Q. While in Africa I started drinking rooibos tea every day. Now that I am back home in Houston, my usual fall allergies have not appeared. Have you heard of this before?
A. We have heard of rooibos tea (“red bush” tea) from South Africa. It has been used traditionally against pollen allergies, but there is not a lot of clinical research to support its effectiveness. One study did suggest that there is an effect on the immune system that might help relieve allergic symptoms (Bioscience, Biotechnology and Biochemistry, Oct. 2001).
