AA shrub of the acacia family, rooibos only grows in South Africa where the climatic conditions and the nature of the soil suit it perfectly. Rooibos is often referred to as red tea, but it is not tea.
A glimpse into History
More than 300 years ago, native mountain populations in northern Cape (South Africa) harvested the aerial parts of the wild Rooibos, which they fermented to make a sweet and fruity-flavored infusion. a reddish color. The Khoisan tribe used Rooibos as a medicinal herb.
It was in the nineteenth century that botanist Carl Humberg introduced this plant to South Africans, before Benjamin Ginsberg, a Russian émigré, developed his commercial potential from 18. Its cultivation has been experimented in many parts of the globe but without success.
Rooibos (pronounced Royboss) is a thorny shrub, one meter tall with thin stems and yellow flowers, native to the mountainous regions of Cederberg in South Africa. Needle-shaped leaves turn red after fermentation and drying. It can also be used green before fermentation. This shrub is suitable for a poor and acidic soil and a hot and dry climate. Its leaves are reminiscent of laurel leaves, they are used to prepare a caffeine-free drink with low tannin content.
It can be fermented (red) or unfermented (green), and in the latter case it will contain more anti-oxidants.
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