Green tea has one of the most impressive wellness reputations on the planet. Decades of research, thousands of studies, and a deeply rooted cultural history across East Asia have earned it a permanent spot on nearly every "healthy beverage" list ever written. If you care about antioxidants and you drink tea, you probably already know about EGCG. You have probably heard about matcha. You have almost certainly been told, at least once, that green tea is the gold standard for polyphenol-rich sipping.
So why are we writing a comparison article? Because there is another tea that has been quietly doing similar work for centuries, and almost nobody outside of Hawaii knows about it.
Mamaki is a plant that grows nowhere else on Earth. It is endemic to the Hawaiian Islands, and Native Hawaiians have used it as a wellness herb for generations. It is naturally caffeine-free. It contains a genuinely impressive flavonoid profile, including rutin and chlorogenic acid, compounds that researchers are increasingly paying attention to. And it brews into a smooth, earthy, deeply comforting cup that feels like it belongs here, because it does.
At Buddha's Cup, we grow mamaki on our farm in Holualoa, Kona, on the slopes of Mauna Loa. We are not writing this article to dismiss green tea. We love good tea in all its forms. What we want to do is give you an honest, grounded, side-by-side look at what both teas actually offer from an antioxidant perspective, so you can make a genuinely informed decision about what belongs in your cup.
We will cover how antioxidants work, what the science actually says about each tea, where the research is strong and where it is still developing, and how both teas can fit into a thoughtful daily wellness routine. We will also tell you exactly how to brew each one for maximum benefit, and how to experience mamaki firsthand if you ever find yourself on the Big Island.
If you are curious about what mamaki tea is and what makes it special, you are in exactly the right place. Let us start with the science.
What Are Antioxidants and Why Do They Matter in Tea?
Before we can compare two teas fairly, we need to establish a shared foundation. The word "antioxidant" gets used constantly in wellness marketing, often in ways that obscure more than they reveal. So let us slow down and explain what antioxidants actually are, what they do in your body, and why tea is one of the most meaningful dietary sources of them available to most people.
How Antioxidants Work at the Cellular Level
Antioxidants are molecules that neutralize reactive oxygen species, often abbreviated as ROS. Reactive oxygen species are unstable molecules that form naturally as byproducts of normal metabolic processes, including breathing, digestion, and exercise. They become a problem when they accumulate faster than your body can manage them.
When ROS levels get too high, they begin damaging cellular structures, including DNA, proteins, and cell membranes. This process is called oxidative stress. Think of it like rust forming on metal. The underlying structure is still there, but it is being gradually degraded by an ongoing chemical reaction. Over time, chronic oxidative stress is associated with a wide range of long-term health concerns, including cardiovascular issues, metabolic dysfunction, cognitive decline, and cellular aging.
Antioxidants interrupt that process. They donate electrons to unstable ROS molecules, neutralizing them before they can cause damage. Your body produces some antioxidants on its own, particularly enzymes like superoxide dismutase and catalase, but dietary antioxidants from plant foods and beverages provide significant additional support.
Tea is one of the most concentrated and accessible dietary sources of antioxidants available to most people. A well-brewed cup delivers a meaningful dose of protective plant compounds with virtually no calories and very little preparation time. That is part of why researchers have studied tea so extensively across so many cultures and health contexts.
The Key Antioxidant Families Found in Tea
Not all antioxidants are the same, and understanding the different families helps make sense of why mamaki and green tea have different strength profiles even though both are antioxidant-rich beverages.
Polyphenols are the umbrella category. They are a large family of plant compounds characterized by multiple phenol rings in their molecular structure. All major tea antioxidants fall under this umbrella, but the specific subfamilies differ significantly between Camellia sinensis teas like green tea and herbal teas like mamaki.
Catechins are the dominant antioxidant subfamily in green tea. The most studied and most concentrated catechin in green tea is epigallocatechin gallate, better known as EGCG. This compound has been the subject of an enormous volume of research and is primarily responsible for green tea's strong antioxidant reputation. Other catechins present in green tea include epicatechin, epicatechin gallate, and epigallocatechin.
