Newsweek
Posted Wednesday, February 21, 2007

Choosing between black, white and green teas can be confusing - but now you'll be seeing red. Tea, that is.

The South African export is gaining global popularity thanks to new launches from Snapple and Honest Tea (which debuts its blend in America this spring).

While green tea prided itself on its antioxidant qualities, red tea's biggest selling point is its sweeter taste. The "green" party counters that red tea isn't tea - it's brewed from fermented rooibos, an herb unrelated to traditional tea plants.

The Chinese sometimes refer to black tea as red, and when unfermented rooibos is brewed, it's called green tea.

But red tea is caffeine-free. So maybe your other tea should pack its bags.