African Red Tea is 100% Organic and Kosher

As the weather cools, my Rooibos drinking increases.  There are some days I can’t sit down to drink tea until later in the evening.  I’m fortunate to be nearly immune to caffeine, but with my tight schedule I don’t like to risk it.  Rooibos is a great tea alternative.  For those of you new to tea and Roobios, tea and rooibos are completely different.  Rooibos is a South African herb known as bush tea.  In fact, it continues to gain aliases – Red Tea, etc.  Just remember, it’s not tea.  Having said that, it still contains a high level of antioxidants.  With tea, you’ll often hear debates about the quality of loose leaf tea compared to the dust and fannings found in most store-bought bagged teas.  Rooibos, in my opinion, is better in a tea bag.  It’s finely chopped and far less of a mess when prepared with a tea bag.  Another major benefit of Rooibos is the fact that it is naturally decaffeinated.

I like to brew the Rooibos until it has produced a deep-dark color in my cup – typically 3-5 minutes.  The beverage is naturally sweet, and it has a unique herbal flavor that creates a pleasant drinking experience.  Rooibos has a very low tannin level; which is another great benefit for those that cannot drink beverages with higher tannin levels. The Rooibos I’m drinking tonight contains Sceletium.  African Red Tea describes the tea/sceletium as: “This red tea has Sceletium powder added to it. An all natural and very effective anti-depressant, Sceletium elevates mood, decreases anxiety and tension. Sceletium is also known to reduce addictive cravings particularly with regard to nicotine and lessens the withdrawal effects of alcohol. Consult with a doctor before taking. Do not take during pregnancy.”

A Rooibos that comes with a warning…  I’ve had several cups, and I feel fine. Anything that decreases anxiety and tension is worth a try for me (as long as it’s safe).  I don’t detect much of a flavor difference between the Rooibos with Sceletium compared to the original Roobios.  Please research Sceletium before trying this product.

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African Red Tea® Imports offers a chai flavored Rooibos.  The flavored Rooibos gives consumers the option to enjoy Rooibos flavored with hints of ginger, cinnamon, and cardamom (I can’t verify all the ingredients, but that’s what I’m detecting).  You get all the benefits of an organic kosher Rooibos with the flavoring of a classic chai.  I found the beverage to be good without any additives.  If you’d like, I’m sure a little touch of your favorite sweetener would give it an extra buzz.  The popular South African herbal known as “Red Tea” can be found in hundreds of different flavors.  Since many tea drinkers and “coffee shop” tea drinkers know what a “Chai” is, they’ll most likely relate to this Rooibos.  Rooibos is naturally decaffianated and loaded with antioxidants.  Since I’m trying to rid of a sore throat, Rooibos is the perfect answer for relaxing in the evenings.  The chai flavored Rooibos helped to soothe my throat without the caffeine.

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I enjoy blogging about all things tea, and this is no exception.  Having said that, we all know Rooibos is not tea, but tea consumers and beyond have welcomed Rooibos into their cups.  Please read my Rooibos blogs if you are not familiar with Rooibos. The African Red Tea® Bar is just another step for Rooibos.  At the World Tea Expos I’ve attended, I’ve eaten my share of products that contain tea as an ingredient.  Tea has been making it’s way into our food for a few years now.  Some people have been using tea in their food for several years.  So, why not Rooibos?

The ingredients (Made by hand, with all raw ingredients): Almonds, coconut, pumpkin seeds, figs, raw agave nectar, rooibos extract 18:1, sea salt, and vanilla extract (totals 130 calories per bar).

The African Red Tea® Bars had the same texture as a chewy granola bar.  There was a slight crispness to it, but for the most part it was chewy.  The coconut and almond flavors really stood out for me.  It had just the right amount of sweetness from the raw agave nectar.  After a few bites, I started to detect a hint of Rooibos flavoring.  This would make a great snack for someone that really enjoys Rooibos or tea related products.

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Rooibos was only showing signs of continued growth and success at the 2008 World Tea Expo. The fact that Rooibos continues to do well is proof that it is a quality product. Yes, it did have to adopt the name “Red Tea” to get its foot in the door. That said, Rooibos is here to stay. I met Nira Levy Maslin, Co-founder and CEO, of African Red Tea®. You will not find too many people more passionate about their company and products as Nira. It’s always exciting to meet someone as interesting, educating, and entertaining as Nira. I have several varities of African Red Tea® to blog about. Each one has been very enjoyable.

First, let me give you some of the selling points advertised by African Red Tea®: This is a great tasting tea – naturally sweet, 100% organic, naturally caffeine free, no tannic acid and 50 times more antioxidants than green tea. Full bodied and extremely smooth.

Take a second to think about that…isn’t that everything you’ve been wanting from tea – well, almost? I’m sure scientists can debate the antioxidant levels between tea (camellia sinensis) and Rooibos (Aspalathus linearis). Since I don’t have a lab in my house, I’ll take their word for it – Rooibos has a high level of antioxidants.

Now, the Rooibos with Buchu…what is Buchu?: Buchu is an herb indigineous to South Africa only and has a mint like smell and taste. The Buchu leaf preparations have a long history of use in traditional herbal medicine as a urinary tract disinfectant and diuretic.

The first thing I noticed was the scent of the tea before it ever met the water. The Buchu has a very wild scent to it. I was reminded of a mix between mint, licorice and a freshly cut field full of wild shrubs. The scent didn’t floor me, but it was just so interesting that I couldn’t wait to drink the Rooibos. After I let the Rooibos soak in the boiling water, I was left with a dark infusion. There was a bitter and minty scent coming from the steam of the liquor. I loved this “tea” from the first sip. The Rooibos with Buchu just has a lot of character. From its “wild” scent to its very unique flavor. Just imagine a naturally sweet beverage mixed with a hint of bitter mint, and you have African Red Tea® with Buchu. This was a very enjoyable beverage. I enjoyed the fact that it was very much a native South African beverage. In addition, I liked that it was a totally different Rooibos experience for me. I could sip on this often. I found it to be very helpful clearing my sinuses. The beverage leaves a pleasant aftertaste as well. I highly recommend this Rooibos. It has more character than I expected – very good.

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