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Rooibos is familiar to so many of us. We know its smooth taste, its rich colour and how easily it becomes part of the everyday. But beyond what we taste and see, rooibos naturally contains antioxidants that make this South African plant even more interesting. So, what are these antioxidants, and what do they add to the story of the tea we know and love?
Antioxidants are naturally occurring compounds that help protect our cells from oxidative stress, a process that happens naturally in the body and can contribute to cell damage over time.
Rooibos contains a variety of plant compounds with antioxidant properties. One of these is aspalathin, a polyphenol naturally found in rooibos and one of the reasons this much-loved plant has attracted interest over the years.
There’s an interesting difference between traditional red and green rooibos too. Traditional rooibos goes through oxidation, developing the rich colour, smooth flavour and familiar aroma we know so well. Green rooibos skips this stage, which helps it retain higher levels of certain plant compounds, including aspalathin.
Because antioxidants help protect our cells against oxidative stress, the naturally occurring antioxidants in rooibos have attracted interest for what they may mean for our health. Research has explored their potential connection to areas including heart health and blood sugar, as well as how they may help the body respond to oxidative stress.
While there’s still more to learn about some of these health benefits, it gives us another way to appreciate rooibos. We know it for its smooth taste and familiar aroma, but there’s much more within the plant itself.
That idea of looking beyond flavour is familiar to us at LMC.
When our team develops a new blend, taste is only part of the picture. Botanicals associated with wellness are considered alongside their aroma, appearance and how beautifully the ingredients work together.
Rooibos is a lovely base for this. Its smooth character complements fruity, floral, herbal and spicy ingredients, allowing us to explore different flavour profiles while keeping rooibos at the heart of the blend.
Whole botanicals add to the experience too. Visible through our pyramid teabags, their colour and character become part of what you see, smell and taste as your tea brews.
Most of us don’t make a cup of rooibos thinking about antioxidants. We make it because we enjoy it.
For LMC, there’s another connection. Rooibos grows in the Cederberg, where our story began, and remains at the heart of our tea collection.
So, the next time you brew your favourite LMC blend, settle in and enjoy every sip. Knowing more about the rooibos in your cup makes something you already love feel that little bit more special.
