With the naturally-occurring antioxidants, refreshing taste and range of exciting flavours, drinking Rooibos is a simple and affordable way to reduce sugar intake and improve one’s health on a daily basis.
However, many people still consume Rooibos tea in the traditional way – hot, sometimes with milk and a dash of sugar or honey.
Laager Rooibos is on a mission to educate South Africans that there is another way to enjoy Rooibos tea, and it’s just as simple to prepare as the traditional way.
Home-made Rooibos iced tea carries all the same benefits of Rooibos, and unlike store-bought iced teas, you get to control what you put in it.
You can choose whether or not to add sugar or honey, and what flavours to add in the form of fresh fruit, a dash of fruit juice, or spices.
Home-made Rooibos iced tea is as easy as 1-2-3
Step 1: Boil the water.
Step 2: Brew Laager Rooibos or Laager Tea4Kidz – there are lots of delicious flavours to choose from!
Step 3: Add ice and fresh fruit, and sweeten with honey if preferred. Simple!
“One of the most effective ways to cut down on our diet’s sugar content and improve overall health is by replacing the sugar-laden drinks we consume with some home-made Laager Rooibos iced tea,” explained Candice Sessions, Laager Marketing Manager. “By sharing these delicious iced tea recipes, we hope to encourage people to get into the habit of making a daily jug of Laager Rooibos or Laager Tea4Kidz iced tea, and keeping it in the fridge for the whole family to drink.”
Specialist dietician, Mbali Mapholi, is passionate about getting South Africans into healthy eating and drinking routines, with Laager Rooibos and Laager Tea4Kidz some of her preferred healthy beverages.
“The benefits of drinking home-made Rooibos iced tea are firstly, Rooibos tea is caffeine-free. It counts as good hydration because highly-caffeinated drinks dehydrate, while also impacting gut and mental health leading to anxiety, mood swings and nervousness.
“Secondly, home-made iced teas provide a great alternative to soft drinks with a high sugar content, which is a big problem for South African children. One of the reasons we have such a high childhood obesity is sugary drinks so this poses a plausible solution for our obesity statistic.
“With home-made iced teas, you can control the amount and type of sweetening that is added. Whether it is to add normal sugar – a limited amount is recommended – or honey, with its added health benefits, or artificial sweeteners which are low calorie.”
Laager Rooibos ambassadors and renowned South African chefs, Lebo and Tebo Ndala have also shared some of their favourite Laager Rooibos iced tea recipes that the whole family will enjoy. These are prepared using Rooibos ice cubes, another simple and delicious option for homemade iced tea.
ROOIBOS ICE CUBES
1 cup boiling water
2 Laager Rooibos teabags of any flavour
Pour boiling water over teabags. Leave to brew for about 5-7 minutes.
Leave to cool down completely.
This should fill one whole ice tray (12 blocks).
Freeze until completely frozen.
Use for smoothies, ice teas, etc.
ROOIBOS APPLE ICE TEA
1 cup apple juice
1 cup cold Laager Green Rooibos tea
1 cup Laager Green Rooibos ice cubes
Mini canned apples or fresh apple slices, for garnish.
Mix all the ingredients together. Chill until ready to serve. Garnish with mini apples
ROOIBOS THYME & CRANBERRY MOCKTAIL
1 cup cranberry juice
1/2 cup Laager Cranberry & Wild Cherry Rooibos ice cubes
1/2 cup tonic water
Fresh thyme leaves
In a shaker, pour in the ice, juice, and fresh thyme and shake until the outside of the shaker is icy.
Pour contents into a glass. Top with tonic water. Garnish with fresh thyme sprigs.