Foglie di Guayusa biologiche -Ecuador-

ORGANIC GUAYUSA

• Origin: Ecuador
• From organic farming
• Ilex Guayusa

What is Guayusa?

Guayusa (Ilex Guayusa) is a plant native to Ecuador, where it grows in the forests bordering the shaded Amazon, surrounded by many other botanical species. These trees can reach up to 30 meters in height, and their oblong leaves are harvested, dried, and used in infusion. Guayusa contains caffeine, but less than coffee, and has antioxidant properties similar to tea, so it can be used to create excellent hot or cold infusions.

The local populations of Ecuador use it a lot for their healing and purification rituals, as a plant that accompanies their days and alleviates fatigue. Guayusa infusion is usually consumed in the morning, precisely because of its stimulating nature, as it can prepare for the workday.

This beverage is at the center of a true tradition: the villagers prepare Guayusa, sit around a fire, and drink it while telling stories and conversing. It is believed that this ritual dates back to the pre-Columbian era, and that later the Jesuits, interested in the properties of this plant, began to cultivate and trade it.

Guayusa: Properties

Research on Guayusa has started only a few years ago, and it seems that its properties are mainly stimulating, anti-inflammatory, and purifying.

Guayusa is rich in caffeine: it is a plant similar to Yerba Mate with which it shares stimulating properties, so it is an excellent alternative to coffee for those who want to replace it with an energizing herbal tea that does not cause nervousness and heart palpitations often associated with coffee consumption.

According to studies conducted so far, Guayusa currently does not have any contraindications or toxicity.

How to prepare Guayusa?

Guayusa can be prepared like a simple herbal tea or tea, putting a spoonful in a cup with 100°C water, infusing it for about 7-8 minutes.

Sources:

• A critical review of the composition and history of safe use of guayusa: a stimulant and antioxidant novel food

• Antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties of Ilex guayusa tea preparations: a comparison to Camellia sinensis teas

• General and Genetic Toxicology of Guayusa Concentrate (Ilex guayusa)