Page 100 - FoodFocusThailand No.221 August 2024

BevTrend & Tech Edition

Components and Health Benefits of Rooibos
Tea
Rooibos tea, scientifically known as Aspalathus linearis and
commonly called red tea in Europe, originates from South
Africa. This small shrub with tapering, pointy leaves (Figure
1) produce a tea characterized by a slightly sweet taste and
an absence of bitterness as well as caffeine, making it an
ideal choice for individuals who need to regulate their caffeine
intake. Additionally, rooibos tea is rich in antioxidants,
including aspalathin and quercetin, which help to protect
cells against damage caused by free radicals. There are two
types of rooibos tea: unfermented and fermented (Figure 2).
Aspalathin is a natural C-glucosyl dihydrochalcone
(3′-β-D-glucopyranosyl-2′,3,4,4′,6′-penta hydro dihydrochalcone)
with the molecular formula of C H O , and a molecular
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weight (Mw) of 452.412 g/mol.
Aspalathin has numerous health benefits, as demonstrated
by the following studies:
- Treatment of metabolic syndrome: rooibos tea can
help address irregular metabolism, which can cause
hypertension, diabetes, and hypercholesterolemia. These
conditions can affect the cardiovascular system and may
lead to further complications, such as coronary artery
รููปที่่� 1 ต้้นชารอยบอส (Rooibos tea) disease. Metabolic syndrome is commonly found in patients
Figure 1 Rooibos tea with excessive visceral fat or central obesity. Studies have
shown that rooibos tea can positively impact health by
ที่่�มา/ Source: https://www.klipopmekaar.co.za/rooibos-tea-history/ reducing oxidative stress, a contributing factor to metabolic
syndrome. Hong et al. (2014) demonstrated this benefit by
testing the stress-reducing properties of rooibos tea on rats
model. The rats were divided into three groups: no stress,
stress, and stress with rooibos intake (stress+rooibos) at
concentration 2 g/100 mL.) for four weeks. The findings
revealed that, compared to the stress group, the stress+rooibos
group produced significantly less free fatty acid (FFA) and
5-Hydroxyindoleacetic acid (5-HIAA), a main component of
serotonin usually produced during stress. Additionally, stress
affects protein breakdown in the brain and blood, potentially
leading to neurological disorders such as Alzheimer’s
disease, Parkinson’s disease, and stroke. The rooibos-intake
group of rats showed lower levels of protein breakdown in
Unfermented rooibos tea the brain and higher production of glutathione, an antioxidant
that can potentially prevent brain cell damage.
Oxidation - The antioxidant activity of rooibos tea was evaluated
using the total radical-trapping antioxidant parameter
(TRAP) assay, which evaluated the antioxidant activity in
blood samples from three consumer groups: fermented
rooibos, unfermented rooibos, and a control group. The
results revealed that, five hours after consumption, the blood
samples of participants who had consumed unfermented

Fermented rooibos tea

รููปที่่� 2 ชารอยบอสที่่�ไม่่ผ่่านการหม่ัก (Unfermented rooibos tea) และ
ชารอยบอสที่่�ผ่่านการหม่ัก (Fermented rooibos tea)

Figure 2 Unfermented and fermented rooibos tea
ที่่�มา / Source: https://carmientea.co.za/crop-to-cup/

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