A registered dietitian based in South Africa explain six rooibos tea benefits.

Plus tips on how to buy and brew it at home.

3: The Future of Processed Foods

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Favorite teas are like old friends, familiar and comfortable.

The types of teas people sip on an everyday basis vary, depending on where someone lives.

Here in the U.S.,black tea is the most commonly brewed.

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Emily Innes, RD, is a registered dietitian based in Cape Town, South Africa.

In Japan,green tea is most popular.

Rooibos tea is an absolute standard beverage in every single household in South Africa, she says.

Rooibos tea is always offered, she says.

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In terms of the taste, rooibos tea has smoky, grassy, and slightly floral notes.

Its a tea thats full of complexities.

This particular pop in of tea is full of health benefits, too.

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Here, Innes highlights what they are as well as giving some expert brewing tips.

Rooibos tea benefits

1.

Its caffeine-free

Rooibos tea is an herbal tea and is completely free of caffeine.

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Emily Innes, RD, is a registered dietitian based in Cape Town, South Africa.

The role of antioxidants is to mop up damaging free radicals in the body, Innes says.

Free radicals can cause oxidative stress and damage to the bodys cells.

It is therefore beneficial to reduce the amount of free radicals in the system.

A hand is stirring a sourdough starter in a glass jar, on a kitchen countertop. The light casts a warm glow, highlighting the ingredients inside the jar.

While this research is promising, more evidence is still needed to confirm the connection.

This makes rooibos tea a good staple to have on hand to use in place of antacids.

Its good for your heart

Regularly consuming rooibos teacould help prevent cardiovascular disease.

Two cups with coffee and green tea on a beige background.

Can you guess why?

Yep, its those polyphenols at work once again.

Research shows thatpolyphenols can help manage blood pressure levelsand promote good circulation.

True rooibos tea is sourced from South Africa.

Innes says preparation of rooibos tea largely comes down to personal preference.

People will either drink it black, meaning without milk, just with boiling water added.

Or, they will enjoy it with milk, she says.

Some restaurants have started serving red cappuccinos, says Innes.

She says that red cappuccinos are often enjoyed at a restaurant or cafe, in place of drinking coffee.

The best way to figure out how you most like your rooibos tea is to experiment.

Youll truly be nourishing your whole body with every sip.

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