If you've ever spent time in South Africa, the latest sensation in herbal tea will come as no surprise. Red tea is finally showing up in American grocery stores, and it's gaining notice as much for its full-bodied taste as for its many healthful properties.

Rooibos (pronounced roy-boss) is Afrikaans for red bush and has long been a favorite drink in South Africa, where the plant grows in the Cederberg Mountain Range of the country's Western Cape region.

South Africans have brewed tea from rooibos leaves for centuries, discovering in this beverage a good way to calm rocky stomachs in adults or comfort colicky babies, soothe irritated skin or even ease the way into sleep. It contains no caffeine and is low in the tannins found in black tea that contribute to a bitter taste and can interfere with the body's absorption of iron.

But what has really grabbed the attention of researchers is its abundance of antioxidants, which are believed to reduce the effects of aging, aid in fighting allergies and help the body defend itself against a number of chronic diseases. At least one study has reported that the antioxidant properties of red tea far surpass those of green tea.

Whether you trust folklore or scientific studies, there seems to be a general consensus that red tea can be good for what ails you. Even better, you might enjoy it.

Like black tea, rooibos undergoes fermentation so that, unlike most herbal teas, it's strong enough to stand up to milk and sugar. With those additions, it's a lot like drinking an earthy-tasting cup of the black teas we're accustomed to. Because it's low in tannins, you find you may need only a twist of lemon rather than any sweetener.

If you want to enjoy rooibos the way South Africans do, you might also want to find some rusks, a biscuit shaped much like biscotti.

One of several companies marketing rooibos in this country is Kalahari Limited, founded by a South African who missed rooibos and rusks when he moved to the United States. Kalahari now has nine flavors of rooibos on the market, including plain rooibos, lemon, chamomile and honey. The company is also marketing three varieties of rusks: plain, honey raisin and apple cinnamon.

You'll find rooibos from other companies as well, often labeled "red tea." The Republic of Tea offers several flavors, and at least two companies sell the tea online: www.rooibosusa.com and www.redbush tea.com.