Rooibos (Aspalatnus linearis) also known as Red Bush, is a plant in the legume family , that grows in an area about 200km north of Cape Town South Africa. Rooibos is actually a primarily green bush that when oxidized (like how green tea is oxidized to black) turns red. Rooibos has lately started to be called "red tea". Rooibos is not from a tea plant and thus not tea. "Red tea" is actually what the Chinese call what we refer to as black tea (they name their teas based on the color of the liquor, not the color of the leaf). Rooibos tisane (tisane is a term meaning something that one would steep and drink the brew, like tea, but not containing any tea), is also called " mountain tea", "red bush tea", and in Japan called "long life tea". Rooibos creates a soothing caffeine-free liquor that is unique, pleasant, mild, and naturally sweet. Preliminary studies show the rooibos has antioxidant and antimutagenic properties. Therefore it may be helpful in slowing ageing and help in preventing cancer, although no clinical studies have been published. No known side effects are know even when rooibos is consumed in large quantities as a substitute for water. Rooibos is harvested in the summer, then bruised, cut and piled into mounds. In these mounds the rooibos oxidizes and turns red aided by the compounds released by the bruising and cutting. The rooibos is then spread out to dry in the sunlight, sterilized by steam, dried in commercial dryers, sifted, packaged, sent to Muggswigz, brewed, and enjoyed (well, at least some of the rooibos is). We have plain rooibos and a masala (spiced) chai made with a rooibos base instead of a black tea base. We call it Muggswigz Red.