Cordyceps & Guayusa: a combination for better memory performance

Introduction

Alongside our individual articles on Cordyceps, Hericium and Reishi, this article takes a closer look at combining Cordyceps with Guayusa tea. Both Cordyceps and Guayusa enhance performance and support memory, so their effects work synergistically and amplify one another—qualities you can put to use for a successful, productive day.

Contents

1. What is Guayusa tea?
   1. Origin and cultivation
   2. Ingredients and effects
   3. What is Cordyceps?
      1. Ingredients and effects
   4. Why does Guayusa affect you differently from coffee, mate, green tea and the rest?
      1. Natural energy drink
      2. The Night Watchman
   5. Combining Cordyceps and Guayusa
   6. Recipe ideas
      1. Recipe idea: Guayusa tea with Cordyceps
      2. Recipe idea: Guayusa espresso with Cordyceps
      3. Recipe idea: Iced Guayusa with Cordyceps
   7. Conclusion: supporting memory with Cordyceps and Guayusa

   1. What is Guayusa tea?

   Guayusa, also known as Ilex guayusa or Waysa, is a plant in the holly family, native to the depths of the Amazon rainforest. Its leaves are steeped in hot water and drunk as a tea.

   Originally used by Indigenous people in Ecuador as a natural energy drink, Guayusa tea has become increasingly popular in Europe since 2017 because of its unique effects.

   1.1 Origin and cultivation

   More than 99% of Guayusa tea comes from Ecuador. Guayusa plants are found only occasionally in the border regions of Colombia and Peru. This is because Guayusa is a cultivated plant of the Kichwa Indigenous people, who live in Ecuador and have cultivated Guayusa for thousands of years. 

   Guayusa is grown in what are known as permaculture systems—forest gardens that imitate the Amazon rainforest. Unlike monocultures, permaculture systems combine dozens or even hundreds of useful plants to create a self-sustaining ecosystem.

   The plants in these permaculture systems need neither fertiliser nor pesticides, and provide a home for animals, insects and bacteria. That is why a 1 x 1 metre patch of Amazon rainforest is home to more insect species than all of North America.

   For our Guayusa at GUYA, we work exclusively with farmers who grow Guayusa in permaculture systems. We also know them personally, as we regularly visit them in Ecuador and document our visits for transparency on YouTube.

    

   1.2 Ingredients and effects

   Guayusa is a fascinating plant because it brings together the positive qualities of coffee, cacao and green tea. Its balanced mix of active compounds creates a state of wakefulness described as ‘relaxed alertness’. 

   Guayusa keeps you awake like coffee, without the racing heart, jitters, stomach problems or possibly scattered thoughts. It lifts your mood and boosts oxygen uptake, as cacao does. Guayusa also reduces stress by increasing alpha waves in the brain.

   The compounds responsible for this distinctive effect are caffeine, theobromine, theophylline, L-theanine and antioxidants.

   • Caffeine in Guayusa works differently because it is bound to many amino acids, including L-theanine. Chemically, it is identical to the caffeine in coffee, green tea, mate and guarana, but its effects differ because of the combination of active compounds.
   • L-theanine is a rare amino acid that, so far, has only been found in green tea and Guayusa. The combination with caffeine improves memory performance while reducing stress. It acts as a kind of antagonist without stopping caffeine from keeping the body and mind alert.
   • Theobromine is found in cacao. It lifts the mood and promotes circulation and oxygen uptake in the lungs. It also has a performance-enhancing effect on the cardiovascular system and is structurally related to caffeine, though its effects last much longer.
   • Theophylline is a well-known active compound used for respiratory conditions. It relaxes the muscles, blocks the release of histamines, widens the airways in the lungs and improves oxygen uptake. Studies also found a 14% increase in performance among athletes who took theophylline.
   • Antioxidants are compounds that can bind free radicals and thereby protect our cells from damage. Many antioxidants also have other properties. Guayusa, for example, contains the antioxidant lutein, which enables the retina to absorb more blue light. This, in turn, helps you stay awake and focused.

