How do you like your Rooibos tea?
How do you prepare it?
Today, we will go through how you can make a perfect cup of Rooibos tea.
Note, rooibos tea is not an ‘authentic’ tea. It does not come from the tea plant Camellia Sinesis that produces tea.
Instead, it is a tisane or herbal tea. It comes from a plant native to South Africa known as Aspalathus linearis.
Rooibos tea is famous for its immense health benefits like dealing with asthma, insomnia, headaches, and so on. You can have a delicious cup of tea, either hot or iced.
How do you prepare a delicious cup of Rooibos tea?
Basics of Rooibos tea
Firstly, rooibos tea is commonly pronounced as ROY-BOSS.
It has a mild earthy and woody taste. It is a refreshing drink that can help you start or end your day on a high note.
However, you need to get it right in brewing it so that you can achieve the perfect flavor.
Rooibos tea is available in two types; green and red rooibos tea. Red rooibos is the classic variety of the drink.
After harvesting the rooibos leaves, they are oxidized and then dried. This tea has a vibrant color, and it is sweet, just like hibiscus tea.
Green rooibos tea is only dried in sunlight after harvesting the leaves, and it is not oxidized. This variety of rooibos tea is not common, and it is more expensive than the red type. The oxidation process means the difference in flavor as green rooibos tea has an earthy taste.
You can prepare rooibos tea using tea bags, loose tea leaves, and you can have it iced.
Let us get into how you prepare a delicious cup of this amazing tea.
Brewing rooibos tea using tea bags
What you need:
- Teabags
- Teapot
- A cup or mug
- Water
- Sweetener of choice (optional)
Follow the steps below:
You can buy rooibos tea bags from your nearest tea store or online.
If you have loose tea leaves, you can make your tea bags using a tea bag that you buy from the store.
- To brew rooibos tea using tea bags, put one teaspoon (1.5g) of tea leaves in eight ounces of water.
- Next, put water in your teapot and place it on the stove to heat. Heat the water to 1000C so that it boils. If your teapot has an inbuilt gauge to determine the temperature, the better. If it does not have an inbuilt indicator, you can use a food thermometer to gauge the water’s heat.
- If you do not have a teapot, you can boil your water using a regular pot.
- When your water is hot enough, put your teabag in the cup or mug. Then, pour the boiling water into the cup.
- You can add creamers or sweeteners at this point. Make sure that the high temperatures of the water don’t destroy the sweetener you want to use.
- If you want a stronger taste, you can use two tea bags instead of one.
- After adding the water, allow the tea to steep for about five minutes. The longer the tea steeps, the more nutrients and antioxidants it releases from its leaves. Therefore, rooibos tea should steep for a longer time than other types of beverages.
However, note that steeping it for an extended period also releases more tannin. As such, you may have a bitter cup of rooibos tea.
When your tea is ready, serve and enjoy it with other tea lovers.
Brewing rooibos tea using loose tea leaves
What you need:
- Loose tea leaves
- Teapot
- Water
- Sieve or strainer
- A cup or mug
- Sweetener (optional)
Follow the steps below:
- Use a teaspoon of tea leaves for every cup of water. The amount of tea leaves can vary depending on your preference. If you want a more robust flavor, then use more tea leaves and vice versa.
- Put water in a teapot and heat it until it boils. You can set the temperature of your stove high to boil the water fast.
- When the water boils, remove it from the stove and add your tea leaves. Allow them to steep for about five minutes. Alternatively, you can put the tea leaves in a steep or strainer. Then, pour the boiling water over the tea leaves and into the cup. Allow the tea to steep for 5-7 minutes.
- Note, the longer the tea leaves will steep, the more antioxidants and nutrients that are released. Also, more tannins will be released, which makes your tea bitter.
- If you have an automatic drip coffee maker, you can use it to brew your tea. Put the tea leaves into a filter and then fill the coffee maker with the right amount of water.
- When your rooibos tea is ready, serve it in individual cups and enjoy.
Brewing iced rooibos tea
What you need:
- A pitcher or a jar
- Tea leaves
- Coldwater
Follow the steps below:
- Put 8 grams (4 tablespoons) of tea leaves in a jar or pitcher. Add one liter of cold water and cover it with a lid.
- Then, place the pitcher in a cool area in the kitchen.
- Leave your jar of water and tea leaves for about eight hours. The tea leaves will slowly release their flavor into the water. You can leave the tea and water combination as you go to sleep at night or when going to work.
- After eight hours, use a sieve or tea strainer to separate the tea leaves from your tea. This will eliminate any sediments from the tea leaves and make it smoother.
