Rooibos tea is a naturally uncaffeinated tea made from the Rooibos shrub, which grows only on the North Western Cape of South Africa. Rooibos plants grow exclusively in the Cedarberg region of South Africa, where there is very little rainfall. The soil is sandy, very acidic, and contains virtually no nitrogen - an essential element for plants. Yet the rooibos plant thrives here, and has resisted attempts to grow it in other regions of the world. Rooibos is naturally caffeine-free, and has less than half the tannin of ordinary tea.

Rooibos is rich in antioxidants, the substances that combat free radicals in the body. They are anti-spasmodic, anti-inflammatory and anti-allergenic. Health problems that can be helped by drinking rooibos tea include headaches, colic, asthma, hay fever and insomnia. Rooibos is also said to be beneficial to pancreatitis sufferers, as it soothes the pain of digestive reflux.

Many people drink rooibos tea as they would black tea, sometimes adding a splash of milk, a slice of lemon or a little honey. It can be reheated by warming on the hob as many times as you like, without the flavour being impaired.