By Toni Reale, republished with permission  |  The yaupon holly is North America’s only plant source of caffeine that grows from the coast of Virginia to Florida and parts of Texas. 

According to a professor of food chemistry at Texas A&M University on NPR, the leaves of this plant have approximately the same amount of caffeine as green or black tea. Theobromine, another stimulant found in yaupon, is an alkaloid that is chemically related to caffeine. 

Researchers at the University of Navarro found that the combination of theobromine and caffeine as a drink can result in a smoother experience when consumed. Caffeine and theobromine naturally occur in cacao, which is why the consumption of chocolate can lead to an enhanced mood without the jitters.

That’s why yaupon holly can be the base of the perfect caffeinated beverage for those who may be sensitive to caffeine, according to a journal article in Frontiers in Pharmacology.