The Origins Of Guayusa
Guayusa (Ilex guayusa) is in the same family of plants as Yerba Mate and it has been consumed by humans for at least 1,500 years according to archeological evidence. (1) Despite its use reaching very far back into history, it has only relatively recently started to gain a loyal following of drinkers outside of its native homes of Ecuador, Peru and Colombia. Although it might be related to Mate and does resemble it in some ways, it really is its own unique beverage with a very different flavor profile.
It's mostly available in a tea format, but you can also find it as a concentrated extract. In the three aforementioned countries where it is grown, they make artisan alcoholic drinks using guayusa leaves but you are unlikely to find those if you are reading this from somewhere else in the world.
The Unique Nutritional Profile Of Yerba Mate
Guayusa leaves contain caffeine, theobromine, paraxanthine, theophylline, L-theanine, guanidine, isobutyric acid, nicotinic acid, ascorbic acid, riboflavin, choline, pyridoxine, and triterpenes. (1)
In addition, it has been reported that catechin, epicatechin, epicatechin gallate, epigallocatechin, and epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG) have also been found in guayusa leaves, as well as hydroxycinnamic acid, and chlorogenic acid. The last on that list being the main phenolic compound found in both young and old leaves of Guayusa. (2)
Can Guayusa Help You Burn Fat?
Guayusa combines the two heavy hitters of caffeine and theobromine to deliver a devastating blow to the stored fat in your body. The other compounds in Guayusa act synergistically to support its energy boosting and fat burning effects.
What Should You Consider When Buying Guayusa?
Due to the notably low levels of tannins in Guayusa, it has a very approachable flavor with almost non-existent astringency. Some people would even describe it as having a mild, natural sweetness.
In terms of caffeine, this will vary from batch to batch, but generally speaking, Guayusa contains slightly more caffeine per equal serving than Yerba Mate. However, due to the fact that it also contains L-Theanine, you are less likely to experience the jittery feeling that comes with a double espresso shot. Yerba Mate does not cause this jittery effect either, but for entirely different reasons as is discussed on the Yerba Mate page.
Some Of Our Favorite Guayusa Picks
Ready to try Guayusa for yourself? Wonderful. We suggest starting with our favorites from the selections below. Waykana sells a great Guayusa. The leaves they use are always top quality and they offer both a loose-leaf option and a tea bag option. The concentrate is useful if you don't care about enjoying your tea and simply want the pre-workout and fat-burning benefits of it. Simply add it to some water and down it before your workout.
The Guayusa (Gwai-Yoo-Suh) Worth Writing Home About
The first is an excellent loose leaf choice. The second comes in a convenient tea bag format. The third is a concentrated extract for power.
Loose Leaf Guayusa To Fuel Your Workout
Organic Guayusa Loose Leaf Energy Tea by Waykana, 1 Pound (16oz)
Caffeine
Theobromine
L-Theanine
Clean Energy
Guayusa Tea Bags For Pre-Workout
Organic Green Guayusa Tea Bags by Waykana, 16 Tea Bags
Caffeine
Theobromine
L-Theanine
In Convenient Tea Bag Form
Guayusa Concentrate To Burn Fat
Guayusa Leaf Extract by Herbal Goodness, 12 oz Bottle
All The Power Without The Prep
Concentrated Source Of Caffeine
Antioxidants
Strong Natural Pre-Workout
The Guayusa (Gwai-Yoo-Suh)
Worth Writing Home About
The 1st - an excellent loose leaf choice
The 2nd - a convenient tea bag format
The 3rd - a concentrated extract for power
Loose Leaf Guayusa To Fuel Your Workout
Organic Guayusa Loose Leaf Tea by Waykana, 1lb (16oz)
Caffeine
Theobromine
L-Theanine
Clean Energy
Guayusa Tea Bags For Pre-Workout
Organic Green Guayusa Tea Bags by Waykana, 16 Tea Bags
Caffeine
Theobromine
L-Theanine
In Convenient Tea Bag Form
Guayusa Concentrate To Burn Fat
Guayusa Leaf Extract by Herbal Goodness, 12 oz Bottle
All The Power Without The Prep
Caffeine
Antioxidants
Natural Pre-Workout
If you've already tried Yerba Mate and decided that the flavor isn't your cup of tea (intentional pun), then Guayusa is definitely deserving of your attention.
On the other hand, if you do already like Yerba Mate then it's highly likely that you'll appreciate Guayusa as well. Besides it's energizing and fat burning properties, Guayusa is also loaded with antioxidants. In addition, the caffeine your body gets from Guayusa absorbs at a slower rate into your bloodstream compared to roasted coffee. This means that the caffeine from Guayusa may taper over a period of 4-5 hours in contrast to coffee lasting only 2-3 hours. The main reason is due to the abundance of polyphenols in Guayusa, which slow down the digestion of the caffeine, while roasted coffee has very few polyphenols because they are damaged during the roasting process. As a side note, this does not apply to green coffee. This is because green coffee beans retain their polyphenols.
So if you want a strong energy boost without jitters or a post-caffeine crash, then give Guayusa a shot.
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