Rooibos Tea: Benefits, the Science & How to Brew It Properly

If there is one plant that belongs to South Africa, it is rooibos. Aspalathus linearis grows in only one place on earth — the Cederberg mountains of the Western Cape — and the red-brown brew made from its needle-like leaves has been on local kitchen tables for generations. It is naturally caffeine-free, naturally low in tannins, and it does not turn bitter if you forget it on the stove. Here is an honest look at why people drink it, what the research has actually found, and how to get the best cup out of it.

Why do people drink rooibos?

• No caffeine at all. Rooibos is naturally caffeine-free, which is why it is so often the evening cup, the pregnancy cup, or the cup for anyone who finds coffee and black tea a bit much.
• Very low in tannins. Roughly 10–15 times less tannin than black tea, which is why it stays smooth rather than turning astringent when it steeps a long time.
• Naturally rich in polyphenols. Rooibos contains flavonoids you will not easily find elsewhere — aspalathin and nothofagin — alongside more familiar ones like quercetin.
• Endlessly drinkable. Hot, iced, with milk, with honey, or as the base for a spiced chai. It takes flavour well.
• It is ours. Grown, harvested and dried in the Cederberg — you are not importing anything.

What the research says

Rooibos is genuinely well-studied for a herbal tea, but the picture is early-stage rather than settled. Much of the work is in test tubes and animals, and the human trials are small. General information, not medical advice.

• The most-cited human study is a 2011 South African trial in the Journal of Ethnopharmacology. Forty adults at raised cardiovascular risk drank six cups of traditional fermented rooibos a day for six weeks; researchers reported improvements in markers of oxidative status and blood lipids. It was a small, short trial — suggestive, not proof, and six cups a day is a lot of tea.
• A 2024 systematic review in Beverages pulled together the human studies on rooibos and concluded much the same: promising signals around antioxidant status, but too few and too small to draw firm conclusions.
• Aspalathin, rooibos's signature flavonoid, has been studied for antioxidant activity in laboratory and animal models, and human work suggests it is absorbed intact. Interesting — but lab and animal findings do not automatically carry across to people.
• Laboratory work on rooibos compounds and UV-stressed human skin cells has looked at antioxidant protection. This is test-tube research on cells, not evidence that drinking tea protects your skin.

The short version: rooibos is a pleasant, caffeine-free, polyphenol-rich drink with encouraging early research behind it. It is not a medicine, and nobody should be drinking it instead of seeing a doctor.

How to brew it properly

1. Use about one heaped teaspoon of loose rooibos per cup.
2. Pour over fully boiling water — rooibos needs more heat than green tea, not less.
3. Steep for 5 to 10 minutes. Unlike black tea, a longer steep will not make it bitter; it just makes it richer and deeper red.
4. Strain and drink as is, or add a splash of milk, a spoon of raw honey, or a slice of lemon.
5. Iced version: brew double-strength, cool it, then pour over ice with lemon and mint.
6. Rooibos chai: simmer with cinnamon, cardamom, cloves and a little ginger, then add milk.

Our range

• Natural Stuff Organic Rooibos Herbal Tea 350g — loose-leaf, 100% pure, naturally caffeine-free.
• Natural Stuff Wild Blossom Honey 500g — raw Western Cape honey; a spoon in a hot cup of rooibos is hard to beat.
• Natural Stuff Rose Petals — a pinch added to the pot makes a lovely floral rooibos blend.

FAQ

Is rooibos really caffeine-free? Yes — genuinely zero, not decaffeinated. That is why it is a common evening and family-friendly choice.

How many cups a day is reasonable? Most people drink two or three cups without issue. Rooibos is generally regarded as very safe, though very rare case reports have linked heavy intake to liver effects — so if you have an existing liver condition, check with your doctor first.

What is the difference between red and green rooibos? Red (traditional) rooibos is oxidised or "fermented", giving the familiar sweet, woody flavour. Green rooibos is unoxidised, tastes lighter and grassier, and holds more aspalathin.

Can I add milk? Absolutely. Rooibos takes milk well and, unlike black tea, will not go bitter while it waits.

References & further reading

• Marnewick JL et al. Effects of rooibos (Aspalathus linearis) on oxidative stress and biochemical parameters in adults at risk for cardiovascular disease. Journal of Ethnopharmacology, 2011.
• The Effect of Rooibos Tea (Aspalathus linearis) Consumption on Human Health Outcomes: A Systematic Literature Review. Beverages, 2024.
• Protective Effects of Linearthin and Other Chalcone Derivatives from Aspalathus linearis (Rooibos) against UVB-Induced Oxidative Stress in Human Skin Cells (laboratory study).
• Healthline — Rooibos Tea: Benefits, Nutrition and Safety.

This article is for general information only and is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease. Rooibos is a beverage, not a treatment for high cholesterol, heart disease, diabetes or any other condition — if you are managing a health condition, please see your doctor and keep taking any medicine you have been prescribed. If you are pregnant, breastfeeding, on chronic medication, or have a liver condition, speak to your healthcare practitioner before making a big change to what you drink.