Wednesday, March 14, 2007

Rooibos Tea--good for pregnancy, breastfeeding, and anytime!

Melanie at The Groovy Mind told me about Rooibos (also spelled Roobois) tea.

For people worried about coffee's caffeine (I'm not!), teas' tannins and caffeine, and the myriad contrainidications (and they are out there) in different kind of herbs, especially if pregnant or breastfeeding, the Rooibos, African Red Bush tea is for you. It has a pretty red color and mild, sweet taste that I don't mind drinking all day...

It seems to be very nourishing and full of antioxidants, great for for anyone, pregnant or not. In fact, it's actually used as a colic remedy in Africa.

Here's some info I got from Cook's Corner:

  • It has a very soothing effect on the central nervous system and can be strongly recommended for people suffering from irritability, stress, headaches, nervous tension and mild depression or hypertension.
  • Helps with insomnia, disturbed sleep patterns and headaches. Have a cup of Rooibos before you get ready for bed to ensure a good night's sleep.
  • Studies have shown Rooibos is beneficial in the management of allergies like hay fever and asthma.
  • Relieves stomach and digestive problems like nausea, vomiting, heartburn, syomach ulcers and constipation.
  • Helps to control your appetite thus can be beneficial in weight loss. Also helps in controlling your blood sugar level.
  • Since Rooibos contains no oxalic acid it can be safely used by people suffering from kidney stones.
  • Scientists have found that Rooibos tea contains a mimic of the enzyme Super Oxide Dimutase(S.O.D.), an anti-oxidant which attacks free radicals and limits their damaging effects. ("Free radicals," is the toxic by-product of natural biological processes that can damage healthy cells, weaken our immune system, lead to cancer. The harmful oxygen also contributes to aging, making us look older than we really are!and it contributes to aging.)
  • Mothers find Rooibos tea to be of benefit in common infant ailments like colic, stomach cramps, fussy babies. When given in addition to babies normal feeding , Rooibos supplements the daily intake of calcium , manganese and fluoride needed by growing children for strong teeth and bones. Rooibos is effective for relieving skin irritaions such as diaper rash and eczema. Brew a cup then let cool down and apply to irrited area. Mothers can also benefit from drinking Rooibos tea. During pregnancy and breast feeding, the body’s iron levels become depleted.
And don't just drink it wear it:

The alpha hydroxy acid and zinc contained in Rooibos promotes healthy, smooth skin. This wonder tea is especially useful when applied to skin irritations like itchy skin, eczema, sunburns, diaper rash, acne and rosacea.

I recommend organic and fair trade Red Bush tea from The Groovy Mind (they also make great eco-conscious gift baskets...)

21 comments:

Anonymous said...

In addition to its antioxidant properties, rooibos is also famed for its anti-allergenic and anti-inflammatory properties. Rooibos has been shown to help clear up various types of inflammatory dermatitis and seasonal allergies. Rooibos contains high levels of quercitin, a member of the flavonoid group found in fruits and vegetables. Quercitin inhibits the release of histamine and other inflammatory compounds. It decreases the inflammatory response. It also may have some anti-viral properties, which would explain why the Japanese have found that rooibos tea helps suppress the occurrence of herpes simplex in people who suffer from recurrent herpes.

Rooibos also contains calcium, fluoride, magnesium, iron, zinc, copper and potassium along with other flavonoids such as rutin, and various proanthocyanidins. Drinking rooibos tea contributes to the maintenance of healthy skin, bones, teeth, and enhances the metabolic processes.

Carla said...

I hope its good for fertility too!

Anonymous said...

That's a lot of good stuff. I've been drinking tea for almost 4 years and I think it's a good source of healthy living. With this Rooibos tea, it will probably enhance it even better.

Carla said...

Does anyone know the shelf life of this tea? I used to drink it all the time, but I fell of the wagon. I have some thats about 6 months old now...

GreenFertility said...

