Rooibos (Aspalathus linearis) i tiya ya ndzhavuka leyikumekaka etintshaveni tale xifundzheni xa Western Cape nale tikweni hinkwaro ra Afrika Dzonga. Yikula kufika eka 1,5 m hiku leha naswona yina swirhabyana swohlaya swolala leswingana matluka ya rihlaza ro hatima, lawa yangana xivumbeko xa nereta.
Matluka yakona (marhavi ya kwalomu ka 50 cm kusuka ehansi) yatshoveriwa kutani yaya hundza eka maendlelo ndzhavuko yaku vila leswikatsaka ku hutheka naku tsakamisiwa ka matluka hi mati naku pfumeleriwa leswaku ya nghenelela kufika ku hela 12 wa tiawara. Enzymatic oxidation yiva kona naswona matluka ya cinca kusuka eka rihlaza kuya eka buraweni. Eku heteleleni, tiya ya rooibos yinekiwa e dyambyini kuva yi oma.
Rooibos ya rihlaza (unfermented) yi tshaoveriwa, yitsemiwa kutani yi omisiwa yinga virisiwangi, leswi endlaka leswaku kuva na tiya leyingana muhlovo wo vevuka nyana loko ku pimanyisiwa na rooibos yanotlovelo.
Tiya leyi yopfumala caffeine yi vikiwa kuva yi kota kutshungula mavabyi yokarhi kukatsa naku hunguta ku khomiwa hi fukuzani. Yihlayisekile kuyi tirhisa eka vana naswona yitirhisiwa ku pfuneta eka swivavi swale khwiriini, kukhumbheka ka nhlonge na swirhumbani leswi endliwaka hi maleri ya vana. Polyphenols leyi yinga eka tiya ya rooibos yina leswi pfunetaka kususa ku pfimba,nati antiviral xikan’we na anti-mutagenic (prevents mutation) naswona swinga sirhelela miri kuva wu khomiwa hi mavabyi ya fukuzani na vuvabyi bya mbilu.
Rooibos hiyona yingana ti antioxidantsta kahle naswona hiyona yiri yoxe yitivekaka kuva yi humesa potent antioxidant leyi vuriwaka aspalathin, leyi pfunetaka kuva yi tshungula mavabyi ya diabetes hikuva yi lulamisa nhlayo ya chukele xikan’we naku tekiwa ka glucose.
Tiya leyi yipfuneta ku hunguta ntshikelelo wa ngati, laha yitirhaka tani hi bronchodilator ku herisa swiphiqo swaku hefemula kutani yipfuneta ku endliwa ka HDL cholesterol (cholesterol ya kahle). Rooibos yina ti hydroxy acid xikan’we na zinc (Zn) leyi pfunetaka xiyimo xa nlhonge xotani hi acne na eczema naswona yipfuna eka kutshwa hi dyambu. Ti antioxidants letinga eka rooibos tihunguta rivilo raku kula hikuva tilulamisa swilo leswi onhaka nhlonge laha nhlayo ya manganese (Mn) na calcium (Ca) yipfunaka ku aka naku pfuxeta marhambu.
Rooibos yikumeka tani hi tiya, aromatic compounds na leswi susiwaka (leswi n’wokaka eka mati yo hisa kumbe yotitimela) na swilo leswi sukaka eka iced tea, swo nuherisa nale ka switola.
Ximilani lexi xikota ku hanya eka ndzhawu leyinga oma naswona yirhandza misava leyingana sandi leyi kotaka ku tswonga mati xikanwe na pH ya 4,5 kuya eka 5,5. Mbewu yibyariwa eka ti seedbeds kumbe swimilani swinga simuriwa swibyariwa hindlela yoleyo. Leafhopper i xitsotswana lexi hluphaka tiya leyi swinene xikanwe na horsetail, nhova leyi milaka swinwe na rooibos. Leswi swifanele kutsuvuleriwa hi voko kumbe hi muchini.
Vuxokoxoko lebyi i byo dyondzisa xikan’we no nyika vuxokoxoko naswona swinge tekiwi tani hi switsundzuxo swa vutshunguri. Vuxokoxoko lebyi abyi kongomisiwangi eka kuyimela switsundzuxo swa vutshunguri kumbe kutshunguriwa loku ku nyikeriwaka hi lavanga leteriwa eka swavutshunguri.
Translated by Ike Ngobeni