Is Rooibus as bad as Green Tea?

[NIGHTGUARD]

I have avoided all teas because of Thyroid nodules and goiter. Maybe its psychological, but after trying Green tea tablets for a week, I could hardly drag myself out of bed. Doc isn't giving any medicine yet, I think I'm holding my own with diet. So anyway, I want something hot to drink, can't have coffee even decaf. Can't take teecino with me on a trip or to a resturant. So I found some caffene free herbal called Rooibus or Madagascar Red from Celestial Sesonings. On the back of the box (yes I finally read it) it says it has all the qualities and benefits of regular tea. I've been feeling tired for the last two weeks. Do you think this stuff is processed with flourine like other teas and will damage my thyroid? Have I been harming myself?

Thanks in advance for any input. Also does anyone have any portable suggestions for a tea free, coffee free hot drink? I wish they had teecino in little bags like tea!

[JRo]

I don't know about benefits, but I think rooibos is totally nasty tasting.

You might want to look into Yerba Mate tea. It's delicious and energizing, but has no caffeine.

[Margot 65]

LOL iwas just going to post about yerba mate!

It not only doesn't have caffeine, it can replace caffeine and you won't get withdrawals while doing it. It takes a few days to get used to it, but after that it becomes natural to drink it and you look forward to it.

A friend bought me a gourd and bombilla, it is fun to drink like that, I stopped when I got pregnant (too sick...) and never got back into it, I am putting my gourd out to make some tomorrow and try to get off of coffee again.

http://www.arizonagourds.com/yerbacup.jpg

ETA: oh rooibos is nasty too..

[KINDERHORE]

What'd I miss about Green Tea??? Bad, too!

I thought my unsweetened green tea was good.

Possible to purchase unprocessed green tea?

[amiga74]

yerba maté does contain caffeine

well, i like rooibos-it doesn't have caffeine, and i've found some good varieties out there.

what do you mean by "unprocessed" green tea? i think all tea leaves are steamed. but that is mainly it...

[KINDERHORE]

Originally Posted by NIGHTGUARD

I've been feeling tired for the last two weeks. Do you think this stuff is processed with flourine like other teas and will damage my thyroid? Have I been harming myself?

I was looking at this. looks like Green Tea is processed with Flouride and damages you thyroid?

[NIGHTGUARD]

Hi Kinder! From what I have read by NonstickPam, our resident thyroid expert, people with thyroid "conditions" like hypothyroid or Hashimotos, etc should avoid tea. Something in the processing leaves a chemical which "confuses" or slows down the thyroid. I think folks with normal thyroid function have nothing to fear. Maybe Pam or AllieCat can chime in here with a quick explaination, and maybe also let me know if I should dump the Rooibus.

[tea cup]

Rooibos, also called Red Tea, certainly has a unique taste that's for sure. It is not related at all to white, green or black tea. Its an entirely differnet plant. It is supposed to have a lot of antioxidents and health benefits, if you can get used to the taste.

I still prefer plain old decaf black tea.

tea cup

[Leo41]

I am hypothyroid with nodules, but love green tea. When I read about the problems attributed to it on this board, I asked my endo about it. He said there should be no problem. I was also concerned because our local water is fluoridated, but, again, he said that is not a problem either.

I feel great drinking tea, so I tend to believe him because anything that affects my thyroid (e.g., under-medicated) leaves me lethargic with dry skin and gaining weight.

I always check medical information with my doctors because everyone is different. When I'm drinking tea regularly and my blood values are fine, that indicates to me that it is NOT affecting my thyroid.

[emslight]

If you get rooibos with something like vanilla or even chai flavoured rooibos it is much more palatable. I personally love it. I also love white tea and again you can get it with vanilla or strawberry or other flavours. Rooibos, white and green tea all have huge health benefits in terms of anti oxidants so it's worth trying a few flavours.

[ew1]

I drink decaf English breakfast tea ocassionally and also drink white tea. Those are the younger tea leaves and have less flouride in them. I am trying to get off of drinking Diet Coke so I made pitchers of these teas to use for lunchtime bevearges at work. So if this bad for hypos, what do I drink besides water?

[emslight]

How about making some natural infusions using fresh ginger and lemon and hot water? Or fresh mint and hot water? Both are delish.

[emslight]

(I have a stinking cold today so am supping on hot water lemon and ginger)

[rottinluv]

Originally Posted by NIGHTGUARD

Thanks in advance for any input. Also does anyone have any portable suggestions for a tea free, coffee free hot drink? I wish they had teecino in little bags like tea!

How about some of the herbal teas that don't actually contain any tea leaves? Celestial Seasoning has a lot of wonderful fruity flavors that are all herbal. I take them with me to restaurants all the time.

[emslight]

Originally Posted by rottinluv

How about some of the herbal teas that don't actually contain any tea leaves? Celestial Seasoning has a lot of wonderful fruity flavors that are all herbal. I take them with me to restaurants all the time.

I love bengal spice!

