Rooibos is not a tea, and that is why it has no theine

Rooibos is not a tea: it is a South African shrub, Aspalathus linearis, from the Fabaceae family, the family of peas and beans. Tea, in the strict sense, comes from a single plant, the tea plant, Camellia sinensis, which is not related to it at all. And that is precisely why rooibos contains no theine (caffeine): it does not make any.

Here is what this plant really is, where it comes from, and what separates red rooibos from green rooibos.

A plant from a single region of the world

Rooibos is a small shrub with leaves as fine as needles. Its species name comes from this: linearis refers to its linear leaves. Its common name comes from the Afrikaans rooi bos, "red bush", for the colour the leaves take on once processed.

It grows in the fynbos, the shrubland vegetation found at the south-western tip of South Africa, and more precisely in the Cederberg region, north of Cape Town. There it finds sandy, acidic soils, hot dry summers and winter rains.

This link to the land is written into European law. Since its publication in the Official Journal of the European Union on 31 May 2021, "Rooibos" and "Red Bush" have been protected designations of origin: the name is reserved for Aspalathus linearis grown or wild-harvested in designated municipalities of the Western Cape and Northern Cape provinces. It is the first African food product to obtain this protection.

A more recent history than you might think

You often read that rooibos has been drunk for centuries by the Khoikhoi and San peoples. That is possible, but written evidence is lacking: the oldest known ethnobotanical records date from the late 19th century. A 1772 description by the botanist Carl Peter Thunberg, often quoted on the subject, actually concerns another species of the same genus.

The commercial history, on the other hand, is well documented. In 1904, the merchant Benjamin Ginsberg began selling rooibos, using a method inspired by the way a Chinese black tea, keemun, is made. From 1930, Pieter le Fras Nortier succeeded in bringing it into cultivation: among other things, he discovered that the seeds must be scarified before being sown in sandy, acidic soil. That was the start of the plantations.

Why there is no theine in rooibos

First, a point of vocabulary: theine and caffeine are one and the same molecule. It was called theine when it was isolated from tea and caffeine when it was isolated from coffee, before it was understood to be the same compound.

Next, few plants make caffeine. It is found in the tea plant, the coffee plant, maté, guarana, the cacao tree and the kola tree, plants that do not belong to the same families. Rooibos is not one of them. It is not that the caffeine is removed, as with decaffeinated coffee: it simply does not produce any.

That is why the question "is rooibos a theine-free tea?" is the wrong question. It is not a tea with something taken out, it is a different plant. The right word is infusion, or herbal tea: we have devoted an article to these words, tisane, infusion, decoction.

The other difference shows in the cup: bitterness. Rooibos is low in tannins compared with black or green tea. It therefore stays smooth even after a long steep, whereas a black tea forgotten for ten minutes turns harsh.

Red rooibos and green rooibos

The rooibos we know, reddish-brown, is not red on the plant: its needles are green. The colour comes from processing.

Red rooibos, the most common, is cut, bruised, moistened and then left in heaps before being dried in the sun. The trade calls this step fermentation, but it is in fact an oxidation, on the same principle as for black tea. It is what gives the coppery colour and the round, woody, slightly honeyed notes.

Green rooibos is dried without going through oxidation, on the principle of green tea. It keeps a lighter colour and a more vegetal, slightly malty taste.

In both cases it is the same plant, and in both cases there is no theine. If the parallel with tea intrigues you, we have described these processes for the tea plant in green tea, black tea, pu erh: one shrub, three processes.

Honeybush, its cousin

It is often found next to rooibos, and sometimes in the same blend. Honeybush is not a single plant but a genus, Cyclopia, with around twenty species. It too belongs to the Fabaceae, and it too is native to the fynbos, in the Western Cape and Eastern Cape provinces. Only a few species are used commercially, mainly Cyclopia genistoides, C. intermedia and C. subternata.

Its name, literally "honey bush", comes from the honey scent of the drink made from its leaves and flowers. In the cup it is sweeter and more honeyed than rooibos, which is woodier and rounder. Like rooibos, it contains no theine.

Our rooibos blends

We offer three loose blends based on rooibos. Two of them are gathered in our rooibos and honeybush collection:

• Rooibos Africa brings together the two cousins, rooibos and honeybush, with mango, papaya, mint, lemon peel, lemongrass and hibiscus. A fruity, fresh cup, to drink hot or iced.
• Rooibos Nainfusion is the indulgent version: rooibos, crushed cocoa nibs, caramel and lemon peel. Caramel and cocoa lead, and lime cuts through on the finish. Its caramel contains cream and butter: allergen: milk.

The third, the Pêche de Vigne infusion, is part of our fruit infusions. It blends apple, rooibos, grape, carrot, calendula, pink pepper and peach, for a soft, round cup.

All three are prepared the same way: water at 100 °C, 4 to 5 g for a 250 ml cup, and 7 to 10 minutes of steeping, 10 to 12 for Pêche de Vigne. Because rooibos is low in tannins, a few extra minutes will not make the cup bitter. The settings for all our families of teas and infusions are gathered in our guide how to brew loose leaf tea.

Frequently asked questions

What exactly is rooibos?
A South African shrub, Aspalathus linearis, whose needle-like leaves and fine stems are steeped. It is not a tea, it is an infusion.

Why is it sometimes called "red tea"?
Because of its colour, for convenience. The term is confusing: in China, "red tea" refers to what we call black tea in Europe, which does contain theine.

Does green rooibos contain theine?
No. Green or red, it is the same plant; only the processing changes.

Rooibos and honeybush, what is the difference?
They are two related plants from the South African fynbos. Rooibos is woodier and rounder, honeybush sweeter and more honeyed.

Can rooibos be made iced?
Yes. Since it does not turn bitter, it lends itself well to cold brewing: for Rooibos Africa, allow 6 to 8 hours in the fridge.