The Ginger Tea Reviews: Rooibos Chai

Hey, everyone! Welcome back to another exciting installment of the Ginger Tea Reviews! Tea is my passion, and I am making it my goal to share my passion with the world!

Okay, so I worked at Teavana for a couple of years or so, and have been a customer with Teavana for five or more years. I have watched them switch out various types of teas and discontinue others. Apart from their top tier teas, the only other tea that was a constant on that wall was the Rooibos Chai blend. It was, by far, one of their more popular chais.

However, with Teavana's closure, many have been left wondering just where they will get their Rooibos Chai now. Well, look no further, everyone, because the Tea Company stepped up their game and put out their own version of the Rooibos Chai!

And guys, it is amazing.

Organic Rooibos Chai

So this is the Tea Company's newest creation: Rooibos Chai. It is a beautiful blend of rooibos tea, with cinnamon, ginger and various other delicious spices.

The tea brews into a beautiful red beverage. This tea is not sensitive. Brew it at boiling temperatures, and let it steep for a minimum of five minutes. You can let it steep longer, if you'd like a stronger flavor. Do not steep for longer than ten minutes, otherwise it could get way too strong.

The flavor, on its own with no sugar, is subtly sweet with a wonderful spicy undertone that is sure to warm your soul. The smell of the tea is earthy and spicy. The ginger and cardamom, as well as the cinnamon are really the most present features of this tea. The rooibos brings in a subtle and earthy undertone.

All in all, this tea just works. As compared to Teavana's Rooibos Chai... it is even better.

Now, to be completely honest (don't judge me), I was never the biggest fan of Teavana's Rooibos Chai. It was good, but I felt, as a chai, it always sort of fell flat. It always worked better as a blend, and was never as good as a stand alone tea. Maybe I'd been spoiled too much by the Maharaja Chai, which was much stronger? I'm not sure.

However, the Tea Company's Rooibos Chai, while still being mild in comparison to the Maharaja Chai, has a much stronger flavor than Teavana's. This chai would be amazing as a blend, or as a stand alone tea!

But now, I'm sure you all are probably wondering...

'What is Rooibos tea?'

Well, let me tell you! Rooibos tea is a South African tea. The tea comes from a broom-like bush, a member of the Fabaceae family.

The Fabaceae family of plants includes trees, shrubs and perennial herbaceous plants. They are easily recognized by their fruit and leaves. It is, actually, the third largest plant family in the world, and economically, it is a very important family. The Fabaceae family is more commonly recognized as the "legume," or "bean," family. The leaves from the rooibos red bush (or the Aspalathus linearis bush) are used to make rooibos tea.

Rooibos tea is actually not a true "tea," as it does not come from the camilla sinensis plant (more on this in a future review). So technically speaking, this makes rooibos tea an herbal tea. Rooibos is typically grown in the Cederberg, which is a small mountainous area in the Western Cape province of South Africa.

Health Benefits

So rooibos tea is highly popular, and steadily growing more and more so all around the world. But what is it good for?

Rooibos is said to help with allergies which, if you are anything like me, makes this tea my new best friend this season. It is also good for asthma, headaches, and even insomnia! Rooibos tea is caffeine free and is very relaxing.

Another fun fact, rooibos tea has no oxalic acid, which means that people with kidney stones are allowed to drink this beverage. Rooibos tea is rich in various vitamins and minerals that can not only help the kidney stone problem, but strengthen your body and immune system as well. It has iron and calcium in it, as well as potassium and magnesium, and antioxidants. The combination of all of these vitamins and minerals and antioxidants makes this tea one of the "super" ones.

Rooibos is said to be good for your bones, as well as your heart and even your blood pressure! It has also been used as an effective treatment for colic in young infants. It is suspected that the anti-inflammatory properties of the tea plays a part in aiding stomach distress, although right now it is uncertain.

Oh, and did I mention that it is also good for diabetes? Rooibos tea has aspalathin, which is a rare antioxidant that regulates your blood sugar. It also helps improve your muscles' ability to absorb glucose, while also improving insulin resistance. It also boosts insulin secretion from the pancreas.

All in all, rooibos tea is a healthy and nifty super tea to have.

Rooibos Chai Lattes

So now that we know about all the amazing health benefits, let's get back to this amazing blend! As I said before, by itself the tea is amazing. But I am such a fan of chai lattes, I just had to make a chai latte with this tea.

I am so glad I did, by the way!

When brewed into a latte, the spices blend into a beautiful and creamy cup of absolute bliss!

I tried a little something different when making this latte. Before, when making my lattes, I would usually just brew the tea in water and add milk when it was done. This time, however, I decided to brew the tea in the milk.

The Recipe and Process...

So, if you brew your tea in milk, be prepared for a different experience. Milk has a stronger flavor and can often mask the flavor of the tea itself. However, chai tea is perfect for milk brewing, as the strong spices blend harmoniously with the milk.

Recipe

1 cup of milk

1 large teaspoon of Organic Rooibos Chai

1/2 teaspoon of ground nutmeg

1/2 teaspoon of ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon of mace

1/2 teaspoon of ground cloves

Add honey to taste

Combine all of the ingredients into a small pot, and simmer for up to ten minutes, stirring frequently. When the milk is hot, and has taken a light brown hue, strain into your cup. Add frothed milk on top, or whipped cream if you want to be extra with it.

It's not a complicated recipe, but then I'm not a complicated woman. The resulting product is a creamy, delectable beverage that is perfect for chilly mornings. If you want to add more benefits to the already amazing beverage, add a half teaspoon of matcha (I know, I have a problem).

This Rooibos Chai is top notch, everyone. It is inexpensive and just a wonderful addition to your tea collection, guaranteed. Try it now, and see how you like it! I promise you won't regret it!

What will I review next? Stay tuned for more tea adventures, as we explore this great wide world of tea together!

— Ginger

P.S.

Like what you read? Support my blog by sharing with your friends and family! Share far and wide! Or, if you wanna be extra nice, help me keep my blog going by dropping a gift down below. Have a suggestion for a review? Hit me up on my FB page, or my Instagram, or my Twitter! I love hearing from you all! Be sure to follow me as well! :D

I appreciate all the support, you guys! Love ya! <3