Consumed in southern Africa for centuries, rooibos is a flavourful, caffeine-free tea.
Grown on the western coast of South Africa, it is praised for its potential health benefits, claiming that its antioxidants can protect against cancer, heart disease and stroke.
Research into Rooibos’s health benefits has prompted the Department of Science and Innovation (DSI) to donate a staggering R4.8-million. In line with its core mandate of supporting research the South African Rooibos Council matched the contribution bringing the total funding to nearly R10m.
The announcement was made today at a Science Café held at Kirstenbosch National Botanical Garden, hosted by the industry body and focused on showcasing research on Rooibos.
The South African Rooibos Council welcomes the collaboration with the DSI. According to Joe Swart, Research Director at the SA Rooibos Council, natural medicinal products are on the rise as complementary and alternative therapies in modern medicine.
The potential medicinal values of these plants, including Rooibos, are not always properly researched and documented, and an emphasis on research and development in this area could benefit the industry and wider sector.
Rooibos has won praise for its chemo-protective effects, which include lowering the occurrence of inflammation, which is a major contributor to cancer. It is also beneficial for the heart, helps control blood sugar, fights inflammation, and eases tension and anxiety.
Hailed for its medicinal properties, the botanicals in tea are incredibly versatile. From green tea to white tea, there are plenty of flavours to explore.
Researchers believe it to be a rich source of polyphenols, which can be used to make phytomedicines, nutraceuticals, and cosmeceuticals. Polyphenols are powerful antioxidants with potential health advantages.
Human studies using South Africa’s most treasured indigenous botanical may, according to Swart, find new approaches to treat a variety of current illnesses, such as cancer, heart disease, and other metabolic diseases like diabetes and Alzheimer’s.
The multi-million-rand funding will allow researchers to delve deeper into Rooibos’s ability to:
1. Protect against Alzheimer’s disease that causes the brain to shrink and is the most common cause of dementia.
2. Target oxidative damage.
3. Prevent and/or manage inflammatory bowel syndrome.
4. Protect the heart from oxidative stress.
5. Reduce allergic rhinitis (nasal allergy).
6. Counter cardiometabolic diseases like heart attacks, strokes, diabetes, insulin resistance etc.
Swart says after a thorough analysis of the pharmacological properties of Rooibos has been completed, it will provide an indication as to how Rooibos might be utilised in the future.
Developing an understanding of Rooibos and its properties would benefit in economic diversification, which will enable South Africa’s unstable economy sector to expand to new markets.
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