Flavonoids are a broader category of polyphenols that includes catechins but also encompasses other important compounds. Rutin, a flavonoid found in meaningful quantities in mamaki, has demonstrated antioxidant and vascular support properties in research. Quercetin, kaempferol, and other flavonoids contribute to the overall antioxidant capacity of herbal teas in ways that differ from the catechin-dominant profile of green tea.
Chlorogenic acids are another important antioxidant class found in mamaki, as well as in coffee and certain other plants. They are associated with antioxidant activity and are increasingly studied for their potential metabolic and vascular effects.
Theaflavins and thearubigins are antioxidant compounds formed during the oxidation process used to make black tea. They are less relevant to our comparison here but worth naming so you understand the broader landscape of tea antioxidants.
When you see a comparison between the best Hawaiian teas for antioxidants, understanding these compound families helps you evaluate those comparisons critically rather than simply accepting headline numbers at face value.
Speaking of which, there is an important caveat that honest antioxidant discussions require.
Why Measuring Antioxidants in Tea Is More Complicated Than It Looks
Antioxidant measurement is not as straightforward as it might seem. Several different assay methods exist, including ORAC (Oxygen Radical Absorbance Capacity), DPPH (2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl) radical scavenging assays, and FRAP (Ferric Reducing Antioxidant Power) assays. Each method measures antioxidant activity in a slightly different way, under slightly different chemical conditions. That means values generated by one method cannot always be directly compared to values generated by another.
Beyond the measurement challenge, there is the bioavailability question. Lab values tell you how well a compound performs in a test tube. They do not tell you how much of that compound your body actually absorbs and uses after you drink a cup of tea. Bioavailability is affected by brewing conditions, what you eat alongside the tea, your individual gut microbiome, and many other factors. A tea with a stunning lab score might underperform in real-world conditions, while a tea with more modest numbers might deliver those compounds more efficiently to your cells.
This complexity matters especially in our comparison because green tea has been studied in well over 35,000 published papers, while mamaki research is still in its early stages. That research gap does not mean mamaki is less effective. It means we know more about green tea's mechanisms with greater precision. Mamaki's profile is real and promising; it simply has not yet received the same volume of scientific attention.
We think that context is worth being honest about. It is part of why we believe in education-first storytelling at Buddha's Cup. You deserve the full picture, not just the parts that sound impressive. And that same intellectual honesty also applies to how we look at antioxidant-rich Hawaiian crops like our Kona coffee, where research is robust and the story is similarly nuanced.
Green Tea's Antioxidant Profile: What the Research Actually Says
Green tea deserves its reputation. Let us give it the credit it has genuinely earned before we start drawing comparisons. If we are going to make a fair case for mamaki, we need to demonstrate that we understand green tea's strengths as clearly as we understand its limitations.
The Science Behind Green Tea's Reputation
Green tea comes from the Camellia sinensis plant and is produced by quickly heating freshly picked leaves to prevent oxidation, which preserves the high catechin content that makes it distinctive. It is one of the most studied beverages in human history, with tens of thousands of published papers examining everything from its antioxidant chemistry to its associations with cardiovascular health, metabolic function, cognitive performance, and longevity markers.
The star compound is EGCG. Epigallocatechin gallate is a catechin with demonstrated free radical scavenging ability, and it is present in green tea at higher concentrations than in almost any other commonly consumed beverage. Research has shown that green tea consumption is associated with meaningful reductions in malondialdehyde, which is a well-established biomarker of oxidative stress in the body. Meta-analyses have also found that green tea intake significantly increases total antioxidant capacity in human subjects, not just in lab settings.
Beyond antioxidants in the narrow sense, green tea catechins have been linked to favorable outcomes in research on heart health, with studies suggesting associations with healthier lipid profiles and improved endothelial function. Cognitive performance research has explored how the combination of catechins and L-theanine, an amino acid unique to tea, may support calm alertness and working memory. Metabolic function studies have explored green tea's potential role in supporting blood sugar regulation and modest improvements in insulin sensitivity.
This is not marketing language. This is a genuine summary of what decades of well-funded, peer-reviewed science has found. Green tea is a legitimately impressive beverage, and any honest comparison needs to acknowledge that upfront.