I think once it's dried, it last a really long time. If it doesn't smell rancid, it's likely okay. i have dried seaweed that I've had around for years...

Anonymous said...

Rooibos Tea base Espresso
Red Espresso™ - the cafe revolution - a tea playing by coffee rules! How cool is that!

Red Espresso has opened an entire new beverage category and is appealing to folks who otherwise never thought of enjoying designer drinks such as cappuccino, latte, Frappuccino, macchiato etc. With Red Espresso on the market people adverse to caffeine, health conscious people and even kids can now enjoy a Red Cappuccino, Red Latte, Red Frappe, Red Macchiato etc. together with their coffee drinking friends!

BTW, Red Espresso is now also available in North America at www.blincx.com or simply call
1-800-99-myRED

Anonymous said...

red tea is very good.

hugs from romania

Anonymous said...

I drink green rooibos tea everyday. When I began drinking it, I started to notice that I was not have any breakouts. I've never read anything about rooibos helping with acne but my face is completely clear (I've struggled with acne for 15 years). I drink about 6 cups a day. This tea is beneficial for overall well being. I love it!

Anonymous said...

I discovered rooibos sent through a sample through an online order. That first 2 bags made a nice rich red pot of tea, made me feel really relaxed as i oft suffer from anxiety, which was what i was hoping for, so i now drink lots of it daily. What was unexpected, I used to be completely exhausted from going to the apt. mailbox, I live in the hills and don't walk like I used to. I practically have been running back up the two flights of steps without even a pant. So I've replaced the kid's soda's with a jug of fresh rooibos tea. Usual complaints of allergies are almost unheard, which is why doc suggested we move out into the mountains in the first place, blood sugar is reduced, we're healthier.

Always consult your health professional of course, but as I live too far in the woods, I'm always looking for great ways of prevention and well-being till i get to my doc.

I cannot recommend this good tea enough. I can only drink one cup of green tea daily because of the rush, but this i can drink by the gallon and it tastes great, pretty too!!

GreenFertility said...

Thanks for taking the time to tell us about your experience!

Anonymous said...

Thank you for the valuable information. I was a little undecided about drinking tea while pregnant.

GreenFertility said...

thanks for writing...tea can just refer to a plant that colors your hot water...nettle tea is also really good any time and during preg (again, this is not medical advice) as it contains lots of minerals, like calcium. I drink it all the time.

Alice Smith said...

Pregnancy, the soulful path of birth of a baby and a mother, requires all the care and attention. One of the major concerns related to this nature’s beautiful gift is the nutrition, the pregnancy nutrition. Body and mind being centered on pregnancy; pregnancy nutrition provides all the supplements, not only physically but also spiritually. One should always consult doctors for these major supplements, with a regular health check up during pregnancy. It is altogether a new world of nature.

Pump style backpack said...

Thanks for the heads up on this, I truly appreciate it, keep up the great work.

Sarah.

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The Angle Family said...

Thank you - this was very helpful. I would love if you could set up your blog to be "followed." It's a setting in blogger, in case you haven't considered it. That way, on my blogger dashboard, it will always show your feed.

:-)

Rooibos Tea And Pregnancy Site said...

Hi green fertility!

Thanks for taking the time to tackle this issue.

This information has bounced on and off the internet to the point that pregnant moms are often confused on which to believe.

I guess the best thing to do is to always consult your doc before trying a tea.

I have since started on Rooibos tea while on pregnancy and I have to say it did what I wanted it to be.

I have always been a tea lover all my life.

Hope this helps other people who are reading your blog as well.

Keep up the good work!

All the best,
-Nicole Angeles

Anonymous said...

I come from South Africa and when we were small we were drinking rooibos tea in our bottles. I knew it was good for digestion hence thats why I am drinking it now that I am pregnant and its helped a lot with the nausea. I never knew it had so many good properties... baie dankie rooibos! ;)