Guayusa (gwhy-you-sa) is an Amazonian super-leaf naturally packed with caffeine and polyphenols, so it provides a clean, focused energy. There are low tannins in guayusa, so it lacks the astringent, bitter taste sometimes associated with green and black teas. Instead, it tastes smooth and naturally sweet.
Ilex guayusa is an evergreen dioecioustree which grows 6–30 meters tall. The leaves are ovate, elliptic, oblong or lanceolate; 7–22 cm long, 2.5–7 cm wide. The flowers are small and white, arranged in thyrses. The fruit is spherical and red, 6–7 mm in diameter.
Approximately 98 percent of all guayusa world-wide grows in Ecuador. It is native to a thin stretch of the upper Amazon [that] hugs the Andes Mountains. It’s a leaf brewed like tea, but it’s not actually related to green or black tea. When brewed, it has about as much caffeine as coffee. It is also contains polyphenols, which are the most common compounds that comprise what we informally call antioxidants.
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