Rooibos' ("Red Tea") Heart Health Benefits

Clinical Trial Shows Cardiovascular Benefits of Rooibos, Popular Antioxidant Herbal Tea from South Africa

A new study shows that rooibos (also known as "red tea") has cardiovascular benefits in addition to its ability to soothe a stomach and provide a good source of vitamins and minerals. Click here to read more!

How Much Loose Tea Do I Use?

One question that I often get asked is "how much loose leaf tea should I use to make a cup or a pot of tea?". The general rule of thumb is 1 teaspoon for an average 6-8 oz size cup. Most loose teas will "swell up" once they are infused, especially green and oolong teas. They become voluminous in an infuser once hot water is added....which remember to always use an infuser that gives your leaves plenty of room to expand and release their full flavor potential.

Try starting out with the smallest quantity of tea first and then you can always add more tea leaves if needed.

So how much do I use to make a cup of tea? About a "TEA"spoon ful...

Free Tea? Oh Yes! It's FREE...

Looking for a new tea to try? If so, we invite you to peruse some of our new summer teas at TeaMoka. Until the end of this month we are offering FREE TEA SAMPLES. Simply send us an email at Tea.Moka@yahoo.com with your name and address (U.S. addresses only please), along with the name of a tea you would like to try.


What's the catch you ask? We would like to know what you think about the tea you sampled. All we ask is that you write a response to this blog and let everyone know which tea you sampled and what you thought of the tea!

How to Steep Tea

How long should I steep my tea?

This is a question that I get asked very often. Tea is really very simple to prepare. If you do not like your tea the first time you try it, try changing the way you steep it. If when you prepare it, you find that it is too strong or bitter, add more water, or better yet, next time, don't allow it to steep so long. If you find that the tea is too weak for your taste, try using more tea leaves the next time. You can experiment with different varieties of teas, sweeteners (such as honey or sugar), and temperatures - hot or iced. It's really all about your personal taste, so enjoy exploring to find what you like the best!

The following info will help you to prepare the best cup of tea possible:
1. Heat fresh, cold water (if available filtered water is best) to the appropriate temperature.
2. Add the loose tea leaves into your infuser (use approximately one full teaspoon of loose tea leaves per 6-8 oz. cup) and add water.
3. Infuse (steep) for the recommended amount of time or to suit your personal taste preference.


Type of Tea ~ Water Temp ~ Steep Time in Minutes

Green Tea~175°-180° (steaming)~1-3 minutes

White~175°-180°(steaming)~1-3

Oolong~180°-190°(steaming)~2-3

Black~208°-212°(boiling)~3-5

Pu-Erh~208°-212°(boiling)~3-5

Rooibos~208°-212° (boiling)~5-10

Herbal~208°-212°(boiling)~5-10

Red Tea

Although Rooibos or "red tea" is gaining in popularity--mostly through the ready-to-drink, bottled varieties, it is still relatively new to most people. Rooibos is actually an herb that grows in South Africa and not really "tea" at all. It is from the plant "Aspalathus linearis" (not Camellia sinensis, which is true tea) and produces fine, needle-like leaves.

Reasons to drink:

*naturally caffeine-free
*anti-spasmodic properties relieve stomach and digestive discomfort
*contains no additives, preservatives, or colors
*helps to relieve allergies
*promotes healthy skin, teeth, and bones
*contains antioxidants
*increases iron absorption
*contains essentials minerals, such as iron, potassium, calcium, copper, zinc, magnesium, fluoride, and manganese and
* it produces a gorgeous red cup with fantastic flavor! (good ones to try: Cape Town Chai, RubyMint Falls, and Lemon Grove Rooibos)