RED TEA

Produced mainly in Kenya and South Africa, Red or "Rooibos" (ROY-boss) Tea originates as a green leaf from the Aspalathus Linearis plant, rather than the Camellia plants that produce traditional teas. It is harvested during the summer months, bruised, and cut using tobacco cutting machines. Fermented in mounds and then spread out to dry in the sunlight, the fermentation process turns the tea its distinctive "red bush" color. In the final process Rooibos is sterilized by steam, dried in commercial dryers, sifted and packaged. With a very sweet and slightly nutty flavor, Rooibos is a tea that is very enjoyable as a fruit blend or iced. But its popularity as a taste sensation is second to its fame as a health tonic. The soothing effect of Rooibos was first discovered when used as a digestive aid on infants prone to colic (its anti-spasmodic and anti-allergic effects have been ascribed to quercetin). It is now used in treatment for a variety of other diseases including heart and kidney disease, diabetes, high blood pressure, and depression.