About TEA
Melmont Mountain Honeybush is a completely natural certified organic beverage i.e. it contains no contaminants, colourants, preservatives, other additives or chemical residues.
About
Honeybush
Tea
High up on the pristine slopes of the Kouga mountain range in the Eastern Cape, South Africa, clusters of the Mountain Honeybush, Cyclopia intermedia, occur. These indigenous shrubs prefer the cooler southern aspect of the mountains. Here they grow to a height of about 90 cm. Each spring their bright yellow blossoms exude the fragrance of honey – hence their popular name.
The Cyclopia family belongs to the famed Fynbos ecological system of the Southern and Western Cape regions of South Africa. Cyclopia typically has a fine foliage and woody stem. What sets Cyclopia intermedia apart from its botanical relatives, is its location and rarity. It flourishes mainly on the high mountain slopes and resists artificial propagation. The fragrance, body and character of its product are unsurpassed.
Properties of Melmont Mountain Honeybush
Melmont Mountain Honeybush is a completely natural certified organic beverage i.e. it contains no contaminants, colourants, preservatives, other additives or chemical residues.
On the contrary, it exudes a unique fragrance and brews to a golden ruby colour. It is soft and clean on the palate, which is partly due to the virtual absence of tannin. It contains no caffeine, a stimulant, and is refreshing and flavoursome.
Scientific research into the chemical composition of Cyclopia intermedia is being pursued at various academic and research institutions in South Africa, as well as abroad.
According to The University of the Orange Free State our teas contain the following substances with the following properties:
Anti-oxidants and thus anti-carcinogenic
Luteolin that can be anti-spasmodic
Xanthones, which can be anti-fungal and anti-depressant
Flavones, which can be spasmolitic and diuretic
Isoflavones and coumestans are advantageous for a whole host of conditions, including the prevention of breast and prostate cancer, and the reduction of the risk of osteoporosis.
Preparation and Serving
Each generous teabag yields a rich organic brew.
Allow to draw in boiling water for a few minutes in either teapot or teacup. This enriches the flavour and colour.
The golden ruby tea has a distinctive fragrance and taste. Being virtually tannin free, it is smooth on the palate. The senses are apt to wing one’s thoughts to the pristine summit of the Kouga mountains, the only natural habitat of the real Mountain Honeybush, Cyclopia intermedia.
As a thoroughbred herbal tea, you may prefer to drink it without milk or sweetener. According to taste, try stirring in a drop of honey, a pinch of ground cinnamon or a drop of your favourite fruit juice.
In all these variants, Melmont Mountain Honeybush Tea is also a winner as a refreshing iced drink. And don’t overlook it as a hot toddy, with a splash of ginger and a tot of Cape Brandy stirred in to revive the spirits.
The serving possibilities are endless. The enterprising housewife might even like to try incorporating the unique fragrance of Melmont Mountain Honeybush Tea in her favourite recipe, stew, dessert or cake.
Intrinsic Properties of Melmont Mountain Honeybush
Ferreira et al analysed the phenolic compounds from C. intermedia taken from our own processing plant (J.Agric. Food Chem 1998. 46.3406-3410). They found the processed leaves and stems to contain:
– 4-hydroxy cinnamic acid,
– Isoflavones: formononetim, afrormosin, calycosin pseudohaptigen, and fugikinetin,
– Flavones: naringenin, eriodictyol, hesperitin, and hesperidin, Coumestans: medicagol, flemichapparin,
and sopheracoumestan, B,
– Xantones: mangiferin and isonangiferin,
– Flavone: luteolin and inositol (4-)- pinitol.
| Tea Leaves tested (Terblanche, 1982) yielded the following results: | |||
| Raw Fibre | 20.91% | Magnesium | 0.46% |
| Moisture | 11.7% | Tannin | 0.45% |
| Raw Protein | 5.22% | Phosphorous | 0.18% |
| Raw Fat | 1.48% | Calcium | 0.14% |
| Potassium | 1.22% | Caffeine | <0.01% |
| An analysis of the dry extract (de Lange, 1994) revealed the following: | ||||
| Phosphorus | 0.021% | For bone and teeth formation, cell growth and kidney function | ||
| Potassium | 0.358% | For a healthy nervous system, a regular heart rhythm and chemical reactions in cells | ||
| Calcium | 0.17% | For a strong bone and teeth formation, muscle growth and to prevent muscle cramps | ||
| Magnesium | 0.08% | For the nervous system, enzyme activity and various metabolic functions | ||
| Sodium | 501mg/kg | For the body’s fluid and acid /alkaline balance and stomach functions | ||
| Copper | 1.1mg/kg | Formation of bone, haemoglobin, red blood cells and healing process | ||
| Zinc | 5.02mg/kg | For normal growth and development and healing skin | ||
| Manganese | 36.1mg/kg | For healthy immune system, blood sugar regulation and formation of mother’s milk | ||
| Iron | 98mg/kg | For production of haemoglobin oxygenation of red blood cells | ||
| Boron | 33mg/kg | For calcium absorption and healthy bones | ||