Matcha vs. Regular Green Tea: Clearing Up the Antioxidant Confusion
Matcha occupies its own corner of the green tea conversation, and it is worth addressing directly because the claims surrounding it are often exaggerated in ways that muddy the broader antioxidant discussion.
Matcha is powdered whole-leaf green tea. When you drink matcha, you are consuming the entire leaf suspended in water, rather than drinking an infusion where the leaf is removed after steeping. That fundamental difference does mean matcha delivers more of the leaf's compounds per cup, including higher amounts of EGCG and other catechins.
However, the viral claim that matcha contains 137 times more antioxidants than brewed green tea is misleading. That figure came from a study that compared matcha to a single low-grade bagged green tea product. It is not a representative comparison of matcha against quality brewed green tea. A more realistic and scientifically defensible figure suggests that matcha delivers roughly two to three times the catechin content of a typical brewed green tea cup. Research published in the Journal of Chromatography A found that matcha contains at least three times more EGCG than the highest-quality conventional green teas, which is a meaningful advantage but a far cry from 137 times.
The practical takeaway here is straightforward. Green tea is excellent. Matcha is a more concentrated version of the same plant. Both are legitimate antioxidant sources. The difference between them is a matter of degree, not kind. If you are curious about how this plays out in a Hawaiian context, the Hawaiian matcha antioxidant profile offers some interesting local perspective on how terroir and processing affect these compounds.
The Limitations of Green Tea for Some Drinkers
Green tea is not a perfect fit for everyone, and being transparent about its limitations is part of what makes this comparison useful.
Caffeine is the most common concern. A standard brewed cup of green tea contains somewhere between 20 and 50 milligrams of caffeine, depending on the variety, brewing temperature, and steep time. Matcha can push that number to 70 milligrams or higher per serving. For many adults, that is a welcome and mild energy boost. For people who are caffeine-sensitive, pregnant, breastfeeding, managing anxiety or sleep disruption, or limiting caffeine for other medical reasons, those numbers matter. Green tea simply is not a viable daily option for everyone because of its caffeine content.
Tannins are another consideration. Green tea contains tannins, which are compounds that can be hard on sensitive digestive systems. Tannins also bind to non-heme iron, the form of iron found in plant foods, and can reduce iron absorption when tea is consumed alongside meals. For people with iron-deficiency anemia or those who rely heavily on plant-based iron sources, this is worth knowing.
Finally, the flavor profile of green tea is not universally appealing. Many people find it grassy, astringent, or occasionally bitter, particularly if brewed at too high a temperature or steeped too long. These are real barriers to consistent daily consumption, which ultimately is what determines how much benefit any tea actually delivers over time.
None of this means green tea should be avoided. It means there is genuine room in the tea landscape for a caffeine-free, smooth-drinking alternative with its own meaningful antioxidant profile. That is exactly where mamaki enters the conversation.
Mamaki Tea's Antioxidant Profile: Hawaii's Best-Kept Wellness Secret
Mamaki does not have a marketing machine behind it. It does not have a centuries-old export industry or tens of thousands of peer-reviewed studies. What it has is a genuinely unique botanical identity, a compelling antioxidant profile, and a cultural history rooted in the land that produced it. For us at Buddha's Cup, it is also something we grow, harvest, and process ourselves on our Holualoa farm. This section is personal as much as it is scientific.
What Makes Mamaki Unique Among Herbal Teas
Mamaki's scientific name is Pipturus albidus, and it is endemic to Hawaii. That word, endemic, is important. It does not simply mean that Hawaii is where most mamaki grows. It means Hawaii is the only place on Earth where mamaki grows wild. This plant evolved in isolation on the Hawaiian Islands, shaped by volcanic soil, tropical elevation, and the unique ecological conditions of one of the most geographically remote archipelagos on the planet. There is nothing else quite like it.
Unlike green tea, mamaki is not a Camellia sinensis plant. It belongs to the nettle family, Urticaceae, and its biochemistry reflects that difference. Mamaki is naturally and completely caffeine-free. This is not a marketing claim or a processing technique. The plant simply does not produce caffeine. That alone makes it a genuinely distinct option in the antioxidant-rich beverage category.
