Honey bush tea is the herbal tea which has pleasant taste and flavor. It is also known from these names such as Bergtee, Bossietee, Heuningtee and Bushtea. In 1705, the honeybush plant was mentioned in the botanical literature, according to Kies (1951). The plant has trifoliate leaves, sweet scent, single-flowered inflorescences and prominent grooves. The honeybush tea plant has woody stems and hard-shelled seeds which poorly germinate. It has needle like, broadish and elongated leaves. During the flowering period, the tea is harvested.
Health Benefits of Honeybush Tea
Honeybush belongs to the Cyclopia family and the tea extracted from the honeybush plant provides various health benefits. It has sweet taste. The regular intake of this tea helps to provide the short term and long term benefits which are as follows:
1. Improves the Immune System
Honeybush tea is loaded with various antioxidants such as phenolic compounds. It helps to prevent the immune system from an oxidative stress. Phenolic compound helps to enhance the immune system which assists to defense against infections. This leads to eliminate influenza, colds and other diseases.
2. Protects you from Inflammatory Diseases
The phenolic compound found in the honeybush tea helps to prevent the chronic inflammatory diseases and also lessens the inflammation. According to the study published in “Chemical-Biological Interactions” in December 2010, phenolic compounds regulates the body’s inflammatory response displayed in inflamed intestinal cells which is likely to be seen in inflammatory bowel disease. This helps to eliminate the inflammatory diseases such as Crohn’s disease or IBD.
3. Offers Menopausal Relief with Phytoestrogenic Effects
According to the study made at University of Stellenbosch in 2006, due to the presence of phytoestrogenic properties, it acts like estrogen in the body. Combination of anecdotal evidence with Phytoestrogenic activity it suggests that the menopausal symptoms can be relieved with the consumption of honeybush tea. Its phytogenic properties help to prevent from heart disease, hormone cancers and osteoporosis.
4. Inhibits Tumor Growth
The study published on “Cancer Letters” in June 2005 reports that the honeybush tea can prevent the growth of tumors. In the study, the mice with tumors when provided honeybush extract, it reduced the tumor growth by 90%. The study which was published in March 2004 in “Mutation Research/Genetic Toxicology and Environmental Mutagenesis” reports that the certain types of mutagenesis in liver can be prevented by Honeybush tea.
5. Prevents Colds and Allergies
The common cold and allergies could be effectively treated with honeybush tea. Their antibacterial and antiviral property helps to eliminate germs which help to prevent from the future sickness as well. It also assists to enhance the body’s immune system which fights against the flu, cold and allergies. Honeybush tea also alleviates chest congestion, discomforts and expels phlegm.
6. High in Vitamins and Antioxidants
Honeybush tea possesses the vitamins such as zinc, copper, sodium, iron, calcium and potassium with antioxidants. Antioxidant helps to lower the fats in the bloodstream. It also includes the cancer fighting properties. It should be added to the diet for attaining good health.
7. Eases Stomach Ailments
The stomach aches, cramps, pain and discomfort in the digestive system is treated by honeybush tea. It also comforts constipation, nausea and bloating. As it is organic, it does not possess any side effects. Honeybush tea helps to relief stomach pains and nausea caused by the premenstrual and menstrual issues. The high presence of minerals and nutrients in honeybush tea helps to maintain the healthy digestive system.
8. Can protect against Parkinson’s/Alzheimer’s disease
The regular intake of HoneyBush tea helps to prevent lipid peridoxation which is caused when the brain cells and nerve tissue is damaged by the free radicals. If it extends then it leads to the Alzheimer’s.
9. Encourages restful sleep
The insomnia patients should drink this tea before bedtime. It helps to feel relax and calm due to its high mineral content and lack of caffeine content.
10. Caffeine free
The HoneyBush tea is absent in caffeine which makes it suitable drink for everyone along with children and pregnant women. It does not have any restricted amounts for consumption.
11. Prevents cancer
HoneyBush is loaded with antioxidants which help to prevent the cancer as it counteracts the harmful free radicals which cause the cancer in the body.
12. Helps lose weight
The intake of Honeybush tea helps to break down the existing fats and also prevents from developing fats which results in weight loss. The presence of polyphenols helps to restrict the fat storage in the long run.
13. Improves circulation
Chysoeriol which is an antioxidant helps to improve the circulation by eliminating the enzyme that causes cardiovascular disease. The intake of rooibos tea helps to reduce the cholesterol and blood pressure.
14. Great for Metabolism
The consumption of Honeybush tea helps to promote the metabolism rate in the body to abundantly and also reduce the fat content in the blood as well.
