As you can tell, this site mostly talks about yerba mate. But there’s another powerfully caffeinated herb gaining popularity. Often compared to yerba mate, it’s called guayusa (why-you-suh).

Guayusa and yerba mate are quite similar. But they have slight differences.

Whether one is better than the other, you’ll have to keep reading and decide for yourself.

I haven’t tried guayusa yet (only yerba mate), so I can’t tell you my opinion.

But what you’ll find below is guayusa and yerba mate going head-to-head in several categories. Some including taste and effects.

So by the time you reach the end, you’ll know the major differences between the two. And exactly which one you might like.

Let’s start with their origins…

Guayusa VS Yerba Mate: Origins

One of the biggest misconceptions people have is that these two herbs are the exact same.

But that couldn’t be further from the truth.

Yes, guayusa and yerba mate come from the same plant (holly tree).

But they’re not the same species.

Holly tree

Yerba mate is the plant ilex paraguariensis, while guayusa is ilex guayusa (a lot easier to remember).

Yerba mate is grown and consumed in the southern parts of South America such as Argentina, Uruguay, Paraguay and Brazil.

Guayusa, on the other hand, grows in the northern parts of South America. Particularly, the Amazon Rainforest. And is consumed mostly in Ecuador.

Guayusa VS Yerba Mate: Processing

Packaged guayusa and yerba mate have one main difference in regards to processing.

Guayusa and yerba mate are both harvested, dried, and then milled.

But their drying process is completely different.

Picked guayusa leaves

Guayusa is air-dried, whereas yerba mate is smoke-dried.

What’s the difference?

To dry guayusa, companies use natural gas-fired ovens. And to dry yerba mate, they instead use fire from burning wood.

This drying process has shown to increase PAH (polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon) content in yerba mate. Studies have shown PAH causes cancer in animals. However, there aren’t any studies showing the same in humans. Since figuring this out, companies have started making air-dried, unsmoked yerba mate to reduce the levels of PAHs.

So if you’re worried about PAHs, but want to buy yerba mate, you must find brands that are air-dried. However, if you want to buy guayusa, you don’t need to worry about it.

Guayusa VS Yerba Mate: Traditional Preparation

Yerba mate and guayusa can both be prepared like your typical tea (steeping and straining). But the traditional methods are nowhere near the same.

Guayusa is traditionally prepared by boiling water in a pot with whole guayusa leaves.

But oftentimes, you won’t find them whole. They’re usually milled like yerba mate. In this case, you would simply prepare it like you would regular tea.

On the other hand, to prepare yerba mate traditionally, you’ll first need two things:

• A gourd
• And bombilla (filtered straw)

Now, you fill the gourd with yerba mate leaves, make a slope, put in the straw, and fill the gourd with boiling water. And here’s what you’ll end up with:

I’m simplifying the process here, but that pretty much sums it up.

If you want to know the exact way to prepare yerba mate, I already written a post on it which you can find here.

Guayusa VS Yerba Mate: Chemical Composition

Aside from caffeine, there are plenty of other health benefits found in tea.

Depending on the plant, the chemical compounds vary.

Although guayusa and yerba mate come from the same plant species, their properties aren’t completely identical.

Guayusa contains a compound not found in yerba mate. And yerba mate contains a different compound not found in guayusa.

Let’s start with yerba mate’s chemical compounds…

Yerba mate contains:

• Caffeine (85mg in 8oz)
• Theobromine (mild stimulant found in chocolate)
• And theophylline

Theophylline (found in tea) is the missing compound in guayusa.

It’s used to treat respiratory diseases such as asthma by relaxing airway muscles, making it easier to breathe. Which in return, helps reduce stress through deeper breathing.

Now let’s take a look at guayusa…

Guayusa contains:

• Caffeine (66mg in 8oz)
• Theobromine
• And L-theanine

L-theanine is what’s missing in yerba mate.

This amino acid (mostly found in green tea), relaxes and reduces stress without causing drowsiness. L-theanine also works great in counteracting the jitters and increased heart rate from caffeine. Making L-theanine and caffeine a super effective combo.

As you can see, guayusa and yerba mate have one compound the other does not. And just this difference is enough to experience different effects.

Guayusa VS Yerba Mate: Effects

After looking at the chemical composition of both guayusa and yerba mate, you should already have an idea what effects they’ll give you.

Guayusa and yerba mate are both said to stimulate the mind, boost energy, enhance concentration, and uplift mood, WITHOUT the crashing and jitters you might get from drinking coffee.

It’s this reason why so many people have turned to these two plants.

However, guayusa and yerba mate still have minor differences.

Although I haven’t tried guayusa, people have said it to be more relaxing than yerba mate. Which makes sense because it has a lower caffeine content. And also because it contains the amino acid L-theanine.

But what I can tell you about yerba mate is it gives you all the energy you need. Sometimes, lasting throughout the entire day. And even after drinking it for so long, I still never had the jitters, crash, or burnout.

Remember though, everyone reacts differently.

What I say happens to me might not be the same for you.

But when you do try guayusa or yerba mate, expect it to be much different than a cup of coffee.

Guayusa VS Yerba Mate: Taste

Now for the the section you’ve been dying to know – taste.

How does guayusa and yerba mate taste? Which one tastes better?

Of course, to find out, you need to try them both yourself.

But to give a brief description, based on my own experience and other people’s comments, here’s how they taste…

Yerba mate is bold, earthy, bitter, and smoky. The degree of each flavor varies depending on the brand. But typically, this is what you can expect. Some can be harsh, some smooth, and some sweet.

Yerba mate leaves

As for guayusa, it tastes similar to yerba mate, but not as strong or bitter. And it’s also not smoky (refer to processing section). Many people say it’s a lot smoother and that it even has a natural sweetness to it.

Guayusa leaves

But besides the two flavor profiles, you must know this…

Guayusa and yerba mate are an acquired taste.

You almost will definitely hate the taste of the two if you never tried either before. But you just have to get used to it. And you’ll come to enjoy the herbaceous and grassiness of it.

Guayusa VS Yerba Mate: Summary

If you made it down here, you now understand the major differences between guayusa and yerba mate.

All that’s left for you to do is to make a choice.

If you’re simply wanting to try an alternative to coffee, either one will do.

But if drink one and not the other, you shouldn’t be hesitant to get the one you haven’t tried yet.

Guayusa and yerba mate are very similar.

And who knows, you might fall in love with the other.

P.S. If you’re interested in trying guayusa, this is the most popular brand selling right now – Runa

P.P.S. Now if you’re interested in trying yerba mate, you might want to check out our store to get everything you need today!