How Rooibos helps those with digestive problems

Do you suffer from acid reflux, gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), celiac disease or issues with Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori)?  Then drinking Rooibos tea is highly recommended.  Why?  Read on….

Acid reflux and GERD – Rooibos is good for you

Heartburn, or acid reflux, is a common condition in the US with about 4 in 10 people experiencing it at least once a week.  It is caused by stomach acid leaking up into your esophagus.   This can develop into GERD and become more frequent, causing troublesome symptoms and complications.

If you suffer from GERD or acid reflux you should avoid drinks that contain caffeine.  That’s because caffeine can stimulate excess gastric acid secretions that may rise up to your esophagus and results in heightened acid reflux symptoms.  Drinking coffee is especially bad but black and green tea, as well as caffeinated soda drinks, can cause the same problems.  Drinking Rooibos is the recommended alternative as it is entirely caffeine free.

Even carbonated beverages that don’t contain caffeine can increase acidity as well build up pressure in the stomach, making it easier for stomach acid to push upwards into your throat.  Many fruit drinks are very acidic and may cause acid reflux.  Drinking iced Rooibos is a great substitute to carbonated drinks and fruit juices because it’s not acidic or carbonated – but it is deliciously refreshing!  

Tannic acid is another issue.  It’s present in all teas, but green tea has a particularly high concentration of this bitter polyphenol.  Tannic acid can increase the amount of acid in your stomach and trigger reflux.  Rooibos is very low in tannins – you can drink cup after cup without experiencing acid issues.

Celiac disease and Rooibos

Celiac disease is an autoimmune disease caused by an intolerance to gluten, a protein found in wheat, barley and rye.  If you have this condition you should only consume gluten-free drinks and foods.  Black and green teas are naturally gluten-free but some brands can contain added gluten ingredients. For example, some herbal teas contain barley malt as a sweetener, and some teas have gluten-grain-based flavors (most frequently from barley) in them. Rooibos is entirely gluten-free and contains absolutely no sweeteners or added flavors. 

There’s another reason why Rooibos is the drink of choice for those with celiac disease or gluten intolerance – if you suffer from these conditions you often experience from acid reflux problems.  So, for all the reasons explained in the previous section, Celiac should avoid black and green teas, coffee, sodas and fruit juices and switch to Rooibos.

Combat H. pylori with Rooibos

Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) is a bacteria that can infect your stomach. This usually happens during childhood and H. pylori infection may be present in more than half the world’s population.  Most people don't realize they have H. pylori infection, because they never get sick from it.  However, it can cause inflammation of your stomach lining, stomach ulcers or even stomach cancer. 

Rooibos tea and Honeybush tea are both rich in powerful polyphenols, antioxidants such as Quercetin, that have been shown to kill harmful bacteria such as H. pylori.  They are also very good are combating inflammation.  So if you have problems with H. pylori, or want to avoid them, drinking Rooibos tea is a very good idea.

Drink to your health

Rooibos tea is therefore very beneficial, in a number of different ways, for promoting and maintaining the health of your digestive system.  But its unique properties boost your wellbeing and ward off many other unwelcome conditions. 

If you’d like to know more then this section of our website features many article you’re sure to find interesting – make yourself a cuppa and settle down for a good read! Or head straight to our Amazon shop on the link below.