Recipe
Rooibos latte with honey
- Herb:
- Rooibos Aspalathus linearis
- Method:
- Herbal infusion (tea)
- Plant part:
- Leaf
About 10 minBeginnerRecipe science profile
Procedure
- Pour 150 ml of boiling water over 2 heaped teaspoons of rooibos and steep 7 minutes — stronger than for an ordinary cup.
- Meanwhile heat and froth 150 ml of milk or oat drink.
- Strain the tea into a mug, add the milk and sweeten with a teaspoon of honey.
- Dust with cinnamon or cardamom and serve at once; in summer it is good chilled over ice.
Extraction
- Herb:
- 1 vrchovatá lžička (asi 3 g) na 250 ml
- Solvent:
- vroucí voda, 5–7 minut; rooibos nezhořkne ani při delším louhování
- Shelf life:
- vypít do 24 hodin, i studený
- Target compounds:
- aspalathin, nothofagin a další flavonoidy; nízký obsah taninů, bez kofeinu
Notes
Caffeine-free, fine in the evening and for children. The one known exception: an isolated case of liver injury with daily drinking (Sinisalo et al. 2010) — stop with liver disease and new symptoms.
Why it works
Rooibos contains no caffeine and little tannin, so it can steep long without bitterness and takes milk well. The main flavonoids aspalathin and nothofagin dissolve readily in hot water. The small study by Marnewick et al. 2011 (40 adults at cardiovascular risk, 6 cups daily for 6 weeks) showed an improved lipid profile and oxidative-stress markers; it was short and unblinded, so a preliminary signal rather than proof.
Literature
- Marnewick JL, Rautenbach F, Venter I, Neethling H, Blackhurst DM, Wolmarans P, Macharia M (2011): Effects of rooibos (Aspalathus linearis) on oxidative stress and biochemical parameters in adults at risk for cardiovascular disease. Journal of Ethnopharmacology 133(1):46–52 — 40 dospělých, 6 šálků denně 6 týdnů; zlepšení lipidů a markerů oxidačního stresu.
Related
Rooibos — Herb card
Herbal infusion (tea) — Processing method detail