International Rooibos Day

Wrap those hands around a warm cup and sip some deliciously flavorful tea because it’s time to celebrate International Rooibos Day!

History of International Rooibos Day

With a unique flavor as well as some healthy benefits, rooibos is a naturally decaffeinated herbal tea that has become more and more popular over recent years. And for those folks who have never dared to order this tea at a cafe because they don’t know how to pronounce it, it’s really not that hard: “roy-boss” will work just fine!

Sometimes called “African red tea” or “Red Bush tea”, rooibos is a tea that hails from the country of South Africa. In fact, the herbal bushes that rooibos teas are made from (called Aspalathus Linearis) only grows in South Africa but, from there, it is then exported all over the world. The heart of rooibos country is along the west coast of the nation, in Clanwilliam, in the Cederberg municipality, over 100 miles north of Cape Town.

International Rooibos Day got its start under the support of the South African Rooibos Council, with the first one taking place in 2017. Since that time, the popularity of this herbal tea has continued to grow, with more folks celebrating the day in cities, towns and rural areas all over the globe.

For tea lovers, other days that might be fun to celebrate include International Tea Day in May, National Tea Day in April, and National Chai Day in the month of September. 

How to Celebrate International Rooibos Day

Have loads of fun celebrating this unique herbal drink from South Africa by enjoying some of these ideas on International Rooibos Day:

Drink Some Rooibos Tea

This herbal concoction is a healthy hot drink that can be enjoyed anytime, day or night. Many people love it for its flavor but also drink it because it has a number of health benefits including antioxidants, supporting heart health, promoting healthy skin and benefiting blood sugar levels. Rooibos can be brewed from water that is just off boil (98F), steeped for around 3-7 minutes, though longer is fine as it is very forgiving. Feel free to drink it as is, or add something like milk, sugar, honey or some other flavoring just for fun.