Be adventurous - try new things: Rooibos Tea anyone?

I meant to write about this awhile back since this happened a while ago, but here it is:

I was being adventurous one morning and I ordered something I had never tried before. This could go either way, I could totally hate it, or I could totally love it. Luckily for me, I enjoyed trying rooibos tea (pronounced: roy-boss). So I read up on what I was drinking.

It is also known as red tea, or red bush tea. It is in fact, more an herb than a tea. It's the national drink of South Africa. It comes from the branches and twigs of a tree called Aspalathus linearis.


Pros:

- naturally CAFFEINE FREE!! score for me!
- low in tannins so it helps with insomnia
- high in antioxidants (37 natural kinds)
- has calcium, manganese, and flouride for stronger bones and teeth
- has flavonoids which act as bronchodilator, and anti-spasmodic (helps people breathe better)
- has vitamins and minerals including

• vitamin C

• zinc 

• copper 

• manganese 

• magnesium 

• potassium 

- has alpha-hydroxy acid which helps with skin and nail renewal
- can be applied directly to skin to help with eczema, sunburns, acne, etc.
- can be given to babies with colic, sleeping problems, or stomach cramps
- has been used to help suppress HIV virus
- has polyphenols which has been shown to be

• anti-cancer 
• anti-mutagenic 
• anti-inflammatory 
• anti-viral 

- it tastes pretty good




Cons:
- low level of tannin which slows iron absorption - if you're anemic watch out!
- can demonstrate estrogenic activities which if you have hormone sensitive cancer like breast cancer -check with the doctor before taking