For centuries Rooibos tea has been used in South Africa, as well as many other countries around the world because of its medicinal properties obtained from the Aspalathus linearis bush plant.
It contains antioxidants (50 percent more than green tea) like aspalathin and nothofagin and extremely potent and versatile phenolic compounds.
Dr. Pieter Le Fras Nortier is often considered the father of the rooibos tea industry, as it was his research that led to the global distribution of this red tea. Rooibos is an iconic national beverage of South Africa and is also considered a commodity in many places around the globe.
While references to rooibos tea can be found in documents as early as 1772, this incredible tea has only been commercially traded since 1904. It took many years to determine a method of germinating the plant that would allow the tea to be more widely produced.