Nutritional expert and acclaimed international author Patrick Holford has given home-grown Rooibos tea a resounding thumbs-up in his latest book. The 10 Secrets of 100% Healthy People: The Groundbreaking Guide to Transforming your Health is the culmination of three decades of research and the subsequent understanding of the nutritional and lifestyle habits of physically and psychologically healthy people.

Holford, who is currently on tour in South Africa for the global launch of his latest book, espouses the health benefits of Redbush (Rooibos) in two of his 16 golden diet rules, namely to stay away from caffeine and to hydrate your body.

Stay away from caffeine

?Caffeine actually contributes to you feeling tired. A recent study has found that non-caffeine consumers were more alert upon waking than those who needed their daily morning fix. What the study concluded was that coffee is very good at curing the withdrawal effects of caffeine. The more caffeine you have, the more tired you get. If you cut caffeine, you?ll find you have more energy. A great replacement for your morning cuppa is Rooibos tea. It is ridiculously high in anti-oxidants and completely caffeine free,? says Holford.

Keep hydrated

?If you do nothing else,? Holford advises ?One of the best things you can do to improve your health is simply drink more water or herbal teas. If you only drink when you are thirsty then you are already dehydrated and your body is suffering as a consequence. Chronic fatigue, headache, dry skin and dry joints so you become more stiff and achy are just some of the symptoms, the biggest problem being constipation, for which not drinking enough water is the single most common cause."

Holford recommends drinking 6 to 8 glasses of water or herbal teas a day, with Rooibos listed as one of his highest recommendations. Rooibos is as effective as water for hydrating the body, but has all the additional proven cancer-fighting, heart disease reduction and anti-aging properties that water doesn?t.

Holford on Rooibos

Holford is quoted as saying: ?Since redbush tea is naturally caffeine-free, it?s untreated so every last one of its healthful polyphenols is preserved. The other thing that sets redbush apart from other teas is its low tannin content. Tannins are the polyphenols in black and green tea responsible for their astringent taste. Since redbush tea is lower in tannins, it?s much smoother and milder tasting ? no matter how long you steep it.

Furthermore, its potent anti-oxidant content protects your body from free radicals. The anti-oxidants in redbush tea are called polyphenols. And it?s the catechins in the polyphenols that support your overall health and boost your immune system. Plus, these antioxidants are also thought to lower blood fat levels, which in turn help to support normal cholesterol levels.?