What Is Rooibos? A Gentle Introduction to South Africa’s Red Bush

If you have seen rooibos in a blend and wondered what it is, you are not alone. It looks a little like tea and brews a little like tea, but it is not tea at all.

Red bush from the Cederberg

Rooibos is a herbal infusion made from the needle-like leaves of a shrub, Aspalathus linearis, which grows in the Cederberg mountains of South Africa. The name comes from Afrikaans and means “red bush”. Once the leaves are bruised and left to oxidise, they turn a deep reddish brown.

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  Rooibosरूइबॉस · South African herb

  Rooibos is a South African herbal infusion, not part of classical Ayurveda.

How it tastes

Rooibos is earthy, gently sweet and smooth, with very little bitterness. Reviews note that it is low in tannins, which is why it is difficult to over-brew.

Is it caffeine-free?

Yes. Rooibos on its own is naturally free of caffeine, unlike black, green or white tea, which all come from the tea plant. That is why Pavansudha, which has no tea leaf, is naturally caffeine-free. Jeevras, in contrast, combines rooibos with Darjeeling black tea, so the blend contains caffeine.

What science says

Reviews describe rooibos as containing polyphenols such as aspalathin, which is a rare dietary source of this compound. They also note that human studies on rooibos are limited and that much of the research comes from laboratory and animal work. So we enjoy rooibos for its flavour, and we do not make health claims about it.