Guayusa v/s Yerba Mate?
Guayusa v/s Yerba Mate? What is guayusa (pronounced gwy-yoo-suh), also known as “Night Watchman’s Tea”? It’s a member of the holly family, and it’s Equador’s version of yerba mat’e, providing a similar caffeine jolt that you would find in Yerba, but without the pronounced bitterness found in yerba. Guayusa has a very mild flavor, similar to that of an everyday oolong tea. While the added caffeine boost is nice, on par with a cup of coffee, it also delivers twice the antioxidant levels that you would find in everyday green tea.
What is yerba mate? It’s also a member of the holly family but from a different species of plant. It can be found in Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay, and Uruguay. Where guayusa is grown via cuttings, yerba is cultivated from seeds. Both plant’s leaves are air or oven-dried. But you will find that some yerba has been roasted, imparting a smoky flavor. Traditionally, both of these plants are prepared in a type of communal pot, and passed around.
Both plants contain caffeine, theobromine, and polyphenols. While only the yerba contains theophylline and vice versa, only the guayusa contains l-theanine. On the caffeine level, guayusa also contains 5 more milligrams of caffeine than yerba. 163 milligrams being what you would find in a cup of coffee.
Both plants have been found to stimulate without causing the crashing and jitters found in an everyday cup of joe.
So, are you in the mood for a bold, bitter, yet smooth punch, or a more light, subtle and mellow flavor? It always depends on the mood. Let’s face it, green tea can get old once in a while, so now you have a little back up whenever your taste buds are on green tea overload.