When we drink something like an herb, we want to believe we are drinking something healthy. We learn through research and sometimes we learn through history. Some other times we learn by error. We don’t always know what is good and what is not. What about rooibos tea’s side effects? Can there be side effects to rooibos? A healthy plant is grown in South Africa?
History of Rooibos
Rooibos is recognized in some areas as tea. But rooibos is more a tisane since Rooibos tea (pronounced “roy-boss”) comes from a bush, not a plant.
The meaning of Rooibos is “red-bush” and only grows in the Cederberg Mountains of South Africa. The leaves of the bush are what we use to make the “tea”. Rooibos is not an actual tea because it does not come from the Camellia sinensis plant. Rooibos is considered a tisane or simply rooibos! Rooibos is also caffeine-free.
The rooibos plant has a broom-like appearance. It is also processed like Camellia sinensis tea. Rooibos is a member of the Fabaceae family of plants growing in South Africa. The generic name comes from the plant Calicotome Villosa Aspalathos. In Greek, the scientific name is Aspalathus linearis and is known for its sweet and fruity flavor. Rooibos can be drunk alone or blended with other herbs and teas.
The history of rooibos begins in 1772. Local people would climb the mountain, gather the leaves, climbing back down. Bringing the leaves back home. The leaves are then beaten and chopped then left out in the sun. They were used for medicinal purposes. That knowledge and those people faded away. Then along came Carl Humberg, a botanist who revived the interest in rooibos.
In 1904 the story of rooibos gets more interesting. Along comes Benjamin Ginsberg. The Ginsberg family had been in the tea industry for centuries. This gave him the connection to market the “mountain tea”. Ginsberg harvested the tea and made it into a popular drink he called “mountain tea”.
In 1930 a botanist and doctor named Le Fran Nortier figured the best way to increase the production of rooibos would be to share it with his country. Sharing it with his country as well as others. Because of WWII, the economy collapsed and tea from China was hard to afford and difficult to get. That was a big push for rooibos to be shared with the world.
The interest in rooibos continued to grow. In 1954 the Rooibos Tea Control Board was formulated to organize and regulate rooibos.
Rooibos was rare and expensive because of the scarcity of rooibos seeds. In 1968 a woman named Annique Theron, a South African mom wrote a book on the benefits of rooibos. That book led to hundreds of studies and more information on the benefits of rooibos.
Rooibos tea does not contain tannins or caffeine.
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Benefits Of Rooibos
It’s not all gloom and doom for the rooibos plant. Yes, it does have side effects as most things do. The health benefits outweigh the rooibos tea side effects by a landslide. While we can list the downfall of many things, and we can search deeply into almost any topic to find a negative connection rooibos still remains a healthy and delicious beverage to consume. A delight, some may say.
Rooibos tea is packed with a flavonoid called Quercetin. Quercetin acts as an anti-inflammatory agent. While quercetin is found in many plants its benefits are resounding in rooibos tea. Helping such things as:
- Digestive issues
- High cholesterol
- Cataracts
- Hay fever
- Viral infections
- Gout
- Prostate issues
- Headaches
- Insomnia
- Eczema
- Bone weakness
- Allergies
- Premature aging
- Heart Health
- Diabetes
- Cancer
- Calming
With just a splash of vanilla. This rooibos will add a bit more sweetness.
16 ounces of organic African Rooibos, fall in love with rooibos in a big healthy way.
Rooibos tea side effects
Heart Palpitations
- Heart palpitations are rare but can happen when drinking rooibos tea.
Excess Estrogen
- You’d need to drink a lot of tea to notice the effects. These effects are mild and you would need to drink an enormous amount of tea to be affected by the risk.
- There are compounds in rooibos tea that have estrogenic activity. There is a study that shows estrogenic activity. This means that they can increase the levels of estrogen in your body. For most people, that doesn’t matter. For people with breast cancer or hormone-related diseases or conditions, excess estrogen can be a problem. There is a prodding to avoid rooibos if breast cancer is a condition that exists in the drinker.
- If you have or had either, check with your doctor before trying rooibos tea. It might affect you or it might not.
- For men, high levels of estrogen can cause erectile dysfunction and a range of other complications.
- An increase in estrogen can also lift your mood by increasing levels of serotonin. So this side effect isn’t all doom and gloom!
