FAQs

What is the difference between the Red and Green varieties of Rooibos?

The most common form of Rooibos Tea in the world is the \’red\’ variety of Rooibos, because this is how the tea was traditionally prepared. The tea is harvested and roasted in the sun on drying pads, for several hours. The Rooibos plants have a natural green colour to their leaves, so this drying/fermenting/roasting process changes the properties of the tea, giving it a darker red colour and more full taste. This is very similar to how Chinese Green Tea becomes Black Tea after being fermented. Therefore, the \’Green\’ variety of Rooibos is smoother and lighter in flavour. It also brews a much lighter orange colour. You will find the taste to be slightly closer to that of traditional Green tea, and because Rooibos is naturally caffeine free – so is this green variety. The science is still being done, but some studies have shown that Green Rooibos has higher anti-oxidants because some of those anti-oxidants can be lost through the fermentation process. Green Rooibos, although less common than the red variety, is actually the most natural form of the plant – having only been steamed to stop the fermentation process when the plant is picked in the fields.

Are your teas gluten-free?

Yes, all of our teas are 100% gluten-free. Gluten is a naturally occurring protein found in cereals like wheat, Kamut, spelt, triticale, barley, oat and rye or their derivatives. We do not have any of the above cereals or their derivatives in our processing, so there are no chances of commingling. Although some tagless tea bags are sealed with glue, we use a heat sealing process to seal the tea bags and this eliminates the need for glue in our manufacturing process.

Is there any caffeine in Tega Pure Green Rooibos?

The first question that we usually get is “Is this a mix of Rooibos and Green Tea?”, which we can assure you it is not. It is 100% Pure Unfermented Rooibos. When the plant grows naturally, it starts out as a green shrub and it only turns red during fermentation. Since the plant is naturally Caffeine-free, both the Green and Red varieties of Rooibos have zero caffeine. Enjoy!

How does Tega Tea support Fairtrade?

Tega supports Fair Trade by paying a premium for our ingredients which we source from Fairtrade Certified suppliers. We also pay an additional 50 cents for every kilogram of fairtrade tea that we sell annually. These funds go to supporting Fairtrade Canada and growing the Fairtrade Initiative.

Why are not all ingredients in your teas Fairtrade?

Fairtrade is a rapidly growing movement and not all farms are certified for various reasons. Some ingredients such as Honeybush are wild-grown and as a result, do not come in a Fairtrade Certified variety. We always do our best to research when an ingredient becomes available from a reliable Fairtrade source.

Tega products are Organic Certified, but some use a Natural Flavour in the ingredients. Why is that?

Through extensive product development and research, we have tried many variations of every ingredient you see in our blends. Each ingredient is carefully selected for a specific purpose in the blend. In our research, we have found that Organic Flavours are lacking in taste and produce a very underwhelming experience for the consumer. There is little difference between Organic and Natural flavours, as Natural flavours are just essential oils which have been distilled in a lab. We understand that this terminology can be confusing but we stand behind our organic tea blends and believe that making this decision has allowed us to deliver a superior product for all of our customers.

I'm a vegetarian - does Tega Tea contain any ingredients of animal origin?

Tega tea blends (Multi ingredients – with flavours) are 100% vegetarian. No part of our blends is produced using components or ingredients that are derived from an animal origin. The Tega Tea brand, as well as our manufacturer, are both Certified Kosher, which means that natural flavourings used are certified free of meat and dairy.

Does Tega Tea contain any carbohydrates?

Our organic Rooibos tea does not contain any carbs. When you enjoy it, you also do not need to add any sweeteners as the tea is naturally (slightly) sweet. The sweetness is from non-sugar based flavones in the leaf. Thus it makes an exceptional drink for people who wish to avoid calories, carbs and sugars. The tea contains natural anti-oxidants, which help protect the body against premature ageing and disease, and mineral nutrients such as calcium, iron, magnesium, zinc, potassium.

I am supposed to eliminate yeast from my diet. Can you tell me about your fermentation process?

When we say Rooibos tea is fermented, we mean that it is sun-dried. There is no yeast involved or produced. The green leaves are crushed and left in the sun to dry for 10 hours which turns them red. This is what gives the tea it\’s full-bodied flavour. Rooibos tea has been found to have anti-viral, anti-bacterial and immune boosting properties.