I am a huge fan of tea. Anyone who knows me knows it is my beverage of choice. Unfortunately, I rarely make it at home (though I have boxes of tea bags lying around). I always end up buying the mass-marketed, sugar infused junk (Raspberry Arizona anyone?). I guess I am a bit lazy! However, I have always had a secret admiration for the healthier alternatives. My favorite of all “herbal/organic/healthy” teas is called Rooibos (pronounced ROY-boss).
Reading a re-post of an article from 2001, I was excited to see that my favorite “under the radar” tea got some attention in The Utne Reader, my favorite “under the radar” magazine. (It just so happens to be a favorite magazine of Brian Griffin, in case you are wondering what he’s doing in this post!).
Here is the low down. Rooibos is grown exclusively in a very small region of the Western Cape in South Africa. Over the years, and for a variety of reasons, it used to be difficult to find Rooibos in pure form. Consequently, Rooibos was frequently used in various tea blends. Much like Champagne and Port, if what you buy is not from Cederberg, then it is not Rooibos. This stuff is crazy good for you and it helps with everything from indigestion and depression! It has antioxidants such as aspalathin and nothofagin, a lack of caffeine, and low tannin levels! What more could you ask for?
So the kicker to this whole thing? It is readily available here in Atlanta. I’ve always purchased mine from Cape Food & Beverage, an awesome South African market located on Peachtree Industrial Court. If you do not feel like making the trip over there, you can purchase direct from their website: Cape Tea Rooibos Teas.
For more info on this Super Tea, check out the wikipedia article
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