Rooibos tea, which is also known as red tea or Redbush tea is a soothing drink, sweet and nutty in taste, naturally caffeine free and low in tannin. It comes from the leaves of the Rooibos plant, which only grow in the Cedar berg region, deep in the heart of South Africa.  Rooibos is not a true tea as it comes from the plant Aspalathus linearis, rather than the Camellia plants that produce traditional teas. The name actually comes from the Afrikaans word for 'red bush'. It's a small shrubby bush that grows to 1 metre in height and has very thin, needle-like green leaves that turn their characteristic red after fermentation.

The growing popularity of Rooibos is no doubt enhanced by its immune boosting properties.  Various studies have shown drinking Rooibos tea eases headaches, nervous tension and insomnia. It acts as an anti-spasmodic agent to relieve stomach cramps and colic in infants and can also be used to treat hay fever, asthma and eczema.