[~mina~]

Iron-deficiency anemia has a strong association with hypothyroidism from what I understand.. if this is you, you should not drink beverages containing high tannin - this includes green and other teas. it inhibits the absorption of non heme iron and also folic acid (pregnant women would be best to avoid it).

or at least wait 1-2 hours between meals, up your vitamin C, and drink in moderation.

[amiga74]

rooibos isn't tea i don't think. i mean, not like green tea. it is a bush

[AnDee]

Yerba mate contains both caffeine and theobromine (which antagonize adenosine receptors) and reduces the body production of adenosine in the blood (prolongs half life of ATP, ADP, and AMP). These two processes will synergize to provide a much cleaner stimulation than a simple dose of caffeine (only blocking adenosine receptors) and it makes my heart race, so I can't go near it. I love drinking rooibus, and there are no "tea" leaves in Rooibus - it's from a bush in Africa....from Wikipedia...read on....

Rooibos, (pronounced like "roy-boss"), Afrikaans for "red bush"; scientific name Aspalathus linearis) is a broom-like member of the legume family of plants and is used to make a tisane (herbal tea, which mean NO caffeine). Commonly called South African red tea or simply red tea or bush tea, the product has been popular in South Africa for generations and is now consumed in many countries. It is sometimes spelled rooibosch in accordance with the Dutch etymology, but "roy-boss" remains the correct pronunciation.

Production
Rooibos is grown only in a small area in the Cederberg region of the Western Cape province.[1] Generally, the leaves are oxidized, a process often, and inaccurately, referred to as fermentation by analogy with tea processing terminology. This process produces the distinctive reddish-brown color of rooibos and enhances the flavour. Unoxidized "green" rooibos is also produced, but the more demanding production process for green rooibos (similar to the method by which green tea is produced) makes it more expensive than traditional rooibos.

Use
In South Africa it is more common to drink rooibos with milk and sugar, but elsewhere it is usually served without. The flavor of rooibos tea is often described as being sweet (without sugar added) and slightly nutty. Preparation of rooibos tea is essentially the same as black tea save that the flavour is improved by longer brewing. The resulting brew is a reddish brown color, explaining why rooibos is sometimes referred to as "red tea". Rooibos translates to "Red Bush" in Afrikaans, a South African language descended from Dutch.

Several coffee shops in South Africa have recently begun to sell red espresso[1], which is concentrated rooibos served and presented in the style of ordinary espresso (which is normally coffee-based). This has given rise to rooibos-based variations of coffee drinks such as red lattes and red cappuccinos. Iced tea made from rooibos has recently been introduced in South Africa as well.


Nutritional and health benefits
Rooibos is becoming more popular in Western countries particularly among health-conscious consumers, due to its high level of antioxidants such as aspalathin and nothofagin, no caffeine, and its low tannin levels compared to fully oxidized black tea or unoxidized green tea leaves.[citation needed] "Green" rooibos (see above) has a higher antioxidant capacity than fully oxidised rooibos.

Grading
Rooibos grades are largely related to the percentage "needle" or leaf to stem content in the mix. A higher leaf content will result in a darker liquor, richer flavour and less "dusty" after taste. The high grade rooibos is exported and does not reach local markets, with major consumers being EU, particulary Germany, where it is used in creating flavoured blends for loose leaf tea markets. There are however, a small number of specialty tea companies within South Africa who are now producing similar blends.

[nonstickpam107]

Originally Posted by NIGHTGUARD

Hi Kinder! From what I have read by NonstickPam, our resident thyroid expert, people with thyroid "conditions" like hypothyroid or Hashimotos, etc should avoid tea. Something in the processing leaves a chemical which "confuses" or slows down the thyroid. I think folks with normal thyroid function have nothing to fear. Maybe Pam or AllieCat can chime in here with a quick explaination, and maybe also let me know if I should dump the Rooibus.

In studies showing the rise of Hashimoto's autoimmune hypothyroid in females from when they started putting fluoride in water systems in the US...it went from ONE in ten women to TWO in ten women. Fluoride can damage a thyroid. I've personally seen two patients have hypothyroidism after having several fluoride treatments on their teeth, drinking fluoridated water. It can trigger autoimmune and it can cause slowdown of thyroid function.

Nowadays, the fluoride in water systems can be avoided as drinking water...and they aren't putting 'as much', endocrinologists are telling people to be cautious with their children's fluoride tooth treatments if there is hypothyroidism/hyperthyroidism in the family line.

The fluoride in tea is an 'irritant' to the thyroid....if you already have thyroid disease and are taking incoming replacment, I'd make darn sure your FT's testing is in great range if you drink a substantial amount of tea. Herbal/fruit tea is fine. I'd probably get away with drinking tea and doing all kinds of thyroid inhibiting food...cuz my doc would just up my Armour in regards to the effects...but if you are on synthetic T4 only and your doc isn't looking at your unbound thyroid hormones measurements (FT4, FT3) I'd just kind of 'test' how tea affects you.

Pam