Rooibos tea has grown in popularity over the years due to its health benefits.
But what does Rooibos tea taste like?
Apart from the immense health benefits, tea lovers also want to enjoy the cup of tea. As such, as a lover of tea, there are factors to consider before choosing your drink.
For instance, you should find out if the tea contains caffeine or not. This will guide you if you want tea with or without caffeine.
Additionally, you should try to find out how the tea tastes like. If you have a sweet tooth, you may not like the earthy taste of some types of teas. The taste may influence your drinking even though you are taking it for its health benefits.
What is the taste of Rooibos tea?
Rooibos tea has a mild taste with a touch of an earthy and woody taste. It is also less grassy compared to other types of tea. It is also smooth and gentle and offers you a natural sweetness.
Rooibos tea contains fewer amounts of tannin as compared to green or black tea. Tannin is the component of tea that causes bitterness. Therefore, Rooibos tea is less bitter than other types of teas.
Note, the bitterness may also depend on other factors. For instance, if you use boiling water to brew your cup of Rooibos tea, you extract more tannin. Therefore, your tea will be more bitter.
Also, the bitterness will depend on how long you steep the tea. If you steep the tea for a minute, you will get the best flavor. The longer you steep the tea, the more tannin you extract. Consequently, the more bitter your cup of tea will be.
The flavor of Rooibos tea is strong enough to accommodate other additives without losing the flavor. You can use chocolate, fruits, ginger, lemon, and so on.
What should you consider while choosing the additive to use in your tea?
1. The type of tea
The type of Rooibos tea you want to prepare can influence the type of additive or sweetener to use.
For instance, if you enjoy iced tea, sugar may not be the best choice for a sweetener.
Sugar is solid and, therefore, may not dissolve well in cold tea. You should also not add sugar while brewing and then store it. The sugar may catalyze fermentation or the formation of bacteria.
2.The health benefits
Rooibos tea comes with a lot of health benefits. It is known to be a remedy to skin problems, blood sugar, inflammation, and so on.
As such, you should go for a sweetener that blends well with Rooibos tea and complements its health benefits.
Additionally, Rooibos tea is safe to use and has no side effects. Therefore, the additive that you choose to brew your tea should also have minimal side effects.
What can you add to Rooibos tea to make it taste better?
1. Honey
Honey has a long-standing relationship with tea as a sweetener. Its popularity is influenced by the fact that it is a syrup. As such, you can use it in either a hot or cold cup of tea.
You can add the honey after taking it from the fridge for a cold cup of Rooibos tea. If you store the tea in the fridge with honey added in it, it may cause bacteria formation or fermentation. You can notice the bacteria formation and fermentation by change. You may also notice strands in the tea.
Apart from lifting the taste of the tea, honey also comes with a lot of health benefits. Therefore, it complements the health benefits that Rooibos tea offers.
Also, Honey is anti-inflammatory and antibacterial.
2. Lemon
Lemon is also a popular additive that has been in use for years. Lemon offers a citrus flavor that helps to lift the mild and earthy flavor of the Rooibos tea.
Additionally, lemon offers a ton of health benefits. For instance, a combination of lemon and hot Rooibos tea is an excellent remedy when you have a cold. Lemon also helps to boost your immune system. Thus, your body can fight disease-causing organisms. They also prevent cancer, help in weight loss, and lower the risk of getting a stroke, and so on.
If you suffer from acid reflux or stomach ulcers, you should avoid taking lemon. Alternatively, you can consult your doctor on the appropriate amount of lemon you can consume. Lemon contains acid, which can have adverse effects on the ulcers.
3. Cinnamon
If you wish to have a warm and rich taste of Rooibos tea, you can add cinnamon.
Cinnamon not only lifts the taste but also offers some health benefits.
4. Milk
Can you add milk to Rooibos tea?
Yes, you can. For some tea lovers, they love the bitter taste of Rooibos tea. For others, they wouldn’t mind a smoother and more appealing test.
Just like in green or black tea, you can add milk to your cup of Rooibos tea. Milk gives your drink a smoother and creamy taste, which makes it more enjoyable.
Plus, milk is full of essential nutrients. For instance, it is a rich source of proteins. Proteins are critical in bodybuilding and giving your body the necessary energy.
5. Vanilla
Are you the adventurous type tea lover?
Do you like experimenting with new recipes?
If you are such a kind of person, you can experiment with vanilla in your Rooibos tea. Vanilla makes your drink creamy and smooth, which makes it more enjoyable.
6. Mint
If you love refreshing and cool drinks, then you should consider using mint as an additive. The mint lifts the earthy and mild taste of Rooibos tea to give you a refreshing drink.
Mint is also rich in antioxidants that complement the health benefits of Rooibos tea.
For instance, if you have an irritable stomach, taking mint can help deal with the issues. It also enhances bowel movements to deal with constipation.
Do you worry about a lousy breath every time you want to move out? Then its time you think about adding mint to your cup of Rooibos tea in the morning. The mint helps to deal with bad breath.
A cup of hot Rooibos tea with mint can also come in handy when you have a cold or sore throat.
7. Fruits
Did you know you can use fruits to sweeten your Rooibos tea?
Yes, fruits, including apples, passion fruits, and others, can be used to lift the taste of your cup of tea and make it more pleasant.
Plus, fruits offer a variety of nutrients, including vitamins. Vitamins are vital in the body in a variety of ways. For instance, they help to boost your immunity so that your body fights off illnesses. They also help in the digestion and absorption of other crucial nutrients in the body.
You should use dry fruits rather than fresh ones. Fresh fruits are delicate. The hot water used in brewing the tea may destroy the nutrients. Fresh fruits also may not release the entire flavor to lift the taste of the tea.
Dried fruits are also less acidic. This makes them safe for use even for people with stomach ulcers.
8. Chocolate
Do you love the taste of chocolate?
Would you like to have it in your tea?
You can mix Rooibos tea with chocolate to give the drink a pleasant chocolate flavor.
Final thoughts
If you love the mild and earthy taste of Rooibos tea, you can have it plain.
However, it would help to lift the taste and make it more pleasant for other tea lovers. As you choose the sweetener to use, consider if it has side health benefits, side effects, and so on.
Above, we have provided you with a list of sweeteners that you can use to lift the taste of Rooibos tea. Choose one and enjoy a pleasant cup of Rooibos tea.
