Guayusa tea: effects and what you should know
Introduction
Looking for an energy boost that leaves you clear-headed rather than jittery? Then it’s time to discover the Guayusa plant and the effects of Guayusa tea.
Guayusa is a caffeinated leaf from the Amazon that Indigenous peoples have used for centuries—not just to wake up, but to focus, keep going and centre their thoughts. In this article, you’ll learn:
- How Guayusa affects the body
- Which compounds influence its effects
- Why Guayusa differs from coffee and yerba mate
- How to make the most of its effects
Let’s get started—with genuine clarity instead of an artificial caffeine rush.
You can read our in-depth article focused on our Guayusa LIMITLESS powder here: Guayusa extract: the caffeine paradox solved!
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Contents
- The Guayusa plant
- Guayusa’s compounds
-
How Guayusa tea affects you
- Guayusa tea side effects
- Conclusion: how Guayusa tea affects you
1. What is the Guayusa plant
The Guayusa plant is a holly native to South America, with more than 90% of it growing in Ecuador. It belongs to the Ilex family and is therefore distantly related to yerba mate—you can find a comparison here. Indigenous people in Ecuador use Guayusa as a natural stimulant and pick-me-up. This is due to its unique combination of compounds, which differs greatly from that of other caffeinated drinks.
Guayusa is not related to plants such as guarana, green tea or guava, although many people assume it is because of the name. It is a distinct plant species with a different flavour and distinctive effects. Find out more about the Guayusa plant in our in-depth article, “What is Guayusa?”.
2. What compounds does Guayusa contain?
Guayusa is the world’s most caffeinated drink. Its leaves contain up to 7.6% caffeine. At the same time, the Guayusa plant has twice as many antioxidants as green tea and matcha. Guayusa tea also contains very few bitter compounds, making it appealing even to newcomers and offering plenty of ways to prepare it.
Guayusa also contains:
- Theobromine
- Theophylline from the cacao bean
- and L-theanine, an amino acid known for supporting focus, from the medicinal mushroom Boletus badius.
All this makes Guayusa a wonderful caffeinated drink with surprisingly pleasant effects!
Our free e-book, “Stimulant comparison”, provides an in-depth comparison of the world’s best-known caffeinated plants.
You’ll also find a summary of the effects of individual compounds in Guayusa tea here.
3. How Guayusa tea affects you
Guayusa is a caffeinated drink and yet its effects set it apart from familiar stimulants such as guarana, yerba mate, black tea, coffee and green tea.
The distinctive effects of Guayusa come from the combination of its compounds, which occur together in this way only in the Guayusa plant.
The effects of Guayusa tea are best described through the words of Ecuador’s Indigenous peoples. They say Guayusa keeps them awake for several hours, helping them keep their senses and their minds focused and, at the same time, enjoy a calming, stress-reducing effect.
More alert, more focused, more relaxed: the effects of Guayusa
These three qualities best describe the effects of Guayusa tea overall! That is why an infusion of Guayusa leaves is especially interesting for anyone who needs to stay focused for long periods, motivated and as stress-free as possible while working, or generally deliver strong performance, for example in sport and study!
3.1. Better performance and greater alertness
The compounds caffeine, theobromine and theophylline in particular support improved performance, and their combined effects can last for several hours. Guayusa tea may, for example, have the following performance-related effects:
- Stimulating the heart
- Stimulating the airways
- Improved oxygen uptake
- Improved uptake of blue light
- Reduced levels of melatonin
- Supports memory performance
- Improves recall
3.2. Guayusa tea and metabolism
According to two studies, caffeine in Guayusa boosts metabolism by between 3% and 11%. This increase can have a huge positive effect on your calorie expenditure and help you achieve much better performance, particularly in sport.
A faster metabolism can also help you absorb and use energy from food more quickly. This effect of Guayusa tea on metabolism therefore contributes positively to its energising effect.
3.3. Guayusa tea for weight loss
The effect Guayusa tea has on metabolism can naturally also play a part in weight loss.
