Yaupon is an amazing ally to human health and wellness and promotes GOOD energy! Yaupon is full of valuable phytochemicals including caffeine (roughly 1%, about half that of a cup of coffee), theobromine (an uplifting gentle stimulant, the happiness "drug" in chocolate), quercetin (anti-inflammatory), and other antioxidants. It's delicious and wild and makes a nourishing and uplifting brew. The northern cousin of yerba maté, yaupon is the only native North American plant to contain caffeine and theobromine – and it only grows wild in Texas and a handful of southern states.
Is yaupon tea really a tea? Yaupon is no more Chinese tea than Chinese tea is American yaupon - they taste alike and offer similar experiences but are from completely different plant families! Imported Tea is from the Camilla sinensis plant and is entirely native to China with the exception of a subspecies from India. North and South America’s “tea” plants including yerba maté, guayusa, and yaupon all come from the Ilex or holly genus. Yaupon and Chinese tea may be similar in constituents but are from different plant families altogether. We say “yaupon” rather than “yaupon tea” (like yerba maté which is never referred to as “yerba maté tea”). Since so many people are looking for yaupon tea on the interwebs we use that term so that you can find us and clarify for accuracy so you can tell your friends!