We all know maybe a lot about rooibos, but not much on honeybush. We want to give you clear facts about this mysterious herb called "honey bush."
"Indigenous peoples Khoisan had the habit of drinking honeybush for centuries ..."
What is that?
Honeybush (Cyclopia) or Afrikaans "heuningbos" means "fine bush". It grows in South Africa, with beautiful yellow flowers with a woody stem. Indigenous peoples Khoisan had the habit of drinking honeybush for centuries as a medicinal tea to fight against coughs and other respiratory infections.
How honeybush tea taste?
However, the first thing that everyone keeps asking, "Is that the tea tastes like honey?" At first, you may feel a woody taste, but later a still small taste of honey.
A little history
The first traces of honeybush date back to 1705 and appeared later in 1770 on texts written by a Swedish botanist Carl Peter Thunberg who visited the Cape. The journey of Cyclopia plant continues and, thanks to scientific research conducted by the South African National Biodiversity Institute, the first commercial harvest Honeybush was established in 1996. Today, Honeybush demand continues to grow as more and more people are discovering this amazing plant with the smell of honey. .
Classification of plants
It is found in nature 23 varieties of honeybush teas but only 3 planted for commercial purposes. These are:
-Cyclopia intermedia ( "Bergtee") or mountain tea, harvested every two or three years, mainly in nature.
-Cyclopia genistoides ( "Kustee") or Coastal and TeaCyclopia subternata ( "Vleitee") located in the Overberg region to Langkloof and grown on 200 hectares of land.
Harvest time
Regarding production, 70% of honeybush come from remote areas and only 30% of plantations. This shrub planted in full sun and well-drained soil. People are starting to reap between July and October before the flowers begin to appear, but the exact time depends on the type.
Significant health effects of tea honeybush
The best reason to start drinking honeybush every day is that you begin to have a night of better sleep, less stress and improved thanks to seasonal allergies.
"The roots are those that give honeybush an interesting taste."
How long to brew?
Initially, brewing, we used the roots and flowers that were fermented before use. Now for tea, it only needs roots. The roots are those that give honeybush an interesting taste. To prepare a cup of healthy and tasty drink, we suggest you put 1 tablespoon honey 1 cup, fill it with boiling water and steep for 10 minutes. You can also find sources suggesting a brewing time of 5 minutes or even 15 minutes.
Brewing Suggestions
Honeybush is a scented tea, but you can use in different ways. For example, as an iced tea or a mixture of milk and honey, keep it in the fridge to enjoy the cold in warm weather. Otherwise, honeybush is always perfect hot or at room temperature. The next option would be that after the brewing process, tea is allowed to cool, then mixed fresh fruit juice of your choice. About the factory Cyclopia contained no caffeine. It is a safe drink for people sensitive to caffeine and even for children at night.
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