    

   2. What is Cordyceps?

   We’ll keep our description of Cordyceps brief in this article. You’ll find all the key information in our in-depth article about Cordyceps.

   Cordyceps is a so-called parasitic fungus that, in nature, infects insects and uses them as an energy source to grow. For food products, however, it is cultivated on substrates such as soil or rye. It has been used in Chinese medicine for thousands of years and has become increasingly popular here in recent years. This is due to its remarkable effects on the immune system and physical and mental performance.

   2.1 Ingredients and effects

   As with Guayusa, Cordyceps owes its effects to its distinctive active compounds and ingredients. The most important active compounds in this functional mushroom are:

   1. Sterols are a broad group of compounds that protect the cardiovascular system by lowering cholesterol.
   2. Beta-glucans also support heart health and help strengthen the immune system and ease the negative effects of stress.
   3. Polysaccharides support the immune system, have anti-inflammatory effects and help regulate blood sugar levels.
   4. Cordycepin is an active compound so far found only in Cordyceps. It also has anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties.

   Cordyceps is particularly helpful for improving the body’s physical performance by supporting the cardiovascular and immune systems. Studies also suggest that its blood-sugar-regulating effects may help with diabetes, and that it may reduce stress and anxiety through its effects on the mind.

   

    

   
   

   3. Why does Guayusa affect you differently from coffee, mate, green tea and the rest?

   Caffeine on its own is not necessarily beneficial. Many companies now use caffeine powder in their supplements or sell caffeine as a completely separate product. The problem is that caffeine can quickly have an intense effect on the cardiovascular system and mind, which ultimately has a negative effect on memory. This can lead to a racing heart, jitters, scattered thoughts, sweating and anxiety.

   You’ll find more information about this in our comparison of caffeine powder and natural caffeine.

   These effects are not uncommon even with natural caffeine sources such as coffee, yerba mate, guarana and green tea. The reason is an imbalance between caffeine and other active compounds, or the fact that the caffeine is unbound. In coffee, mate, guarana and green tea, most caffeine is bound to bitter compounds rather than to other active compounds.

   Guayusa, by contrast, contains almost no bitter compounds, allowing caffeine to work alongside theobromine, theophylline, L-theanine and antioxidants. So although Guayusa tea is the most caffeinated drink in the world, it has none of the familiar side effects of caffeine and doesn’t taste bitter. Instead, it combines caffeine’s positive qualities, such as alertness, focus and improved memory.

   You can find out more in our article ‘Side effects of different teas’.

   3.1. Natural energy drink

   For many people, ‘energy drink’ has strongly negative connotations, as it brings to mind synthetic drinks that give the body a short-term ‘boost’ but cause harm over time. 

   Guayusa, however, offers a natural and sustainable way to make an energy drink for body and mind that also protects the environment. Like Cordyceps and other functional mushrooms, Guayusa has no side effects when consumed normally.

   Guayusa has a long-lasting, pleasant effect. Drinking Guayusa tea in the morning can help you get through an 8-hour working day with ease. We recommend 500 ml to 900 ml on an empty stomach, as Guayusa is also alkaline and gentle on the stomach.

   3.2. The Night Watchman

   The Indigenous Kichwa also call Guayusa ‘The Night Watchman’. Not because it is meant for party nights, but because the active compound L-theanine can encourage the brain to produce more alpha waves. 

   Studies show that alpha waves are most common in deeply relaxed states, such as during meditation or dreaming. The Kichwa therefore drink Guayusa not only before a hunt to feel motivated, resilient and focused, but also shortly before going to sleep. 

   They say: ‘Guayusa lets you speak to your ancestors in your dreams and ask them for wisdom.’

   This phenomenon is known as ‘lucid dreaming’, and Guayusa may help intensify lucid dreams as a so-called dream herb, provided you know the techniques for entering your dreams.

    

   4. Combining Cordyceps and Guayusa

   Combining Cordyceps and Guayusa makes for an interesting self-experiment. There are plenty of reports about how functional mushrooms work with coffee, but none yet about combining them with Guayusa.

