tea may help those at risk of heart disease by reducing bad cholesterol. Drinking rooibos tea also provides a cardiovascular benefit with its ability to reduce blood pressure.

Studies have suggested that the flavonoids in Rooibos may also have the potential to aid weight loss and help combat obesity. Rooibos also contains healthy levels of alpha hydroxy acid promoting clear and healthy skin.

What about Brewing Rooibos?

Roobios tea should be brewed for 4-7 minutes. Unlike green or black tea, Rooibos will not turn bitter with a longer steep. In fact, a longer steep creates a fuller-bodied flavor releasing a warm woody aroma. When Rooibos is allowed to brew longer, more antioxidants are also released. 

Is Rooibos caffeinated?

Both red and green rooibos are naturally caffeine free. But Rooibos is a natural when it comes to blending. It pairs beautifully with a variety of sweet ingredients, including citrus fruit, berries, vanilla, chocolate, apple, warming spices, and caramel. However, when Rooibos is blended with another caffeinated tea or maté, it will no longer be caffeine free.

So...what does Rooibos taste like?

A cup of rooibos tea has a slightly nutty taste with a natural sweetness that is gentle and smooth.

Green Rooibos has a slightly sweet, nutty flavor with notes of caramel. It has a subtle grassy taste, but is not astringent like green tea. It has a gentle and smooth flavor. Green Rooibos steeps to a light orange or tan color in your cup.

Red Rooibos balances the sweetness with a bit of astringency. It has a fuller mouthfeel and shares the caramel flavor and amber hue and sweet aroma.