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Home » Styles of Tea » Herbal Tea » Honeybush
Updated: Apr. 10, 2012
Some types of honeybush are gathered in the wild, whereas others are cultivated.
Honeybush is similar to (and often confused with) rooibos, another tea from South Africa that is also made from a legume. Like rooibos, honeybush is traditionally produced through an oxidation process much like black tea, but green honeybush, pictured on the left, has recently started being produced, using processes similar to those used to produce green tea and green rooibos.
Oxidized honeybush is traditionally processed through bruising of the leaves followed by sun-drying, but some industrial processes now use heated tanks and air-drying.
Honeybush
Wikipedia: Cyclopia_(genus) | Teaviews: honeybush-teaUpdated: Apr. 10, 2012
About Honeybush
Honeybush, sometimes called honeybush tea is a type of herbal tea produced in South Africa. Honeybush tea is made out of a number of different species in the Cyclopia genus, which are all legumes.
Some types of honeybush are gathered in the wild, whereas others are cultivated.
Honeybush is similar to (and often confused with) rooibos, another tea from South Africa that is also made from a legume. Like rooibos, honeybush is traditionally produced through an oxidation process much like black tea, but green honeybush, pictured on the left, has recently started being produced, using processes similar to those used to produce green tea and green rooibos.
Oxidized honeybush is traditionally processed through bruising of the leaves followed by sun-drying, but some industrial processes now use heated tanks and air-drying.
Medicinal Uses and Health Benefits:
One species of Honeybush, Cyclopia genistoides, has been shown to have phytoestrogenic properties, meaning that it contains chemicals that have estrogen-like effects on the body.[1] There is evidence that these properties are attributable to chemicals found only in the genistoides species and not other species of honeybush.[1] Phytoestrogens, including the ones present in honeybush and a variety of other plants, have been suggested as a way to protect post-menopausal women from a broad range of problems, including breast cancer, heart disease, osteoporosis, menopausal symptoms, and brain deterioration.[2]References:
1. J.D. Nicolette et. al., Evaluation of the Phytoestrogenic Activity of Cyclopia genistoides (Honeybush) Methanol Extracts and Relevant Polyphenols, Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, Vol. 55, No. 11, pp 4371–4381, 2007.
2. Ayman Ewies, Phytoestrogens in the Management of the Menopause:: Up-To-Date, Obstetrical & Gynecological Survey Vol. 57, No. 5 - pp 306-313, May 2002.
Best Honeybush
The notion of the "best" Honeybush is subjective, because different people have different tastes. We present the most often-rated and highest-rated teas in this category, and allow you to draw your own conclusions.
Most Often-Rated Teas: BA24: South African Honeybush, Grade A
2 Ratings  BA27: Honeybush Green
1 Rating  Honeybush - Bushmen's Brew™
1 Rating | Top-Rated Teas:We need at least 3 ratings for a tea to calculate a percentile ranking. You can help us out by rating more teas of this style. |
