Guayusa Tea

Organic guayusa tea is the dried leaves and stems of a South American rainforest holly which is a close botanical relative to yerba mate and yaupon. This tea has a full-bodied green taste that has a slight grassy character. A tall tree native to the upper Amazonian regions of Ecuador, northeastern Peru, and southwestern Colombia, guayusa has been collected only rarely by botanists and is known almost exclusively as a cultivated plant. Traditionally, the indigenous cultures of Ecuador boiled guayusa leaves in water and drank the tea for its stimulating effects. Indigenous hunters often drink guayusa to sharpen their instincts and refer to it as the “Night Watchman” since it helps them stay awake and alert all night. Shade grown guayusa leaves are nutritious and tastier compared to sun grown guayusa. This difference is obvious just by glancing at the color of the dried material. Shade grown guayusa such as ours is a bold dark green, while the sun grown leaves are much paler and are lacking in flavor. Contains caffeine. 1 oz Aroma and Flavor A slight grassy aroma with a full-bodied green flavor. Brew Instructions Fill 1 teaspoon of tea in a cloth tea bag or mesh basket and place in your favorite mug. Pour 8 ounces of boiling water over the tea and allow to steep for 3-5 minutes or until desired strength is reached.