# Do you drink rooibos tea? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [June 14, 2005, 2:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-drink-rooibos-tea/308214 "2005-06-14T14:22:44Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 9\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Trunk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/87869e/32.png) [@Trunk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Trunk)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2005, 2:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-drink-rooibos-tea/308214/1 "2005-06-14T14:22:44Z")
I’ve recently been introduced to “rooibos” tea. I’m not much of a tea drinker, but I really like this stuff. Very earthy and flavorful. Supposedly with some health benefits, but I just think it tastes good when I want a caffeine-free hot beverage. [Here’s](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rooibos) a Wiki link. Google “rooibos tea” for lots of info. The stuff I’ve had is from [Kalahari](http://www.kalahariusa.com). Anyone else drink this stuff? ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2005, 2:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-drink-rooibos-tea/308214/2 "2005-06-14T14:26:52Z")
I’ve drank it. There’s other teas I prefer. ---
**Author:** ![aurelian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/f4b2a3/32.png) [@aurelian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aurelian)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2005, 2:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-drink-rooibos-tea/308214/3 "2005-06-14T14:29:12Z")
I really like green rooibos - my local coffeeshop sells a pear-flavored version that is yummy (but taste is subjective; a friend of mine thought it tasted like ‘bark’) ---
**Author:** ![Red\_Stilettos](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/fbc32d/32.png) [@Red\_Stilettos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Red_Stilettos)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2005, 2:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-drink-rooibos-tea/308214/4 "2005-06-14T14:35:00Z")
I’m not terribly fond of straight rooibos. I usually drink a blend from Teavana called [To Life](http://store.teavana.com/tolifeblend4oz.html) . Corny name, but it’s a good tea. It’s a blend of rooibos, white tea and green tea. Quite tasty. 🙂 It’s probably all psychosomatic, but I do feel better when I’ve had my tea in the morning. Much better than if I start the day with coffee or a Diet Coke. ---
**Author:** ![koeeoaddi](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/koeeoaddi/32/408_2.png) [@koeeoaddi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/koeeoaddi)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2005, 2:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-drink-rooibos-tea/308214/5 "2005-06-14T14:41:48Z")
Gallons of it! I got hooked on Kalahari Red Tea about 6 months ago and I’ve been pimping bags to all my freinds and co-workers. Try the “Reserve” or the "Zambezi Red Chai " with a little lemon once and you’re mine. I going to find myself a street corner and a building to lean on. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Trunk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/87869e/32.png) [@Trunk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Trunk)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2005, 2:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-drink-rooibos-tea/308214/6 "2005-06-14T14:52:06Z")
> [@koeeoaddi](#): > > Gallons of it! I got hooked on Kalahari Red Tea about 6 months ago and I’ve been pimping bags to all my freinds and co-workers. Try the “Reserve” or the "Zambezi Red Chai " with a little lemon once and you’re mine. > > I going to find myself a street corner and a building to lean on. 🙂 I drink the reserve. Actually, as **aurelian** said, I think it kind of tastes like “bark” a little. But I like that. if it’s green, then I don’t think it’s “real” rooibos. It’s grown green, but it turns red in the fermentation and drying process, according to that wiki link. ---
**Author:** ![Podkayne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/edb3f5/32.png) [@Podkayne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Podkayne)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2005, 2:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-drink-rooibos-tea/308214/7 "2005-06-14T14:52:28Z")
It find it’s a nice caffeine-free option, after I’ve had a cup of black tea and want more, or to drink in the evening. It doesn’t expand much as it steeps, so it’s one of the few teas/tisanes I’ll buy in bags. I also like the flavored roobios (loose) from [Adagio Tea](http://adagio.com/rooibos/rooibos_sampler.html?SID=c62b4916b7d75c3bbd71f6396a14770d), especially the vanilla and the peach. ---
**Author:** ![Lynn\_Bodoni](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e47c2d/32.png) [@Lynn\_Bodoni](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lynn_Bodoni)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2005, 2:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-drink-rooibos-tea/308214/8 "2005-06-14T14:52:57Z")
I’ve tried it a couple of times, but don’t really care for it. Celestial Seasonings sometimes puts a few sampler teabags of other varieties in their boxes of herbal teas, and that’s why I tried it. I’m glad I tried it, it’s just not to my taste. Give me Sleepytime tea! ---
**Author:** ![The\_Scrivener](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/eada6e/32.png) [@The\_Scrivener](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Scrivener)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2005, 11:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-drink-rooibos-tea/308214/9 "2005-06-14T23:41:52Z")
I’ve got a box of it (Twining’s). So-so. I don’t think I’ll be getting any more of it. It has one advantage over regular black teas, though, in that it doesn’t require as much sugar. But that’s about it. (I have a friend who, IIRC, drinks it straight.)