Red bush tea has a slightly confusing name. It isn't really tea, it isn't a bush you'll find in an English garden, and depending on who you ask it's called redbush, red tea or rooibos (say it "roy-boss"). But once you've tried a proper cup, the name stops mattering.
Rooibos comes from a single, rather stubborn plant, Aspalathus linearis, that grows in one corner of the world: the Cederberg mountains of South Africa's Western Cape. People have tried to grow it elsewhere. It mostly refuses. The leaves are harvested, bruised and left to oxidise in the sun, which turns them from green to that deep, rusty red, and gives the tea its name.
So what are the real benefits of red bush tea? Here are the honest, everyday reasons it's worth a place in your cupboard.
The benefits of drinking red bush tea
1. It's completely caffeine-free
Rooibos isn't made from the tea plant at all, so it contains no caffeine. None. That makes it one of the very few drinks that tastes and behaves like a proper cup of tea, milk and all, without keeping you up.
It's the cup for 9pm, for the third brew of the afternoon, or for anyone who loves the ritual of tea but has decided that they and caffeine need some time apart.
2. It's naturally sweet
This is the one that surprises people. Rooibos has a natural, gentle sweetness, somewhere between honey and vanilla, with a soft, woody warmth underneath. Most people who take sugar in their tea find they don't need it here.
If you've been trying to cut back on sugar in your cuppa, red bush tea makes that very easy indeed.
3. It's impossible to oversteep
Black tea left too long turns bitter and tannic. Rooibos doesn't. It's naturally low in tannins, so you can leave it steeping while you answer the door, find the biscuits and forget about it entirely. It'll just get richer.
For anyone who has ever poured away a stewed cup of builder's, this is quietly one of the best benefits of red bush tea.
4. It takes milk like a proper cuppa
Many caffeine-free teas fall apart with milk. Rooibos doesn't. Its body and sweetness hold up beautifully to a splash of milk (oat milk works brilliantly too), which is why it's the go-to swap for so many people who want a builder's-style brew in the evening.
With milk, it's comforting and round. Without, it's lighter, sweeter and slightly nutty. Both are good. Neither is wrong.
5. It grows in exactly one place on earth
There's something rather lovely about a tea with a real sense of place. Every cup of genuine rooibos comes from the same small region of South Africa, where it's been gathered and brewed for generations.
Our Rooibos comes from the Cederberg itself, the heart of rooibos country.
6. It's a brilliant base for flavour
Because it's naturally sweet and gentle, rooibos is a perfect partner for other flavours: vanilla, chocolate, caramel, spice, citrus. That's why you'll see so many redbush blends.
Our Rooibos Pecan Turtle blends it with dark chocolate, caramel and pecan. It didn't set out to taste like carrot cake. And yet. It's the cup that satisfies a dessert craving at ten o'clock at night, without a drop of caffeine.
7. It's an easy, everyday ritual
Rooibos is forgiving, flexible and good at any hour, which makes it one of the easiest loose leaf teas to fall into a habit with. Kettle on, leaves in, wait a few minutes, sit down. That's the whole routine, and it's a very good one.
How to brew red bush tea
Rooibos is about as forgiving as tea gets, but a few small things bring out the best in it.
- Use one heaped teaspoon of loose leaf per mug (about 300ml).
- Use freshly boiled water. Rooibos is happy at 100°C.
- Steep for five minutes or more. It won't turn bitter, so if you like it richer, just leave it longer.
- Drink it black, or add a splash of milk. Oat milk is particularly good. Honey is optional; most people find it sweet enough.
- Steep it twice. The leaves have plenty left in them. It won't oversteep. It never does.
For something cooler, brew it double strength, let it cool and pour it over ice with a slice of orange. Iced rooibos is one of summer's better-kept secrets.
Red bush tea FAQs
Is red bush tea good for you?
It's a caffeine-free, naturally sweet drink made from a single plant, with nothing added and no need for sugar. As everyday drinks go, that's a very good place to start. It's also an easy way to swap out a few caffeinated cups a day without giving up the ritual of a proper brew.
What are the health benefits of red bush tea?
You'll find plenty of big claims about rooibos online. We'd rather keep it honest: we don't sell tea as medicine, and nobody should. What we can say for certain is that it's caffeine-free, naturally low in tannins and naturally sweet, which makes it a genuinely good everyday alternative to black tea and coffee. If you have a specific health question, your GP is the right person to ask.
Does red bush tea have caffeine?
No. Pure rooibos is naturally 100% caffeine-free. A flavoured redbush blend will be too, unless it's been mixed with black or green tea, so it's always worth checking the ingredients.
Are there any side effects of red bush tea?
Rooibos is widely enjoyed with no issues, and many people drink several cups a day. As with any herbal tea, if you're pregnant, breastfeeding, taking medication or have a health condition, it's worth checking with your GP or pharmacist before making it a regular habit.
Is red tea the same as rooibos?
Usually, in the UK, yes: "red tea" and "red bush tea" both mean rooibos. Confusingly, in China "red tea" (hong cha) is what we'd call black tea, which does contain caffeine. If you're after the caffeine-free one, look for the word rooibos.
What's the difference between red rooibos and green rooibos?
Same plant, different processing. Red rooibos is oxidised, which gives it its colour and its sweet, woody flavour. Green rooibos isn't oxidised, so it's lighter, grassier and a little more delicate. Both are caffeine-free.
Can kids drink red bush tea?
Rooibos is caffeine-free and naturally sweet, which is why lots of families drink it together. Serve it warm rather than hot for little ones, and check with your GP or health visitor if you have any questions.
The real benefit? You can have it whenever you like
The best thing about red bush tea isn't a single dramatic quality. It's that it fits everywhere. Morning or midnight, black or with milk, hot or iced, on its own or as a dessert in a mug. It asks nothing of you, and it never stews.
If you've only ever had rooibos from a teabag, loose leaf is a different drink: rounder, sweeter and properly satisfying. Add Rooibos or Rooibos Pecan Turtle to a box of your choosing, or subscribe and have a different tea delivered to your letterbox every month. New subscribers get a free infuser and scoop with their first box.
Steep it twice. It won't oversteep. It never does.