Tea has long been a part of our social rituals, yet we rarely stop to consider the healing power of one of the world’s oldest – and most popular – beverages.

Drinking tea has many health benefits, so much so that tea has even been called the "magic elixir." To get all these benefits, though, you have to know what tea to shop for, how much to drink and how to brew the ideal cuppa.

Made from the red bush trees that grow in the Cederberg, the medicinal value of rooibos is seemingly endless.

Oolong, or semi-green teas, result when the fermentation process is stopped just as the leaves start to turn brown.

Earl grey tea is a popular black tea that is scented with bergamot - traditionally known as a useful and healing fruit.

Research has proven rooibos to help prevent cancer, protect the liver against disease, boost the immune system, relieve allergies and treat digestive disorders.

An increasingly popular beverage, rooibos tea originates from the leaves and stems of the indigenous South African plant Aspalathus linearis.

The pharmaceutical and cosmetic industries have long sought to restore and reverse the effects of ageing. Now scientists are investigating whether rooibos may hold some answers.