Health Benefits and Side Effects of Rooibos Tea

While purchasing any tea, one may search for health benefits, taste, aroma, its best before date, and price. But the main thing that a customer must know about tea before buying it is its side effects. It will guide the customer in making the right choice.

Among all teas, one of the unique teas is Rooibos tea. The Rooibos tea is made using the shrub named Aspalathus linearis. Whereas, other teas like green tea, black tea, white tea, oolong tea is cultivated from the same shrub – Camellia Sinensis. Rooibos has two varieties – Red Rooibos and Green Rooibos. The color of Rooibos tea may vary according to its processing, like the color can be red because of the oxidation process or the color can be green or brown because of less oxidation process. Rooibos Tea has a smooth and gentle texture with a subtle, naturally sweet, and slightly nutty taste.

Rooibos Tea is an herbal product, thus here is a piece of brief information about herbal tea:

Herbal teas are not made from the Camellia sinensis plant unlike black, green, white, yellow, oolong tea; it is made from a combination of different herbs, dried fruits, spices, and flowers. So, all herbal teas have their unique herbal flavor and aroma. Thus, they are 100% organic with no caffeine.

Before knowing the side effects, let us have a brief look at its health benefits.

Health Benefits of Rooibos Tea:

1. It helps in improving digestion: It also helps in the digestion of food and improving metabolism.
2. Maintain a healthy heart and liver: Antioxidants present in rooibos tea have anti-inflammatory properties that boost heart health. By consuming this tea you can control your blood pressure by preventing ACE (angiotensin-converting enzyme). ACE indirectly increases your blood pressure in your body.
3. Improves bone health: Rooibos is rich in calcium and magnesium, thus it helps in the development of strong bones. It contains Fluoride which prevents tooth decay and cavities. Some studies say that it can reduce the chances of joint pains, arthritis, and osteoporosis.
4. Prevents cancer: Studies have proved that antioxidants present in tea can kill the cancer-causing cell. Thus lowers the risk of cancer. Also, it prevents tumor growth in other parts of the body.
5. Managing lowering blood pressure: It is anti-inflammatory, thus it helps in reducing blood pressure.
6. Perfect supplement of green tea: Rooibos tea has all those properties which are in green and black tea. It has a good amount of polyphenols, flavonoids that are present on green tea, and also has low caffeine content thus it is very beneficial for caffeine allergic people and acts as a perfect substitute for green and black tea.
7. God for skin: Rooibos tea can restore aged cells and can stop premature aging. Thus wrinkle formation is delayed.

Side effects of Rooibos tea:

1. Estrogenic activity: It is found that Rooibos tea reflects estrogenic activities. It is where the increase in the production of estrogens or female hormones happens. The overproduction of estrogens might lead to harmful side effects or even can worsen the disease like breast cancer. Estrogens can be very detrimental for breast cancer; as it may increase the cancer cells.
2. Excess antioxidants can be harmful: Excess of anything might have harmful side effects. This phrase works here also. The antioxidants combining with other chemical components in the body might have adverse side effects.
3. Risk of hepatotoxicity: Hepatotoxicity is a condition where the liver gets damaged because of certain harmful chemical composition. Studies have proven that Rooibos has certain properties that increase liver enzymes. It damages the internal structure of the liver.
4. Hard to absorb irons: Rooibos tea has a low content of tannins. These tannins are required to absorb irons properties present in food. Thus this makes it difficult to absorb iron from the food. Also, it is recommended to all and especially to iron-deficient people, to consume tea after having a meal.
5. Breathing and skin side effects: Allergic People can have skin issues and breathing problems with Rooibos Tea. Rashes, itching, swollen skin, and chest tightening are some of the side effects.
6. Side effects on babies and mothers: The side effects can also affect the pregnant women or breastfeeding mothers and through them, it may transfer to the babies. It can be because of the combination of different substances that a mother intake along with tea.

Although these negative side effects are very rare, it is suggested to consult a doctor before consuming tea.