Generations of South Africans have been enjoying the natural sweet and revitalizing taste of Rooibos since its discovery by botanists in 1772. Little did they realize the powerful and natural healing properties of this rare and unique plant from a small area called Clan William ,the cold, windy, south-western tip of Africa. Rooibos tea (redbush tea), or Aspalathus linearis, is a product that is enjoyed by millions of Africans and a great number of Americans, who were introduced to this humble product a few years ago by Annique Theron, the Mother of Rooibos – as many refer to her.

1968 – an amazing discovery

Annique stumbled on the natural healing powers of Rooibos one sunny April morning in 1968. Somewhere in Pretoria, capital city of South Africa, she was a young mother having sleepless nights since the birth of her youngest child who suffered from colic, and cried continuously from pain. The baby could also not hold down her food. Due to that, the young mother could never give her baby cold milk to drink. On that momentous day, Annique was drinking her Rooibos tea, the tea that she grew up with. Because the baby was crying non-stop from hunger and pain, she hastily warmed up the baby’s bottle with the freshly brewed tea. For the first time since birth the baby slept peacefully for more than three hours! She not only slept better, she had also stopped vomiting and cried less.

At first Annique did not realize that she had stumbled upon a possible miracle. But, after a while she remembered that the tea had made the difference and repeated the process. She set out to investigate this tea’s healing potential and found she stood alone in her discovery of its anti-allergic qualities. However, she soon found hundreds of mothers with similar problems varying from food allergies to eczema, insomnia and hyperactivity in their babies and children. She published findings about allergies in children and adults in her book: “Allergies: An Amazing Discovery”.

1992- texas launches rooibos tea

Annique is driven by an honest desire to help others. This is evident in her launching a slimming product in the late sixties for adults to supplement their meals with a healthy drink, while helping them to lose weight. By 1981, the business has grown to such an extent that, driven by her desire to help other women, Annique decided to share the benefits of her lucrative and introduced a direct sales strategy (similar to Mary Kay) that is a household brand in many countries. In 1992, Virginia Burke, owner of Burke International in Dallas, introduced the Annique line of Rooibos-based products to the USA. In 2012, independent distributors in central Texas are excited to offer Annique as well.

Rooibos tea was around long before Annique’s discovery of the anti-allergic properties of the tea. But, Annique was the one who has discovered that the tea has anti-allergic qualities. Most importantly, she has not kept the good news to herself. At 83, she relentlessly promotes the tea nationally and internationally. Dr. Annique Theron is motivated solely by generosity of spirit and for a passion to further the cause of healthy living, she is an icon; an entrepreneur and business woman of stature worldwide.

Rooibos tea is enjoying increasing popularity around the world:

Anti-Allergic Properties
Rooibos tea was found to contain quercitin, an anti-spasmodic substance.  This revealed the uniqueness of Rooibos tea and why it has such a dramatic soothing effect when added to allergic babies’ bottles.

Sinus Problems
Rooibos tea will alleviate sneezing, an itch nose and painful sinuses.  Rooibos tea may also be used to replace the liquid in your normal nose spray for instant relief of sinus troubles.

Hay fever, Itchy Eyes & Running Nose
Rinse out the eyes in an eyeglass filled with lukewarm Rooibos tea or wipe the eyes with a clean and sterile face-cloth dipped in Rooibos tea. Lukewarm Rooibos tea may also be drawn up the nose into the sinuses, holding it there for a few seconds before blowing the nose.

How to Prepare Rooibos Tea
Rooibos tea is low in tannin, and will not deplete natural iron reserves during pregnancy or feeding while the protein absorption and metabolism remain undisturbed. It also contains calcium to ensure normal development of teeth, bones and the nervous system, as well as magnesium and zinc for healthy skin and hair. Because Rooibos tea has a natural sweet taste there is no need to add sugar or honey.

For Baby:
Add Rooibos tea bag(s) to cold water and bring to boil to extract maximum goodness.  Boil for 10 to 20 minutes.
Cool off  & pour into sterilized baby bottle(s) adding baby’s bottle feed (if not breast feeding).
Tea bags may be left in bottle feed if extra strength is required.

For Yourself:
Add Rooibos tea bags to boiling water in cup for a soft and weak brew or leave tea bags to boil on the stove for a stronger brew.
One bag provides many cups of tea.
Brown sugar or honey, Rooibos tea and lemon juice provide a refreshing drink – warm or cold.  Rooibos tea is delicious with milk or eau natural.
Don’t prepare in a microwave oven – the microwaves destroy the essential anti-allergic qualities of Rooibos tea.

Rooibos: Miracle herb

In the 1980’s Japanese and American scientists found a powerful and stable antioxidant called super-oxide dismutase in Rooibos tea.  An extract of Rooibos tea has since been included many teas, skincare and  food-supplements.  In 1995 Infruitec, a South African research company, found and verified that Rooibos tea did indeed have the following properties:
Anti-allergic / Anti-spasmodic  /Anti-bacterial  / Anti-ageing   /  Anti-viral  /  Antioxidant   and   No caffeine and low tannin.

Fighting Free Radicals & Premature Aging

Rooibos tea contains 9 flavonoids working in conjunction with the high vitamin C content in removing free radicals from the system. Therein lies the anti-aging qualities of Rooibos tea which make it a unique and diverse ingredient for skin care and health care products.
Free radicals, if not removed from the body, will destroy the cells’ DNA, protein chains and fat.  Rooibos tea’s antioxidant helps destroy or neutralize the free radicals, protecting the body against disease and premature aging.