Is Rooibos Tea as Healthy as Green Tea?

More people are sipping tea these days – and for good reason. Green tea and white tea are a good source of catechins, natural chemicals that have antioxidant benefits. But for some people the caffeine content of these teas limits the amount they can drink. For these people, there’s still a way to sip “tea” without the caffeine rush. Rooibos tea is a caffeine-free tea that’s a rising star in the world of healthy beverages. Drinking rooibos tea is a way to get antioxidants without the caffeine jitters that comes from sipping black tea, coffee, and some green teas.

Rooibos Tea Antioxidants: What is Rooibos Tea?

Rooibos tea, also known as redbush tea, is made from the Aspalathus linearis, a plant that’s native to South Africa. It’s available unfermented, as a tea that’s green in color, or fermented, which gives the tea a deep red color. Most grocery stores carry fermented rooibos tea in tea in the herbal tea section. It doesn’t come from the Camellia sinensis plant, so it’s considered to be an herbal tea, or tisane.

Rooibos Tea Antioxidants: How Do They Compare to Green Tea?

Researchers at the Antioxidant Research Laboratory in Italy recently discovered that drinking rooibos tea increases “total antioxidant capacity”. This is another way of saying rooibos tea raises levels of antioxidants in the body. This was determined after fifteen volunteers drank water, fermented rooibos tea, or unfermented rooibos. Both forms of Rooibos tea increased antioxidant levels, but the fermented rooibos tea raised antioxidant levels even more. Not only did drinking rooibos tea elevate antioxidant levels, it had no adverse effects on lipids or blood sugar levels.

It’s hard to make a direct comparison between rooibos tea and green tea, since there is so little research on rooibos tea antioxidants. One study published in Food Chemistry in 1997 showed that rooibos tea has less antioxidant activity than green tea – regardless of whether it’s fermented or not – but it still has benefits. Animal studies show that drinking rooibos tea is beneficial for the immune system and may have cancer protective benefits, as well as the ability to destroy viruses.

The Bottom Line?

Although it’s questionable whether rooibos tea has as much antioxidant power as green tea, drinking rooibos tea is a good alternative for people who want a caffeine-free beverage to sip on during the day. It has a naturally sweet taste because of its low levels of tannins and is completely calorie-free. It’s also a nice change of pace from traditional black and green teas. Look for it when grocery shopping – and sip it for good health.

References:

Nutraingredients-USA website. “Study confirms rooibos antioxidant potential”

Food Chemistry.Volume 60, Issue 1, September 1997, Pages 73-77.