Liver Problems
- There are a few reported cases of hepatotoxicity (liver damage from chemicals). These cases are in people who drink excessive amounts of rooibos tea. Although negative side effects are rare, some have been reported.
- One case study found that drinking large amounts of rooibos tea daily was linked to an increase in liver enzymes.
Iron Deficiency
- To experience this side effect, you need to be either allergic to rooibos or have a pre-existing condition. On top of that, you’d need to drink liters of rooibos tea every single day for long-lasting health damage.
- In one study scientists found that rooibos can reduce the amount of iron your body absorbs. They also note that the amount it’s reduced is insignificant, meaning you won’t notice a difference.
- If you’re anemic, then consuming a lot of rooibos tea regularly could cause you some problems. Compared to black or green tea, it’s not noticeable and nothing you should worry about.
Kidney Stones and Issues
- Recently I learned on my own about the power of Oxalates in our teas and tisanes. I had a kidney stone and have since done some research on oxalates. I’ve also learned to drink my tea in moderation and go with it with water during the day. We are going to be hearing a lot more about oxalates in the coming months/year.
- Rooibos has a higher oxalate count. This could add to the formation of kidney stones and/or cause kidney damage.
Rooibos is a healthy drink that’s only dangerous to you in excessive amounts.
So What Is A Rooibos Lover Supposed To Do?
Drink your rooibos in moderation and relax without worrying about the side effects.
Another risk, that is somewhat rare is if you’re allergic to rooibos. If you’re allergic to rooibos, you may notice the following symptoms:
- itching
- discomfort in your stomach
- difficulty breathing
- trouble swallowing
- swelling
If these symptoms happen, it’s best to avoid rooibos.
It’s very rare to have an allergic reaction to rooibos, but if you do experience one you should take it seriously! Seek medical help immediately and avoid rooibos altogether in the future. Bear in mind that it could be something else in your tea, like the milk or sweetener you used, that’s caused the reaction.
Adding some spice to your rooibos, or spicing up your chai. Rooibos adds a unique earthy flavor to all your teas, chai especially.
Conclusion
When we think about the health benefits and risks of rooibos there is just one conclusion. That conclusion is moderation. Too much of anything good can make it bad. Enjoy your rooibos without much worry. Realize that this ancient bush is doing good and not bad.
While Rooibos is not a tea the benefits of drinking rooibos are resounding. The fact no matter what we call it, we can call it a drink that aids us. It helps us feel better and there is never anything wrong with that.
Oh yes, and it tastes great too. Enjoy your Rooibos!
4 thoughts on “Do You Need To Worry About Rooibos Tea Side Effects”
Hi – Great article on rooibos! I found conflicting information regarding rooibos and oxalates, however. The information I have found indicates that rooibos has no oxalates. My husband suffers from kidney stones, and I’m trying to find a tea that he can drink. Could you provide the sources that indicate that rooibos is high in oxalates, please? Thank you!
Hello! Thank you for pointing that out. I was actually writing two articles at the same time and both of my proof readers missed it. I have updated the page and corrected the errors. Rooibos is not a tea, there for it is a safe alternative to tea.
I still drink black tea but in moderation now and I drink a ton of water. I actually flushed out another stone on my right side, so all is good now. For now. I never want to go through that pain again, so I make sure to drink a lot of water. Everyday.
Thank you again!
I had a terrible experience lately with my dear Rooibos tea. I had been drinking 2-3 cups a day for a few days in a row and became very, very agitated. I could not do anything, just tread through mental complete mental choas for twelve hours or so. I sensed that the feeling was estrogen related, as it felt like a state of estrogen dominance that had completely peaked out (I am 54 and am going through perimenopause, so this hormonal spectrum was familiar to me). Once I arrived at a more or less calm moment I consulted Dr Google, and was so relieved to find out was it was all about. I stopped drinking the tea, and was immediately better. I was so traumatized– I through out the whole box 🙁
Wow! Amy.
I am so sorry you had to experience that, but it’s good to know you knew your body enough to know that there was a problem and you used your wisdom to solve it.
I use only natural organic products on my face and body. I had an allergic reaction and was shocked to find out it was jojoba oils. I have to be careful. I remember the doctor leaning into me and saying “you do know people have allergic reactions to natural products as well, right?” Never thought of it before… Now I do.
I agree, if a tea makes you feel ill in any way.. it is not worth it, toss it or give it away. not everything is for everyone.
Thank you for sharing with me.
Lisa B>