Tea

Rooibos (has a safety note)

BotanicalAspalathus linearisAlso calledRed bush tea, Redbush

South Africa's naturally caffeine-free red bush, with a mellow, sweet, earthy cup. Ours comes blended with warming chai spices.

* Safety note: Rare liver reports with large daily amounts; read the cautions before use. Read the cautions

Rooibos, leaf

Rooibos grows only in the Cederberg mountains of South Africa's Western Cape. Its needle-like leaves are bruised and left to oxidize, which turns them a deep rusty red and gives the tea its name, red bush. The cup is smooth and naturally sweet, with notes of honey, wood and dried fruit and almost no bitterness, even if you forget it in the pot.

Rooibos has no caffeine, which makes it an easy evening tea. We sell it as our Organic Rooibos Chai, red rooibos blended with warming chai spices, and it is lovely simmered with milk and a little honey. Rooibos is not an Ayurvedic herb and we have not found a reliable Ayurvedic profile for it, so this page keeps to its taste, its use as a tea and what to know about safety.

Ayurvedic Properties

Not described in classical Ayurveda, and we have not found a reliable modern Ayurvedic profile, so most of its energetics are shown as unknown.

RasaTastes
  • Sweet
ViryaHeating or cooling
Not known
VipakaPost-digestive effect
Not known
AgniEffect on digestion
Not known

No Ayurvedic source describes rooibos itself; the chai spices in our blend add gentle warmth.

GunaQualities
Not known
TridoshaEffect on Vata, Pitta and Kapha
  • Vata: not known
  • Pitta: not known
  • Kapha: not known
  • decreases (calms that dosha)
  • increases (can aggravate it)
  • neutral or balancing
  • not known
  • V Vata · P Pitta · K Kapha

There is no classical or reliable modern Ayurvedic profile for rooibos. In practice, our rooibos chai brewed with warm milk is a soothing, grounding cup that many vata types enjoy on cold evenings, while the warming spices in the blend can be a little much for pitta in summer.

Traditional Uses

  • Traditionally used to support a calm, cozy wind-down in the evening.
  • Traditionally used to support easy digestion after a meal.
  • Traditionally used to support warmth and comfort in the colder months, as a spiced chai.

How People Use It

  • TeaUse 1 to 2 teaspoons of rooibos chai per cup of just-boiled water and steep 5 to 7 minutes. Rooibos does not turn bitter with a longer steep.
  • MilkFor a chai latte, simmer 1 to 2 teaspoons in half water and half milk for about 5 minutes, then strain and sweeten with a little honey once it has cooled slightly.
Try This

Rooibos Chai Evening Latte

A caffeine-free cup to close the day, straight from our studio kitchen.

  • 1/2 cup water
  • 1/2 cup milk of your choice
  • 2 teaspoons Organic Rooibos Chai
  • 1 teaspoon honey (optional)
  1. Bring the water and milk to a gentle simmer in a small pot.
  2. Add the rooibos chai and simmer softly for 5 minutes.
  3. Strain into a mug and let it cool a little.
  4. Stir in the honey and sip slowly, phone away.

Pairs Well With

Cautions

  • Very little is known about rooibos in pregnancy or while breastfeeding. Ordinary tea amounts are common, but please check with your doctor or midwife.
  • A few cases of liver injury or raised liver enzymes have been reported in people who drank large amounts of rooibos daily over a long time; liver tests returned to normal after stopping. Keep to moderate amounts and see a doctor if you notice dark urine or yellowing skin or eyes.
  • Some compounds in rooibos leaves have shown estrogen-like activity in the lab. Talk with your doctor first if you have a hormone-sensitive condition.
  • Rooibos may change how the body handles some medicines. Very large amounts (more than 2 liters a day) lowered blood levels of tacrolimus in one patient, and animal studies suggest it may affect drugs broken down by the enzyme CYP3A. Its antioxidants may also interfere with some chemotherapy drugs.
  • Our rooibos chai is a blend with chai spices. If you have a spice allergy, ask us about the full ingredient list.
  • Please consult a qualified practitioner or your doctor before drinking rooibos in large amounts, especially if you take medication.

In Our Shop

Organic Rooibos Chai

Organic Rooibos Chai, from $4.75. Weighed and packed by hand at our Rockville Centre studio.

Shop Rooibos →

From the Journal

Sources and Further Reading

This page shares how herbs are traditionally used in Ayurveda and other herbal traditions. It is for general education only and is not medical advice. These statements have not been evaluated by the FDA, and herbs are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease. Please talk with your doctor or a qualified practitioner before using herbs, especially if you are pregnant, nursing, taking medication or managing a health condition.