What is rooibos tea?

Rooibos tea is an herbal infusion brewed from the dried leaves of the South African rooibos plant. The tea is an amber color, has a somewhat fruity, sweet taste, and is suitable for drinking hot or cold and with or without milk.

The rooibos plant (Aspalathus linearis) has needle-like leaves and occurs mainly in the Western Cape province of South Africa. Rooibos is the Afrikaans word for "red bush," and locals also call the tea "bush tea." After harvesting, the leaves are bruised and left to oxidize; the tea's amber color develops during this process. Rooibos contains no calories, colorants, additives, preservatives or caffeine, and it is sometimes flavored or mixed with tea and other plants.