- If you wish, you can have your cup of rooibos tea while cold. But if you want an iced cup of tea, you can store the tea in a fridge. Alternatively, serve your cold drink with some ice to make it chilly.
You can serve your tea in cups and add your sweetener of choice. A slice of lemon or citrus fruit can help to make the presentation better.
How to make rooibos tea taste better
1. Use sweeteners
You can use a sweetener to lift the taste if you do not like the earthy and woody flavor of rooibos tea. There is a wide variety of sweeteners that you can use, which include honey, sugar, lemon, mint, cinnamon, and others.
As you choose your sweetener, consider the type of tea that you want to brew. For instance, if you want it iced, then you shouldn’t use sugar. Sugar is solid, and it will not readily dissolve in cold water.
As such, you can consider using honey, lemon, and so on.
You should also go for an additive that complements the immense health benefits of rooibos tea. You can go for cinnamon, mint, lemon, and other additives that have health benefits.
2. Consider the type of water
The type of water you use in brewing your tea can affect the taste of the drink.
Tap water, for example, has chemicals such as calcium that is used to make it consumable. The chemicals affect the original flavor of rooibos tea.
If you want to get the best flavor, use spring or purified water. These types of water have no impurities that can alter the original taste of the tea.
You can even purify your water at home.
3. Loose tea leaves
If you want to get the best flavor, use loose tea leaves instead of teabags.
Teabags are convenient as you can use them to make a quick cup of tea when you are in a hurry.
They do not even require you to have a sieve or strainer. You can even carry a teabag to the office.
However, tea bags contain broken tea leaves that are of low quality. The broken tea leaves do not release the entire flavor of rooibos tea.
To get the best flavor, you should use loose tea leaves as they are of high quality, and they spread fully to release their entire flavor.
4. Teapot
You should use a specific teapot for brewing rooibos tea. The flavors may contaminate the original taste of the tea if you use a teapot that you use to brew other flavors.
5. Storage
If you enjoy an iced cup of rooibos tea, you will store it in the fridge. You should store your tea in an airtight container. As such, it will not be contaminated by other flavors in the refrigerator.
6. Steeping time
Your preferred flavor depends on how long you steep the tea. The longer you steep the drink, the more tannin is released. Thus, you will have a bitter cup of rooibos tea.
If you do not want a strong flavor, steep your tea for a few minutes. Also, consider using hot water instead of boiling water and use fewer tea leaves.
Benefits of taking rooibos tea
1. Caffeine-free
Black and green tea contain caffeine. Caffeine is a component of tea that stimulates your brain. It, therefore, makes you more alert and attentive. If you take caffeinated beverages before bed, you may not get sleep as it keeps you alert.
Caffeine also makes other people anxious.
But, Rooibos tea is caffeine-free. As such, it is safe to drink it even before you go to sleep as it won’t keep you alert. It is also safe for people who suffer from anxiety attacks.
2. Heart health
Taking rooibos tea may help to prevent heart disease, and it enhances cardiovascular health. It contains chrysoeriol, which is a bronchodilator. The flavonoid helps to relax the airways and also open them up.
This helps in lowering high blood pressure.
Rooibos tea also contains aspalathin as the primary ingredient. The aspalathin glucoside helps in regulating hormones and prevents the inflammation of muscles. Hence, it enhances blood flow and prevents blood clots that can lead to a heart attack.
3. Digestion
If you suffer from digestive issues, you should try out rooibos tea. It contains quercetin, which is a nutrient that gets rid of stomach pains. The components in the tea also relax the digestive system.
It also contains tannins that may help in reducing the symptoms related to diarrhea. It also includes components that boost the immune system and prevent diseases that can affect the digestive system.
4. Glowing skin
Do you have dry skin with wrinkles?
You should take rooibos tea for glowing and moisturized skin. It contains components that help to get rid of wrinkles and also moisturize your skin.
5. Diabetes
For people with diabetes, taking rooibos tea can help manage blood sugar levels, reducing the risk of complications. The aspalathin component has anti-diabetic properties that help in controlling blood sugar.
6. Appetite
Taking rooibos tea after a meal helps in the digestion and absorption of nutrients into the body. When the food is digested and absorbed into the body, you will start feeling hungry again. Thus, the tea helps to boost your appetite.
Final thoughts
Rooibos tea comes with a bouquet of health benefits, which include alleviating stomach pains, dealing with diabetes, and others.
For you (or your baby) to enjoy the benefits, you need to have it right in terms of preparation. Proper brewing also gives you a delicious flavor that makes it pleasant.
Here, we have a variety of methods in which you can brew rooibos tea to enjoy it. We also have tips that you can employ to make the flavor of your rooibos the best.
