Green Rooibos freshens up the rooibos scene. The flavor doesn’t stray far from your typical, fully oxidized red rooibos. However, the cup is lighter in body and trades the woody vanilla notes for a fresher, more vegetal profile. The rooibos sweetness and nuttiness remain, though less prominently. Best of all, the cup remains caffeine-free and smooth as ever: zero bitterness or astringency, even after a long steep. A comparison between black and green tea is an appropriate analog here. Green Rooibos, like green tea, bypasses the oxidation step in processing. Meanwhile, red rooibos, like black tea, is fully oxidized. In either case, the less-processed leaf retains more health benefits than the fully oxidized version. Green Rooibos contains especially high levels of antioxidant polyphenols—just like green tea—plus an impressive list of other phytonutrients and nutritious minerals. Rooibos is endemic to western South Africa. Travel north from Cape Town to the region of Cederberg, where you’ll find rooibos growing wild in the mountains. Read more from LMTC’s herbalist Greta de la Montagne about this compelling plant, its health benefits, and the part of the world it belongs to.