Honeybush Tea

Honeybush Herbal Tea comes from the Eastern Cape province of South Africa. Its relatives include Rooibos Tea, which in turn grows in the Western Cape province. Despite being cousins, however, Honeybush Herbal Tea indeed has a unique character of its own making. As the name likely suggests, it boasts a subtle yet distinct herbaceous flavour with notes reminiscent of honey.

Honeybush Tea Botany

This Tea comes from the Cyclopia plant. Cyclopia is a member of the legume family, Fabaceae, which in turn is of the subfamily Faboideae. It grows trifoliolate leaves, single-flowered inflorescences and sweetly-scented, bright yellow flowers.

These flowers have prominent grooves on the standard petal, a thrust-in calyx base and two bracts fused at the base around the pedicel. When in bloom, the plant exudes a potent aroma similar to that of honey.

Honeybush Tea History

It’s likely that the indigenous peoples of South Africa first consumed Honeybush Tea for its health benefits. However, the earliest mention of it in botanical literature was in 1705. This coincided with the British and Dutch colonisation of southern Africa.

In 1814, the British government purchased the area now known as the Eastern Cape from the Dutch. During this period, the potential for a Honeybush Tea industry became a reality due to extensive research.

Why Should you Drink Honeybush Tea?

In a publication called “The King’s American Dispensatory, 1898”, Honeybush made it onto the list of recommended Tea substitutes. Today, this recommendation still holds true. This is because Honeybush Tea is a caffeine-free infusion. In turn, this makes it an excellent alternative to so-called ‘real’ Tea for caffeine-sensitive individuals or pregnant women.

Furthermore, it contains a wealth of antioxidants that can improve daily living in a multitude of ways. Most people, however, choose to drink Honeybush Tea because, put simply, it tastes great.

Useful Information

Type of Tea: Herbal Tea.

Origin: Eastern Cape Province, South Africa.

Brewing Instructions: Brew using freshly boiled water. Infuse for 5 to 10 minutes.

How to Serve: Unsurprisingly, the addition of honey is an excellent addition to Honeybush Tea. Alternatively, consider adding lemon for a unique bitter-sweet balance. Most, however, choose to enjoy this infusion without any accompaniments.

Tasting Notes: This Tea boasts sweet, herbaceous flavours with earthy undertones.

Colour in Cup: Coppery liquor, dark in tone.

Honeybush Tea Benefits

Honeybush, similar to Rooibos, is caffeine-free and low in tannins. It also contains a wealth of antioxidants including flavones, isoflavones, coumestans, luteolin, 4-hydroxycinnamic acid and polyphenols.

These components combined can combat free radicals in the body. This, in turn, can reduce the risks of developing several chronic conditions. Indeed, some studies suggest that this Tea could work as a preventative to cardiovascular disease and type-2 diabetes.