15. Promotes heart health
The potassium in Honeybush tea helps to maintain the blood pressure levels which results in the effective function of the heart.
16. Treats cough, cold and microbial infections
The daily intake of honeybush tea helps to prevent from the infection of yeast, bacteria and viruses. Cold and cough are eliminated by honeybush tea with its anti-microbial properties.
17. Helps to prevent asthma
Honeybush tea possesses various medicinal properties which help to treat the asthma effectively. It acts as a natural expectorant too.
18. Diabetes and Sugar control
Honeybush tea has less presence of sweetness which helps to lose weight, improve health as well as balance the level of blood sugars which provides a break to the pancreas.
19. Helps in Treating Osteoporosis
The daily intake of honeybush tea helps to prevent the osteoporosis in women.
20. Prevents skin irritations
The honeybush tea helps to treat the skin conditions such as eczema and nappy rashes.
21. Soft and silky manes
As the honeybush possess the minerals and nutrients, it helps to enhance the health of the hair by making it shiny, strong and soft.
22. Good for the central nervous system
Honeybush tea is caffeine free which helps to soothe the nervous system. It works a wonder for those who have sleeping difficulties. It helps to cure nervousness, insomnia, mild depression, headache and irritability.
23. Good for gastro intestinal health
Honeybush tea helps to treat nausea, constipation, heartburn and abdominal cramps. The African folk medicine use honeybush tea to treat the colic pain in infants.
24. Anemia remedy
Lack of iron is the cause of anemia. So honeybush tea helps to provide the adequate amount of iron in the body.
25. Eases coughs
The Institute for Traditional Medicine summarizes that honeybush tea possesses pinitol which is a modified sugar and an expectorant, helps to treat the coughs effectively.
Manufacture of Tea
Honeybush tea is manufactured by four processing steps: harvesting, cutting, fermentation and drying. The harvest is easier in the cultivated fields. The collected shrubs are chopped by the mechanized fodder cutters before curing when brought to the factories. Chopping facilitates to turn the herb to dark brown. Honeybush tea can be fermented by two methods: using a baking oven or using a curing heap. The curing heap method is used when the tea is produced in large quantities. The heap of oval shape is formed with 2 meters high and 4-5 meters in diameter from 1.5-2.5 tons of green honeybush material. The heap is covered with canvas bags and packed firmly and allows it to leave for three days with spontaneous heat generation and fermentation. Quick temperature is build up. The material changes from green to dark-brown during a fermentation period and also develops a sweet fragrance. From the day three, the heap is turned every 12 hours so that it prevents oxygen deletion in the heap. The heap is spread out on canvas in thin layer, if sweet and honey like fragrance is present and the material has dark-brown color and allows it to dry in the sun. It takes 1-2 days to dry.
The preheated oven provides more consistent quality due to the right control over the temperature of the fermentation process. To obtain the fully fermented tea, shorter fermentation periods are needed usually 24-36 hours. The material was pre-heated after cleaning with hot water; the herb material is placed on the ovens or drums which were preheated with the hot coals before placing the herb materials. Then after fermentation, the tea is left to get dried on the sun.
To remove all the pieces thicker than a matchstick, it is placed on a rotating cylindrical sieve. The teabag uses the finer materials whereas the coarser material is used as a loose tea.
Brewing Methods
Hot Tea Brewing Method
The water should be heated to 2120F. Place 1 heaping teaspoon per 6 ounce cup and let the tea steep for 5-7 minutes. Resteep till the tea flavor is bushed.
Iced Tea Brewing Method
The water should be heated to 2120F. Put one piling teaspoon per 6 ounce cup and allow the tea steep for about 5-7 minutes. Remove tea leaves and add ice. Georgia Peach Rooibos, Apricot Almond Rooibos and Lemon Chiffon Rooibos make excellent iced teas.
Happy Honeybush Herbal Tea Recipe
This recipe works well on both hot and iced. The herbs help to relieve stress, lift the mood and possess the sweet and rich flavor.
Ingredients:
- 3 parts Honeybush
- 1 part Rooibos (optional)
- 1 part Lavender
- 1 part Oatstraw
- The juice of ½ lemon or orange (optional)
- Honeybush Herbal Tea Properties
Directions:
- Combine all. Steep 1 tablespoon in 16 ounces boiled water for 6 minute. Strain and enjoy. To make this iced, follow these simple directions.
- A splash of nut milk makes this almost like a rich coffee drink.
Reference:
http://www.itmonline.org/arts/honeybush.htm
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