Can Rooibos help prevent skin cancer?

The beneficial effects of Rooibos are largely attributed to a complex mix of antioxidant compounds found in the needle-like leaves of this plant that grows only in the Cederberg area in South Africa. 

Currently, 59 of these compounds have been identified of which aspalathin is one of the most abundant and also unique to the plant.

How it works

In trials, Rooibos helps prevent and reverse sun damage by blocking inflammation in the skin and removing precancerous cells. Professor Wentzel Gelderblom, Research Chair at the Institute of Biomedical and Microbial Biotechnology at the Cape Peninsula University of Technology, believes the findings may be an important step in the fight against this widespread disease.

This opens the way for the use of Rooibos extract after sun exposure to reduce the potential for skin cancer and also for skin-care products that can be clinically proven to help prevent the onset of the disease, he says.

South Africa’s leading skin-care brand with Rooibos extract is now available in the UK. Shop online at www.africanextracts.co.uk

More benefits

There is also a growing scientific consensus on the potential of Rooibos to curb heart disease, which kills more than eight million people worldwide every year.

Soon cardiologists could be prescribing Rooibos extract, says Professor Amanda Swart from the Biochemistry Department at Stellenbosch University. This follows an in-depth examination of peer-reviewed studies spanning the last two decades on the therapeutic potential of Rooibos in the context of cardiovascular disease (CVD).

“Globally, there is a major shift toward the use of preventative and complementary supplements to promote well-being and help curb the progression of disease. Given the overwhelming body of evidence that exists, Rooibos’ potential in both alleviating CVD in sufferers and lowering the risk of developing heart disease is irrefutable,” she says.

Heart disease goes hand-in-hand with chronic inflammation and it’s the ability of Rooibos to counter inflammation that makes it so potent. Based on studies, it can protect the heart by lowering inflammatory responses, reducing ‘bad’ cholesterol, suppressing the enzyme that increases blood pressure, and reducing cortisol production counteracting chronic stress and anxiety, which heighten the risk of heart disease.

While scientists continue with these positive findings, it may be wise to choose skin-care products like African Extracts Rooibos, which contain high levels of Rooibos antioxidants and drink several cups of Rooibos tea daily.