Why is Rooibos tea red? 

When we say the word “tea”, what color comes to mind? Is it the dark depths of a cup of black tea or the subtle green in a cup of green tea? Now if we say “Rooibos tea”, there’s only one true color that comes to mind.

An African sunset-like red that’s just one of Rooibos’ many appealing qualities. But have you ever wondered why Rooibos is red? The vibrant amber color of Rooibos comes from the natural color that develops during the post-harvest “fermentation” (oxidation) process, brought about by natural enzymes in the plant. The freshly harvested Rooibos, after cutting and threshing, is spread out in drying pans to soak up the hot South African sun and it's during this oxidation and fermentation process that Rooibos is given its bright amber red hue. So the next time you gaze lovingly into your cup of Rooibos tea, you’ll know exactly why it’s such a beauty! Shop our range of delicious Rooibos teas here.