Mamaki's key antioxidant compounds include rutin, chlorogenic acid, catechins (present in a different profile than in green tea), and other flavonoids. Rutin is worth highlighting specifically. It is a flavonoid glycoside with well-documented antioxidant properties and has been studied for its potential role in supporting vascular health, reducing oxidative damage to blood vessels, and contributing to circulatory function. Chlorogenic acid is an antioxidant compound also found in coffee and certain berries, and it has been studied in connection with metabolic and cardiovascular health markers.
The overall antioxidant profile of mamaki is genuine, meaningful, and distinct from green tea's catechin-dominant chemistry. It is not better or worse in an absolute sense. It is different in ways that matter depending on what you are looking for and how your body responds to what you drink. Understanding mamaki's role in immune support is one of the most practical ways to appreciate what this plant brings to the table beyond its antioxidant chemistry alone.
What Current Research Tells Us (And Where the Gaps Are)
Intellectual honesty requires acknowledging something directly: mamaki has not been studied anywhere near as extensively as green tea. The research that exists is promising, but the volume is limited. Where green tea has tens of thousands of publications spanning multiple decades and continents, mamaki research is still in its early chapters.
What we do have is meaningful. Studies examining mamaki's antioxidant capacity in lab settings have shown genuine flavonoid content and free radical scavenging activity. Research has also explored mamaki's potential relevance to blood pressure and vascular health, with findings suggesting that its flavonoid content may exert beneficial effects on blood pressure regulation, a finding that connects logically to the rutin content of the plant.
Some research frameworks used to compare total phenols and flavonoids across multiple tea types give us useful context for where mamaki sits relative to other beverages. These comparative analyses help paint a picture even when mamaki-specific clinical trials are limited in number.
The honest summary is this: the research gap is real. We do not yet have the depth of human clinical trials for mamaki that green tea enjoys. That gap is a reason to stay curious and to continue watching the science as it develops. It is not a reason to dismiss what early findings and centuries of traditional use suggest about this plant. If you are exploring the health benefits of mamaki tea in various forms, keeping that nuance in mind will help you evaluate claims with the right level of critical thinking.
How We Grow Mamaki at Buddha's Cup
We want to tell you a little about where our mamaki comes from, because we think origin matters for more than sentimental reasons.
Our farm sits in Holualoa, on the slopes of Mauna Loa at elevation on the Kona Coast of the Big Island. Holualoa sits in one of the most agriculturally distinctive microclimates in the world. The elevation brings cooler temperatures and consistent afternoon cloud cover, which filters sunlight and reduces heat stress on plants. The volcanic soil is mineral-rich and exceptionally well-drained, creating conditions where plants develop dense root systems and concentrate beneficial compounds in their leaves. These are not arbitrary environmental details. Polyphenol development in plants is directly influenced by environmental stressors and soil chemistry, which means our terroir genuinely shapes the antioxidant profile of what we grow.
We farm without synthetic pesticides or artificial inputs. The land does the work, and we follow its lead. We harvest mamaki with the same care and attention we give to our Kona coffee, respecting the timing, the handling, and the processing that preserves the quality of what the plant has produced.
When guests visit our farm on a tour, they can see mamaki growing alongside our coffee trees, observe how both plants share the same volcanic landscape, and taste what that environment produces. It is one of the most grounding experiences we offer here, and it connects visitors directly to mamaki's roots in Hawaiian tradition in a way that no article can fully replicate.
If you have never tasted freshly brewed mamaki made from leaves grown in volcanic Hawaiian soil, you are in for something genuinely worth experiencing.
Side-by-Side Antioxidant Comparison: Mamaki Tea vs. Green Tea
Now we get to the structured comparison you came here for. We want to give you a clear, organized look at how these two teas stack up across the dimensions that matter most. We will use a comparison framework followed by narrative context, because numbers without context are just numbers.
Comparing Key Antioxidant Compounds
Here is a direct side-by-side comparison of the most relevant characteristics:
- Primary antioxidant compounds: Green tea leads with EGCG, epicatechin gallate, epicatechin, and epigallocatechin. Mamaki's primary antioxidant compounds include rutin, chlorogenic acid, flavonoids, and a different catechin profile than green tea.
