Fresh & Organic Guayusa Loose Leaf, Energy Morning Tea by Waykana, 2.2 Pounds (35.27 oz) | Smooth Flavor No Bitterness | Alternative to Yerba Mate, Coffee and Green Tea | 40 mg of Caffeine per Serving | Boost Performance & Mental Clarity

The flavor is slightly sweet, buttery and aromatic. Very smooth. This is a minimally fermented green Guayusa. As opposed to the darker, more purplish fermented/ wilted and or steamed Guayusa.They both are good but have different flavors, nutrition & health benefits, and effect profiles. I recommend storing it in a cool place inside an airtight container away from any light, preferably vacuum sealed in order to retain the highest nutritional content possible.I like to grind my Guayusa into a matcha-like powder and consume it that way. Waykana sells their own Guayusa powder which is amazing, but freshly ground whole leaf is slightly better, just enough for me to prefer it. I use a manual ceramic burr coffee grinder set to the finest setting (a matcha stone mill would work best ). I run it through an electric coffee grinder beforehand just to make it a bit easier. I actually take it everyday for cluster headaches, it’s been one of the only things that works. I highly recommend it for that purpose.Since their is very little info on Guayusa that’s scattered over many different sources, I’ve compiled as much info as I can to make it a little easier for anyone else that is as interested as I was:Guayusa is a caffeinated plant from the Holly family, which is native to the Amazon Rainforest, more specifically Ecuador, Colombia, & Peru. It can grow to be over 80ft tall when mature, if left unmanaged.It has been in use for at least 1,500 years, as evidenced by the presence of a Guayusa bundle in the tomb of a Bolivian medicine man, far from the plants natural range, dating from 500A.D. It is in the same plant family as Yerba Mate or Yaupon Holly, two similar caffeinated plants.Guayusa contains varying amounts of L-theanine, theophylline, cate-chin, epigallocatechin (EGC) and EGCG (all of which are also found in green tea), theobromine (found in dark chocolate), along with methylxanthines, such as caffeine, adenine as well as vitamins (C, B1, and B2), nicotinic acid (Niacin), carotene, phenols, tannins, reductive sugars, steroids, terpenes, flavo-noids, quinones, and all 22 amino acids.In the 18th century, Father José Berrutieta, the head priest at Santa Rosa mission in Colombia, noted multiple beneficial health qualities of Guayusa drink, including its use as a remedy for venereal diseases, cleansing the blood, improving digestion and appetite, and strengthening the body. He also observed that women drank Guayusa with honey to increase fertility. The Jesuits also transported Guayusa leaves from their missions and sold them as medicine in Quito, usually marketing them as a cure for sexually transmitted diseases.The Kichwa people also recognize a variety of useful qualities of Guayusa leaves. While Kichwa use the infusion of leaves mainly as a stimulant, they also use Guayusa as a stomach tonic, diuretic, and flu remedy, usually in some combination of ginger, lime juice, chuchuwasu, and/or sugar cane liquor. Guayusa is also believed to calm body aches, to increase fertility and libido, to cleanse the mouth, and to avoid insect and snakebites.Many Kichwa, the native people of Ecuador, will spit small amounts of the tea on their arms and legs as a “repellent”. Many also use Guayusa to rinse their mouths and wipe Guayusa water on their arms, legs and face, which some suggest helps to keep skin from aging. Some Kichwa people bathe their children in warm Guayusa water and prepare vapor baths using Guayusa.Both the Shuar and Kichwa also wash their dogs’ faces with Guayusa tea, which they believe helps dogs to dream and become good hunters & “not be lazy”. This delivers a small nasal dose to their dogs, which helps facilitate hunting of prey.Guayusa is sometimes used as an additive ingredient in ayahuasca. Or it is drunk before, during, or after consuming ayahuasca. Drinking the tea kills the bitter taste of the ayahuasca, and its used afterwards to prevent hangovers.Guayusa is rich in Methylxanthines. Methylxanthines are well-known phosphodiesterase inhibitors and are capable of stimulating the central nervous system, producing diuresis (makes you pee), and relaxing smooth muscles. They have been shown to have a vasoconstricting effect (constricts blood vessels) on the brain and a vasodilating effect (dilates your veins) on peripheral blood flow, leading to a stimulating effect on the central nervous system primarily via antagonism at the level of the adenosine receptors.Guayusa has antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, and anti-oxidant effects. The presence of L-theanine also promotes alpha-wave activity in the brain, which results in a calm & focused state when consumed.

I ordered this because my supply of guayusa ran dangerously low. I'd ordered the Runa brand the last couple times and they're no longer available for whatever reason. Anyway, I'm glad I came across this gem. It's much greener and smelled much richer. The flavor is smoother and there is no bitterness. I use it as a coffee alternative. I guess I now have a new source for the heart shaped herb. WAYKANA FOREVER!

I can't handle a lot of caffeine products, because of the crash that follows the energetic rush. But I don't experience that with guayusa. I still get a short-term boost of energy in a great tasting tea, without the side effects when I'm not drinking it.

I'm really enjoying this tea. The quality is excellent!

This tea is well packaged and very flavorful. Excellent cold or hot. Highly recommend.

As someone who drinks guayasa daily, I am very particular about quality and flavor. This one is my favorite, it’s so fresh and bright green when you open the bag. It tastes wonderful and provides sustained uplifting energy throughout the day - not to mention the many antioxidants and other nutritional benefits of guayasa. Highly recommended!

Will buy again taste is great with or without honey or sweetener. Smells amazing in the bag and when heated up into tea ,no crash after like with coffee

Plenty of tea, but a whole lot of very fine remnants that pass through super fine mesh filters, resulting in excess particulates in the brew.