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Herb library · Herb · Aspalathus linearis

Rooibos

A red herbal tea from South Africa, brewed from the needle-like leaves of Aspalathus linearis, either fermented (red) or unfermented (green). Most of its research is in cells and animals; the human studies are few, small and inconsistent.

Traditional use

Drunk daily as a tea in South Africa, where about half of the human studies on it have been done. Rooibos has also been promoted for a wide range of conditions, mostly on the strength of laboratory findings.

What studies show

  • Limited

    Cholesterol, antioxidant markers and blood sugar: a 2023 scoping review of 18 human studies (488 people in all) reported improvements, but the studies were small, used different teas and amounts, and gave inconsistent results. The authors call for large trials and dose-finding studies.

  • Insufficient

    Heart function: a single 12-week placebo-controlled trial of rooibos extract capsules in adults at cardiovascular risk measured small changes in heart dimensions on ultrasound. One small trial of capsules says little about drinking the tea.

Be careful of

Cautions

  • NoteUsually well tolerated as a tea, but a few human case reports describe possible liver injury, and contamination of the plant material may play a part. Stop and see a clinician if you notice yellowing of the skin or eyes, dark urine or unusual tiredness.
  • InteractionRooibos affects liver enzymes that process many medicines in laboratory studies, so it could change drug levels. If you take prescription medicines, ask a pharmacist before drinking it in large amounts every day.
  • Ask a clinicianTalk with a clinician or pharmacist before using rooibos extracts or capsules, or drinking a lot of the tea, if you have liver disease, take prescription medicines, or are pregnant or breastfeeding.

Sources

  1. The health benefits of rooibos tea in humans (Aspalathus linearis): a scoping review (J Public Health Afr, 2023) (opens in a new tab) · NIH · read September 22, 2026
  2. Impact of chronic consumption of herbal rooibos on cardiovascular function in adults with cardiovascular risk (J Med Food, 2024) (opens in a new tab) · NIH · read September 22, 2026
  3. Possible hepatotoxic effect of rooibos tea: a case report (Eur J Clin Pharmacol, 2010) (opens in a new tab) · NIH · read September 22, 2026
  4. The toxic contaminants of Aspalathus linearis plant material as well as herb-drug interactions may constitute the health risk factors in daily rooibos tea consumers (Int J Environ Health Res, 2023) (opens in a new tab) · NIH · read September 22, 2026

Reviewed September 22, 2026.