- Caffeine content: Green tea contains 20 to 50 mg per cup for brewed varieties, and matcha can reach 70 mg or more. Mamaki contains zero caffeine, completely and naturally.
- Flavonoid breadth: Both teas contain flavonoids, but mamaki's profile emphasizes rutin and chlorogenic acid specifically, while green tea's flavonoid profile centers on catechins. The breadth is different rather than one being clearly superior.
- Notable unique compounds: EGCG is the defining compound of green tea and is not found in comparable quantities in any other commonly consumed beverage. Rutin is mamaki's most distinctive contribution, present at meaningful levels and associated with vascular antioxidant activity.
- Research volume: Green tea has an enormous research base developed over several decades. Mamaki research is genuine but limited in volume, with most studies coming from recent years as scientific interest in endemic Hawaiian plants has grown.
- Caffeine-free status: Green tea is not caffeine-free. Mamaki is completely caffeine-free by nature. For those who need or prefer to avoid caffeine, this is a decisive practical difference.
- Cultural provenance: Green tea carries a rich cultural history across China, Japan, Korea, and broader East Asia. Mamaki carries an equally deep cultural history within Hawaii, where Native Hawaiians used it as a traditional wellness herb for generations.
Narrative summary: green tea holds a clear advantage in EGCG concentration and research depth. Mamaki holds the advantage in caffeine-free flavonoid breadth, cultural uniqueness, and suitability for those who cannot or choose not to consume caffeine. Neither profile is universally superior. They are genuinely different tools for different needs.
When people ask us about ranking Hawaiian teas by antioxidant content, we always come back to this same point: the right tea is the one you will actually drink consistently, that suits your body, and that fits your lifestyle. A tea with a perfect lab score that you hate the taste of delivers nothing.
Bioavailability and Real-World Absorption
As we noted in the foundation section, lab antioxidant scores are not the same thing as what your body actually absorbs and uses. This deserves more direct attention in the comparison context because it affects how we should interpret the data we have on both teas.
Green tea's EGCG bioavailability has been studied in some detail. Research suggests that EGCG absorption is relatively modest in absolute terms, with factors like stomach acid, food intake, and individual gut microbiome composition affecting how much reaches systemic circulation. Drinking green tea on an empty stomach appears to increase EGCG absorption compared to drinking it with food, though the tradeoff is that some people experience nausea or stomach irritation when doing so. The meta-analysis evidence on green tea's real-world antioxidant effects is still strong, suggesting that even with imperfect bioavailability, consistent consumption delivers measurable benefits.
Mamaki's bioavailability is less well documented, which is again a reflection of the research volume gap rather than a signal that bioavailability is poor. What we know about rutin's bioavailability from other plant sources suggests it is absorbed via gut microbiome metabolism, meaning regular consumers with healthy gut flora may extract more benefit over time. Chlorogenic acid bioavailability is reasonably well studied from coffee research, and that data provides some useful reference points for how similar compounds in mamaki might behave.
The practical implication for both teas is the same: brew them properly, drink them consistently, and pair them with a broadly healthy diet. Under normal conditions, both teas deliver meaningful polyphenols to your body. The nuances of bioavailability matter more at the margins of optimization than they do for most everyday drinkers.
Which Tea "Wins": And Why That Is the Wrong Question
We want to push back gently on the framing of this question, because we think it leads people to make less useful decisions than they otherwise would.
Green tea is ideal for people who want maximum researched antioxidant density in a single cup, benefit from mild caffeine for focus and energy, want the cognitive synergy of L-theanine and caffeine together, and are drawn to the deeply documented wellness associations that decades of science have produced. That is a genuinely compelling case, and we mean it without reservation.
Mamaki is ideal for people who are caffeine-sensitive or caffeine-free by choice or medical necessity, want a genuinely Hawaiian herbal experience that connects to indigenous plant wisdom, are looking for caffeine-free flavonoid support with a different compound profile than green tea, prefer a smoother and more earthy flavor without bitterness or astringency, and want to support a small farm in Hawaii that grows this plant with care and intention.
