Oct 13, 2015 09:00 PM EDT
Ecuador's Super Leaf that Gives a Cleansing Caffeine Fix

Commonly known as "Ecuador's Super Leaf" this plant can give you your much needed caffeine boost in a snap. As per Thrive Market, not only does it give you your caffeine fix, it also has numerous benefits. A tea made from an Amazonian plant called "Guayusa" is highly caffeinated and is part of the Kichwa tribe's morning ritual.

They would first drink the tea the moment they would wake up and gather around the bonfire at 3am, they would then take another cup just before they would go hunting at night. The Kichwa hunters would even rub the plant into their bodies with the hopes of being protected by the plant from the perils of their hunt. The hunters would refer to the plant as "the night watchman".

As per the website, the teas numerous benefits range from a coffee buzz to cleansing.  It does have the benefits of having a cup of coffee; it does not however give you the coffee jitters. The tea has the capacity to calm the nervous system while stimulating the body. It gives you the alertness you coffee provides, without feeling anxious. It is also packed with an antioxidant known for fighting free radicals called polyphenols.

As per National Geographic, the tea not only gives the locals an energy boost, it also gives them a sustainable source of income. It brings in more or less $400,000 to more than 3,000 farming families.

During an interview with the Co-Founder of Rua Foundation, which is a non-profit that works with indigenous communities to protect the Amazon rain forest Tyler Gage, Tyler Gage shared his insights on what the plant is and as well as its benefits.

"Something like 98 percent of the guayusa in the world is in Ecuador. It is native to a thin stretch of the upper Amazon [that] hugs the Andes Mountains. It's a leaf brewed like tea, but it's not actually related to green or black tea. When brewed, it has about as much caffeine as coffee. It is also incredibly rich in polyphenols, which are the most common compounds that comprise what we informally call antioxidants. It also has a ton of chlorogenic acids, which is trending and hot right now for weight loss and benefits to the heart."

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