Rooibos Tea

Botanical: Aspalathus linearis

Origin: South Africa

Health Benefits: Rooibos has an antioxidant called aspalathin that reduces insulin resistance that can help prevent diabetes and some cancers.  It has a positive effect on blood pressure and can lower ‘bad’ cholesterol while raising ‘good’ cholesterol levels, in people at risk of heart disease. 

The rooibos plant grows only in the mountains of Cederberg in Cape Town, South Africa. Often called ‘red bush’ it is a member of the broom family and was discovered by early Dutch settlers in the 1700s. The leaves and stems are cut and bruised to encourage oxidization, which gives the tea its rich red colour. Rooibos has a natural sweetness and a slightly smoky, nutty flavour when brewed. The brewed liquor has a deep ruby red colour and boasts a string of health giving properties. What we can confirm is that Rooibos is both caffeine free and has 50% more  cancer-inhibiting antioxidants  than green tea.

Brewing Rooibos Herbal Tea
To get a perfectly sweet and nutty Rooibos Tea, add 1 teaspoon of Yahava’s Rooibos tea leaves to brew in a 220 ml cup at 80°c for about 3 minutes. You can also add a squeeze or a slice of lemon a teaspoon of honey or a little ginger.

The Blood Red Acraea Butterfly

Acarea petraea

In nature the colour red usually signals danger. The Blood Red Acarea feeds on plants like passion fruits that contain cyanogenic glycoside. Once ingested the ‘cyanide’ makes them toxic to predators and enables the little red butterfly to get on with nectar feeding totally unmolested.