Rooibos is one of South Africa’s most valued natural treasures. But how much do we really know about this home-grown tea? During Heritage Month in September, the SA Rooibos Council (SARC) embarked on a campaign to create greater public awareness of Rooibos. Here are some surprising facts about Rooibos: Every spring, the Rooibos bush is…
In a recent survey, one-third of South Africans cited Rooibos tea among their top three colds and flu fighting strategies. A survey conducted by a leading health firm showed that South Africans’ first reaction to a cold is to take Vitamin C, get enough rest, and take Rooibos mixed with honey, lemon and/or ginger. But,…
Indigenous Rooibos contains unique antioxidants and phytochemicals such as flavonoids and polyphenols which hold certain health benefits. To back these claims, the SA Rooibos Council (SARC) has made R4.5 million available for research on the ability of Rooibos to help reduce allergies, heart disease, diabetes and skin cancer. In South Africa alone, these diseases combined…
The South African Rooibos Council is investing in new research to better understand the plant’s health benefits. The Council has invested R4,5 million into studying claims that Rooibos reduces symptoms of allergies, heart disease, diabetes and skin cancer. Scientists will also investigate the impact of Rooibos on gut flora, and the extent to which it…
Disseminating information about the unique qualities of Rooibos is part of what Rooibos Ltd does.
The recent drought negatively impacted the production of Rooibos. As a result, the demand for Rooibos exceeded supply, and Rooibos prices increased. This influenced the domestic market where price sensitivity decreased the demand for Rooibos by 30% over the past three years. During the same period, the demand for Rooibos in Japan increased by 100%.…
Consumer brands group AVI, the owner of household names such as Five Roses and Freshpak Rooibos, says its Rooibos input cost spiked 27% as a result of the local drought in 2017/18. With better rainfall last year, most product prices stabilised somewhat – except for Rooibos. The same box of 80 teabags still costs R54.…
This blog on the MyKitchen website provides a beautiful overview of the Rooibos story – from how it became part of the tea-drinking culture in the Cederberg region during the 19th century to finding ways to germinate Rooibos seeds in the 1930s. Rooibos is produced from the plant Aspalathus linearis, a shrub unique to the Cederberg Mountains around…
Winter is often characterised by unsettled weather, a lack of sunshine, colds and flu, and reduced physical activity. Any combination of these factors can upset the body’s equilibrium. This can lead to indigestion, joint pain, dehydration, a sluggish metabolism, high blood pressure, depression, and lingering colds and flu. This is where a cup of hot…
The future of the Rooibos industry depends to a large extent on the sustainable production of healthy seedlings. Realising this, Rooibos Ltd organised an exploratory workshop where the five biggest Rooibos seedling growers could share information about terrain and soil selection, soil preparation, fertilisers, the planting season, planting density and the challenges of seedling nurseries.…