Studies have shown that caffeine can increase fat burning by up to 13%. That is an absolute peak figure, however, and should not be relied on by itself for weight loss.
If you’re interested in the effects of Guayusa tea on weight loss, it’s worth pointing out that there is no miracle pill—not yet. No guarana, green tea, matcha, extracts or pills will make you lose weight by some miraculous means. That takes the three factors mentioned above. Diet is one of them, and Guayusa tea can certainly support your weight-loss efforts!
3.4. A tea that is gentle on the stomach: effects of the Guayusa plant
Guayusa is one of the gentlest teas on the stomach, and it has an alkaline effect and contains no acids.
Coffee, by contrast, contains a lot of caffeic acid. Over time, this extra acidity in coffee can cause many people stomach problems.
Guayusa by contrast can even be drunk on an empty stomach first thing in the morning without difficulty and can also soothe irritated digestion.
3.5. Sleeping despite the caffeine
Here, too, Guayusa tea differs from other caffeinated drinks!
Because Guayusa contains so much caffeine—up to 7.6%—it seems logical to think it would have a very negative effect on sleep. In fact, the opposite is true! Guayusa allows the body, despite its high caffeine content, to settle down when it needs to!
This interesting and helpful effect is attributed to the natural combination of the active compounds L-theanine and caffeine. L-theanine balances the aggressive effect of caffeine on the cardiovascular system and therefore allows it to act predominantly on the central nervous system.
Even Ecuador’s Indigenous people use Guayusa shortly before sleep to stimulate dreams. You can read an interesting article about the traditional use of Guayusa by Indigenous people here.
3.6. Drinking a healthy tea
Guayusa tea has around twice as many antioxidants as green tea and is therefore among the healthiest foods in the world. Antioxidants capture free radicals and thereby protect our bodies from oxidative damage.
Read about all the health properties and benefits of Guayusa tea in our article, “Health benefits of Guayusa tea”.
4. Guayusa tea side effects
In our in-depth article, “The tea without side effects”, we have already covered and answered the most frequently asked questions.
Guayusa tea contains a lot of caffeine, which can have a positive synergistic effect alongside many of the active compounds mentioned above. The side effects of caffeine are therefore felt only with excessive consumption of 2 to 3 litres a day.
Side effects you may know from coffee or energy drinks do not occur with Guayusa.
- no racing heart
- no jitters
- no stomach problems
- no excess acidity
- no habituation effect
- no poor sleep
- no yellow teeth
8. Frequently asked questions about the effects of Guayusa
❓How does Guayusa affect the body?
Guayusa is stimulating like coffee, but also contains L-theanine, theobromine and theophylline. These compounds help promote clear focus without jitters, a racing heart, feeling unwell or a crash.
❓Is Guayusa better than coffee?
Many people find Guayusa gentler and longer-lasting. Its effects last longer without nervous side effects. It is ideal for focused work, study, sport and biohacking.
❓Can Guayusa help with weight loss?
Guayusa may stimulate metabolism and, through its long-lasting energy, reduce cravings. Combined with exercise, it can be a helpful companion.
❓How much caffeine does Guayusa contain?
Guayusa contains around 40–90 mg of caffeine per cup—similar to coffee, but its combination with L-theanine and other compounds means it is distributed more evenly in the body. The highest caffeine level ever measured was 7.6% in dried leaves. This makes Guayusa the world’s most caffeinated drink. On average, it contains 3%.
5. Conclusion: how Guayusa tea affects you
Guayusa tea is a caffeinated plant used in the Amazon for thousands of years, yet it is still greatly underappreciated here. Alongside its many positive effects on our body and mind, Guayusa has no known side effects, making it a wonderful companion for everyday life, sport and work.
More and more people are discovering Guayusa and using its effects for their own purposes. There is still a lot to explain about how Guayusa’s effects differ and, of course, why they differ.
If you’re already an enthusiastic Guayusa drinker, please feel free to share this article with friends, acquaintances and family. In our shop you’ll also find the world’s largest selection of Guayusa products. With seven Guayusa varieties, including three original 100% Guayusa teas and four blends, we have a variety for every taste and every day.