I have several different kinds of tea in my cupboard right now -- green, white, black, combinations of the three mixed with different flavors, peppermint, chamomile, etc. But red tea? That's a new one for me.

Red tea comes from the Rooibos bush, grown only in South Africa. While it may not be as well known as the more popular teas, its gaining recognition for its health benefits. Unlike those other teas, the findings associated with red tea have not yet been substantiated. But it's believed that red tea is rich in many of the same antioxidants and flavanoids as other teas, and may ease certain conditions like colic, arthritis, allergies, stress, and even herpes.

Red tea also has a sweeter taste, so if you love sugar in your tea, red may help you cut back on that habit. Have you tried red tea? What did you think?

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If you're like many Americans, you wake up in the morning with a hot cup of coffee or a steaming mug of tea. Both drinks are brimming with healthy antioxidants and offer their own set of health benefits, so eDiets recently put together the Coffee vs. Tea Smackdown to see -- at least when it comes to health -- which drink would come out on top.

Their results? Well, tea seems to be in the lead at the moment, but coffee wasn't far behind. Here's a condensed version of their report:

Tea:

• relaxes blood vessels, lowers blood pressure
• may prevent: kidney stones, Alzheimer's, and cavities
• may help keep bones strong

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