From Napoleonic France to modern day Africa
Too much caffeine is definitely
not a good thing and consumption of
high caffeine beverages is big part
of contemporary culture. Healthy
alternatives abound and there is no
shortage of options today for people
looking for a caffeine free alternative
that can be enjoyed instead of that
second cup of tea or coffee, or even
that first cup. This is where Bonvit has
stepped up with some creative options
for the discerning palate and some
time honoured favourites from other
countries.
Bonvit Roasted Dandelion blend
combines European dandelion and
chicory to make a cuppa with a dark,
rich flavour that comes very close
coffee. Time for a history lesson; in 1808
during the Napoleonic war Continental
Blockade was decreed and coffee was
in desperately short supply. The French
began blending roasted chicory root
with the little coffee that they had to
stretch dwindling supplies and even
began using roasted chicory as an
alternative. After the blockade was lifted
the French continued to use chicory as
a matter of preference. Chicory is part
of the dandelion family Asteraceae and
is traditionally known as blue dandelion
because of its distinctive blue flowers.
Bonvit Roasted Blue Dandelion is 100%
roasted French chicory imported from
Northern France.
Taking a more exotic approach to
their blends Bonvit combines dandelion,
chicory and fragrant chai, or masala
30 Complete Health
chai for another take on this delicious
caffeine free beverage. Chai is a fragrant
spiced milk tea sold all over India, it can
be taken black but it’s considered best
served with some sweetness to bring
out the full flavour of the spice blend
and milk or a dairy free alternative for a
more traditional, satisfying experience.
Bonvit also combines their Dandelion
Chai blend with organic turmeric and
black pepper for a spicy change.
The latest addition to the Bonvit
stable of delicious beverages is Rooibos
African Tea, 100% organic and of course
caffeine free. 1700 – 1800 migrants
and settlers in the Cederberg area
discovered that the fine, needle-like
leaves of the Aspalathus linearis plant
make a tasty, aromatic tea. The leaves
and fine stems were chopped with axes
and bruised with mallets before being
left in heaps to ferment. Once fermented,
the Rooibos was spread out to dry in
the hot African sun, ready for use as a
thirst-quenching drink with a distinctive
red colour that inspired the name
rooibos in Afrikaans meaning red bush.
Today, Rooibos is still processed in much
the same way. Rooibos only grows in the
mountainous Cederberg region 250km
to the north of Cape Town in South
Africa. There the clean air and pure
mountain streams nourish the mountain
slopes where Rooibos is grown.
Bonvit Organic Rooibos African tea
is graded Superior Short Cut and there is
no finer Rooibos tea in the world.
The crew at Bonvit are committed
to excellence, very selective and only
source the finest ingredients from
trusted sources. Whichever delicious
Bonvit beverage you choose, you can be
confident that the quality is as high as
your expectations can go.