Fit Fare

When I heard there was an opportunity to test a tea called “Pure Passion,” I jumped at the chance to try it. Visions of romantic evenings with my fiancé danced in my head. The box arrived and I was curious to see what passion I could find in the bottle of Guayaki Yerba Mate.

What I found inside didn’t rock my world, but it did offer me a fun drink experience.

Guayaki makes Yerba Mate drinks that aim to change the world. Started by two friends who enjoyed drinking Yerba Mate, the company aims to protect and enhance rainforests one bottle and tea bag at a time. In fact, just 2 servings of their product a day protects an acre of rainforest a year. I’ll drink to that!

Yerba Mate leaves are a stimulant, but they also provide antioxidants, vitamins and minerals making them a smart choice for a quick boost.

The first Guayaki product I tried wasn’t the Pure Passion. I decided to save that for just the right moment. Instead, I went for Pure Mind.

After a long day at the office and a couple more hours of work ahead of me, I figured I could use a clear, pure mind. This drink is 100% organic and contains a mixture of Yerba Mate, Gingko Biloba and Tulsi combined with pomegranate juice. According to www.tusli.com, tulsi, also known as Holy Basil, is regarded as the “‘Elixir of Life’ … and believed to promote longevity and significantly reduce stress.”

At first sip, you can tell this is an herb-infused drink. The distinct taste of herbs comes through and overpowers the pomegranate. I wouldn’t say it was a bad taste, just an interesting one. And as for my clarity of mind, I had a pretty intense giggle fit after drinking it, which left me feeling a lot less stressed about getting things done.

Would I drink it again? Probably not.

The next night, I decided it was time to crack open the Pure Passion. The drink promises to “get your Kundalini rising and awaken your heart’s fire through infusions of Yerba Mate, Damiana, and Catuaba blended with intense passionfruit juice.” After a little bit of research, I discovered on www.rain-tree.com that both Damiana and Catuaba are aphrodisiacs used for centuries. With those two herbs in a bottle, how could you go wrong?

If you’re expecting a wild rush of passion, this probably isn’t your drink. (And if you find that drink, will you let me know?) Instead, you’ll get a sweet and tasty juice-like drink that won’t have you falling asleep when it’s time to get romantic. I was full of energy, but sadly didn’t notice any burst in my heart’s fire.Would I drink it again? Maybe, but more for the clean energy boost and fruity taste than the advertised passion promise.

I understand that passion and clarity sell, and because Guayaki is committed to saving and reforesting the rain forest with every bottle, I’ll forgive them for claiming a drink can ignite your mojo or clear your head. In fact, with my two servings I feel like I did a small part to help the environment. It might not have been what I was hoping for, but I’ll take it.