Marvelling at rooibos fame

United States media and entertainment giant Marvel Comics isn’t an easy medium to break into, but that favourite South African brew, Rooibos, received a mention in the most recent edition of She-Hulk when psychiatrist Flo Mayer offered Jennifer Walters (also known as She-Hulk) a cup of – wait for it - rooibos tea to calm her down.

SA Rooibos Council (Sarc) spokeswoman Adele du Toit said it was a testament to how increasingly popular rooibos had become worldwide.

“Global consumption of rooibos is at around 15000 tons per annum and the demand for the product continues to grow. It’s fast becoming a popular choice among a variety of herbal teas around the world.

The fact that the author has Mayer offering Walters a cup of rooibos to calm her nerves, after the confrontation with a villain, called The Leader and his pawn, Professor Robyn Meiser Malt, is right on the money.

Research done by several academic institutions, including Stellenbosch University, proves rooibos tea’s ability to alleviate stress and anxiety levels.

“Who knows what the future holds for rooibos? Soon it might even be featured in a scene of one of the upcoming action-packed Marvel movies. Perhaps it’s just the antidote that Bruce Banner needs to tame the raging Hulk inside,” Du Toit chuckled.

The rooibos mention can be found in She-Hulk #162: Jen Walters Must Die, Part 4, Marvel Legacy.

Created by writer Stan Lee and artist John Buscema, She-Hulk first appeared in the Savage She-Hulk #1 in 1980. A cousin to Bruce Banner, Walters once received an emergency blood transfusion from him when she was wounded, which led to her acquiring a milder version of his Hulk condition.