The UK population’s love of tea is famed and undiminished; however consumers are increasingly looking for a wider range of tastes and flavours, particularly healthy options to enhance their hectic lifestyles. We are all trying to achieve recommended daily fluid levels, beyond water but without increasing caffeine intake.

Rooibos ticks all these boxes and more. Naturally caffeine-free and low in harmful tannins, it is incredibly hydrating. It is high in antioxidants, flavonoids, has nine trace
minerals and is low in oxalic acid. With zero calories and a sweeter flavour than other teas, therefore less of a need for sugar, it certainly has a role to play in every lifestyle.

Consultant nutritionist Jane Griffin comments: "A healthy diet will be made up of a variety of different foods but it should also contain a range of drinks too. Rooibos tea not only hydrates, it also provides a range of antioxidants and trace elements too, making it a great choice of drink to complement a healthy diet and lifestyle."

South Africans describe their favourite tea as easy-drinking, smooth with a delicate nutty and earthy flavour and a sweet aromatic taste. For a thirst-quenching drink on hot days, sweeten Rooibos with sugar or honey and serve with ice cubes and a dash or slice of lemon. Rooibos can also be enjoyed with milk, which fits neatly into traditional UK habits unlike other herbal teas. Alternatively try hot Rooibos tea served with a slice of lemon or a spoonful of honey for a slightly sweeter taste.

South Africans are proud of their favourite tea, and use it widely in cooking and in particular as a natural meat tenderiser as it's the perfect choice for marinades. It is also used to create cocktails, starters (soups for example), main courses (such as chicken curry), desserts (including cakes) and preserves. Many South African restaurants also use Rooibos as an ingredient in their cooking to create delicious dishes.

Rooibos tea has been used for centuries by people at the Cape. The plant, Aspalathus linearis, with its soft needle-like leaves and shrub-like bushes, is a well-kept secret that grows nowhere else in the world but in the Cederberg micro-climate.

Traditionally, the leaves from the Rooibos bushes were harvested and then crushed using primitive tools and left in heaps to ferment before drying in the sun. Today, plants are cultivated and the production process has been refined without losing the unique process and heritage to guarantee the best quality in every cup. Many of the traditional processes have remained: after bruising and fermentation, the leaves are still dried in the hot African sun. They oxidise gradually, changing from green to amber and developing the Rooibos’ distinctive flavour, red colour and sweet aroma.

Rooibos’ popularity originally grew through love of its flavour, health properties and versatility and is known as South Africa’s national drink. In the UK, Rooibos was first sold through health shops but it is now widely available. It has its own place, in our cupboards and our cups, as an everyday tea with unique benefits to our health.