   Considering the individual effects of both superfoods, it’s already clear that they have a fantastic effect. Together, they make a powerful blend for health and memory, helping to reduce stress, support peak athletic performance and help you stay focused and concentrate at work for longer.

   Both superfoods contain compounds that are extremely rare and barely, if at all, found in other plants or fungi. Combining Cordyceps with Guayusa instead of other caffeinated drinks such as coffee or guarana therefore gives you a huge advantage.

   This combination is still relatively uncommon even in biohacking, but is currently becoming more popular among people with ADHD, as the combination works excellently as a natural nootropic for maintaining concentration over a long period.

    

   5. Recipe ideas

   So what’s the best way to prepare this magic blend?

   The great thing is that Smaints offers a simple way to combine Cordyceps and other functional mushrooms, such as Reishi and Hericium, with Guayusa.

   Start with a delicious Guayusa tea, then add, for example, one of the functional mushroom liquids.

   

   5.1. Recipe idea: Guayusa tea with Cordyceps

   The easiest option is to make a standard Guayusa tea. Brew a cup or teapot of our PURE or DARK Guayusa tea, then add 1 tsp of Cordyceps liquid at the end.

   1. Use 2 tsp of Guayusa tea for 400 ml of boiling water.
   2. The tea can remain in the infuser; after about 10 minutes, its active compounds will have passed into the water.
      1. Guayusa does not turn bitter, but its flavour becomes more intense the longer it steeps.
   3. Now add 1 tsp of Cordyceps liquid, stir and enjoy your natural energiser for body and mind.

   5.2. Recipe idea: Guayusa espresso with Cordyceps

   If you enjoy strong flavours, try a Guayusa espresso. You can prepare our PURE and DARK varieties in a moka pot. Our powder works very well for this, too.

   1. Fill your moka pot with Guayusa tea and water.
   2. Bring the water to the boil until it rises through the spout into the upper chamber of the moka pot.
   3. Pour your Guayusa espresso into a cup and add 1 tsp of Cordyceps liquid.

   If you use our Guayusa powder, fill the moka pot only halfway, as the powder expands significantly.

   5.3. Recipe idea: Iced Guayusa with Cordyceps

   An iced tea is perfect on hot summer days. Because Guayusa has no bitter compounds, you can use little or no sugar, honey or similar sweeteners.

   Option 1

   1. Brew a standard Guayusa tea and chill it for a few hours.
   2. Add ice cubes.
   3. Mix your Guayusa tea with lemon, apple or peach juice, or another delicious juice.
   4. Now add Cordyceps or another functional mushroom liquid, according to the amount you’ve prepared.

   Option 2

   1. As with a standard Guayusa tea, use about 2 tsp or 9 g of tea per litre of Guayusa tea.
   2. Pour cold tap water over the leaves in your tea infuser.
   3. Put the tea in the fridge for about 6 to 8 hours. With cold brew, the active compounds and flavour compounds take much longer to infuse into the water.
   4. Enhance your iced tea with lemon, apple or peach juice, or another delicious juice.
   5. Now add Cordyceps or another functional mushroom liquid, according to the amount you’ve prepared.

   You’ll find more recipe ideas in our article ‘Top 10 ways to prepare Guayusa’ and in our free e-books ‘Exclusive Guayusa recipes’ and ‘13 Guayusa recipes’.

    

   6. Conclusion: supporting memory with Cordyceps and Guayusa

   Many customers come to us at GUYA because they cannot tolerate other caffeinated drinks such as coffee or mate. They finally find a pick-me-up with no side effects or bitter taste.

   Functional mushrooms such as Cordyceps are a fantastic addition that can take the effects of Guayusa to an even higher level. Cordyceps has notable health and performance-enhancing properties, while Guayusa helps you stay awake, energised and focused. The combination of these two natural nootropics may lead to an even better quality of life, without having to worry about possible side effects.

   If you’d like to try functional mushrooms, we recommend products from Smaints. You can easily combine them with a delicious Guayusa tea to start your day awake and focused and feeling energised.