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Heritage Month: Up to 30% off Pure Rooibos 
Rich, aromatic Carmién tea leaves handcrafted for authentic South African herbal tea experience, providing health benefits and unique flavours.

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Rich, aromatic Carmién tea leaves handcrafted for authentic South African herbal tea experience, providing health benefits and unique flavours.

Does Steeping Time Matter When Brewing Rooibos?

Ever left your rooibos steeping longer than planned? We look at what happens in your cup, what the research says, and why a few extra minutes can make a difference.
Ever left your rooibos steeping longer than planned? We look at what happens in your cup, what the research says, and why a few extra minutes can make a difference.

We’ve all done it. Made a cup of rooibos, walked away, got distracted and found the teabag still sitting there 15 minutes later. But have you left it too long, or could that extra steeping time actually be a good thing?

When it comes to rooibos, steeping time does matter. Just not in a way that requires you to watch the clock too closely.

What Happens While Rooibos Steeps?

As rooibos sits in hot water, compounds from the leaves are gradually extracted into your cup. Research comparing different teas, including red and green rooibos, found that total polyphenol content increased as steeping time increased from one to 10 minutes. For red rooibos, more than three-quarters of the polyphenol content measured after 10 minutes had already been extracted within the first five.

So, a five-minute steep is certainly doing its job. Giving your rooibos a little more time simply allows further extraction to take place.

When it comes to flavour, rooibos is naturally smooth and slightly sweet, with gentle woody and honey notes. While the strength of your infusion can change as it steeps, research doesn’t give us enough evidence to say that particular flavour notes develop at specific times.

Why Give It 10 Minutes?

If you have a little more time, there’s good reason to let your rooibos steep for longer.

A South African study compared traditional fermented rooibos steeped for one, five, 10, 20 and 30 minutes. Researchers identified 10 minutes or longer as the optimal steeping time based on total polyphenol content and antioxidant capacity. Importantly, there was no significant difference between the 10-, 20-, and 30-minute samples for the measures used to determine the optimal cup.

In other words, there’s no need to rush to rescue that forgotten teabag.

So, How Long Should You Steep Your Rooibos?

For a good cup of rooibos, use freshly boiled water and give it time to steep. Around 10 minutes is a useful guide if you want to maximise polyphenol extraction, while a shorter steep will still give you a good cup.

And, of course, taste matters too. If you prefer your rooibos lighter, steep it for less time. Like a stronger cup? Give it a little longer.

So the next time you make rooibos and forget about it while answering an email, packing a lunchbox or getting on with your day, don’t worry. Your teabag can wait a few extra minutes. No rescue mission required.

References:

  • Piek, H., Venter, I., Rautenbach, F. and Marnewick, J.L. (2019). Rooibos herbal tea: An optimal cup and its consumers. Health SA Gesondheid, 24. doi:10.4102/hsag.v24i0.1090.
  • McAlpine, M. and Ward, W. (2016). Influence of steep time on polyphenol content and antioxidant capacity of black, green, rooibos, and herbal teas. Beverages, [online] 2(3), p.17. doi:10.3390/beverages2030017.
  • South African Rooibos Council. (2025). An Experts Chemist’s Guide to Brewing the Perfect Cup of Tea. [online] Available at: https://sarooibos.co.za/an-experts-chemists-guide-to-brewing-the-perfect-cup-of-tea/. Accessed 15 September 2026.