3 surprising benefits of rooibos tea for the health of the body

For some people, teabecome a daily routine to start the day. Apart from tea leaves, there are various types of tea that can be enjoyed, one of which is rooibos tea or rooibos tea. Do you think there are benefits to drinking rooibos tea like other types of tea? Come on, find out the answer below.

What is rooibos tea like?

Like other types of herbal teas, the popularity of rooibos tea is starting to skyrocket.

This tea, known as red tea or red bush tea, has a distinctive aroma and is lower in caffeine than black tea or green tea.

Rooibos is a leaf from the shrub Aspalathus linearis, which grows on mainland South Africa.

This tea is made through a leaf fermentation process so that the color turns brownish red. In the market, there is also fresh, unfermented green rooibos tea.

Although not common in Indonesia, you can easily find both teas at stores that specialize in herbal teas or by ordering on line.

Besides being enjoyed like warm sweet tea, you can vary this tea with other spices or add milk and serve it with ice cubes.

Health benefits of drinking rooibos tea

Unlike other types of tea, rooibos tea contains very little caffeine. Caffeine is a stimulant substance commonly found in green tea and black tea.

Caffeine can indeed improve concentration and mood. However, it can also cause side effects such as palpitations, anxiety, headaches, and difficulty sleeping.

In addition, this tea is also low in tannins and does not contain oxalic acid.

Tannins are natural compounds in certain plants that can interfere with iron absorption. While oxalic acid can increase the risk of kidney stones if consumed in excess.

The low levels of tannins, oxalic acid and caffeine are what make rooibos tea safe for consumption by people who want to reduce caffeine intake, have kidney problems, and are deficient in iron.

Apart from being the tea of choice, rooibos tea also known to have various benefits according to several studies, including:

1. Can increase antioxidant levels in the body

Rooibos tea contains various antioxidant compounds that can ward off free radicals, which are molecules that can damage body cells. The antioxidants in question are asphaltathin and quercetin.

Journal studies Food Chemistry,found an increase in antioxidant levels in the blood by 2.9% in people who drank rooibos tea.

This effect can be seen after the participants drank 750 mg of rooibos leaves which were made into tea.

Although not large, the increase in antioxidants in the blood from rooibos tea can provide benefits for the body. Especially to fight inflammation due to sun exposure, pollution, and certain chemicals.

2. Potential to maintain heart health

Apart from fighting free radicals, the antioxidants in rooibos tea also have benefits for heart health.

Journal studies Journal of Ethnopharmacology show that drinking rooibos tea can increase good cholesterol levels.

A total of 40 obese adults who are at high risk of heart disease, were asked to drink 6 cups of rooibos tea every day for 6 weeks.

The results showed that bad cholesterol levels decreased and good cholesterol increased.

Cholesterol is fat that settles in the blood vessels. If the level of bad cholesterol is high, it will be difficult for blood to flow through the arteries.

As a result, this condition can cause the heart not to get oxygen-rich blood so that it is at risk of causing a heart attack.

3. Potential to maintain blood sugar levels

Other benefits of rooibos tea can be obtained by diabetes patients. This tea is known to contain the anti-diabetics asphaltathin, according to a study in the journal Cytotechnology.

Unfortunately, this study only looked at this effect in green rooibos, which is unfermented. In addition, it still needs further research because it is only done on animals.

However, be aware of the possible side effects

In general, using rooibos as a spice for teas is safe. However, it is possible to cause side effects if consumed in excess.

Drink rooibos tea Excessively can increase enzymes in the liver, which can cause liver problems. In addition, there are certain compounds that can stimulate the production of estrogen.

So, people who have liver problems or hormonal disorders should first consult their doctor if they want to drink rooibos tea.