What is Herbal Tea?

The Most Misunderstood Category.

Herbal Teas refer to naturally caffeine-free products that are not actually “tea” in the botanical sense. New tea drinkers are surprised to learn that all true tea is made from the leaves of a single plant species: Camellia Sinensis. Confusingly, in Western culture the word “tea” is often used to describe any number of herbs and spices like ginger, peppermint, or chamomile that are brewed and enjoyed like tea.

What About Decaffeinated Tea?

To add to the confusion, decaffeinated teas made from real tea leaves also appear in the mass market. We do not carry decaffeinated teas because the processing involved strips away not only the caffeine, but a fair amount of flavor as well. For that reason, you will not find decaffeinated Camellia Sinensis teas among our Herbal Teas.

There are several popular alternatives to tea that are naturally caffeine free.  For example, Rooibos, or Aspalathus linearis, is a caffeine-free alternative to black and green tea. Rooibos was traditionally harvested by the Khoisan nomadic ethnicities of South Africa and is known for its high levels of oxidants. Dutch settlers used Rooibos, which means “Red Bush” in Dutch, as an alternative to tea in South African during colonial times.

Today, rooibos is grown exclusively in the Cederberg Mountain region of the Western Cape. Rooibos is rich in minerals like iron. Recently, some clinical studies suggest that the flavonoids in rooibos tea can be beneficial in reducing oxidative stress. Aspalathin and nothofagin are the main flavonoids, or type of polyphenols, found in Aspalathus linearis and have stronger anti-oxidative activity than other flavonoids.