Both can coexist beautifully in a thoughtful wellness routine. Many of our customers drink both. They might start the morning with green tea or matcha for the caffeine-catechin combination and reach for mamaki in the afternoon or evening when they want something warm and calming without any stimulant effect. That is a sensible, evidence-informed approach that neither dismisses one tea nor fetishizes the other.
If you are exploring loose-leaf Hawaiian teas for immune and antioxidant support, you will find that the most useful framework is always about matching the tea to the person, not declaring a universal winner.
Beyond Antioxidants: The Broader Health Picture
Antioxidants are important. But reducing either of these teas to their antioxidant scores alone misses a significant part of what makes them valuable. Both green tea and mamaki offer health-relevant properties that extend well beyond their free radical scavenging capacity, and understanding those broader profiles helps you make a more complete wellness decision.
Green Tea's Full Health Benefit Portfolio
Green tea's most distinctive non-antioxidant contribution is the combination of L-theanine and caffeine. L-theanine is an amino acid found almost exclusively in tea leaves, and when consumed alongside caffeine, it modulates the stimulant effect in a way that many people describe as calm alertness rather than jittery energy. Research on this combination suggests benefits for sustained attention, working memory, and mood stability, without the anxiety spike that caffeine alone can produce in sensitive individuals.
Heart health research on green tea is extensive. Studies have associated regular green tea consumption with favorable lipid profiles, particularly lower LDL cholesterol levels, and with improvements in endothelial function, the ability of blood vessels to dilate and contract appropriately. These effects are attributed largely to catechin activity, though the full picture involves multiple interacting compounds.
Metabolic function is another active area of green tea research. Emerging evidence suggests that green tea may support blood sugar regulation, potentially through mechanisms involving insulin sensitivity and glucose metabolism. The thermogenic effect of green tea, its ability to modestly increase energy expenditure, has also been studied in connection with weight management, though the effect sizes are generally modest and should not be overstated.
The meta-analysis evidence on green tea's impact on oxidative stress markers is particularly strong. Studies consistently show reductions in malondialdehyde and other oxidative stress biomarkers in people who drink green tea regularly, which connects the antioxidant chemistry to actual measurable changes in the body rather than just theoretical lab results.
Mamaki's Full Health Benefit Portfolio
Mamaki's traditional uses in Hawaiian culture center on digestive comfort and general well-being. Native Hawaiian healers historically used mamaki preparations for a range of purposes, and modern interest in the plant has begun to explore some of those traditional applications through a scientific lens.
Digestive support is one of the most commonly cited traditional benefits. The plant's compounds appear to have a soothing effect on the digestive system, and many mamaki drinkers report that it sits more comfortably than caffeinated teas, particularly for those with sensitive stomachs. This is consistent with what we know about tannin levels in mamaki being lower and less irritating than those in green tea.
Blood pressure and vascular health represent perhaps the most scientifically interesting area of current mamaki research. The flavonoid content of mamaki, particularly rutin, has been linked in studies to vascular health effects, with findings suggesting that mamaki extracts may exert beneficial influence on blood pressure regulation. This is an area where more research is clearly needed, but the initial signals are promising and consistent with what we know about rutin's mechanisms in other plant sources.
Skin health is another area where mamaki's antioxidant action has potential relevance. Oxidative damage from environmental stressors, including UV radiation and pollution, contributes to skin aging and cellular damage. Antioxidant-rich beverages support systemic protection against that damage, and mamaki's flavonoid profile provides relevant compounds for that purpose.
Perhaps most practically, mamaki's zero-caffeine status means that drinking it in the evening causes no sleep disruption, no cortisol spike, and no afternoon energy crash to manage. For people building a sustainable daily tea practice, that matters enormously. You can read more about building daily Hawaiian tea habits and how both mamaki and other local teas fit into that kind of consistent routine.
What Both Teas Share: And Why That Matters
For all the ways mamaki and green tea differ, they share a foundational characteristic that is worth naming explicitly: both are polyphenol-rich plant beverages that support an anti-inflammatory dietary pattern when consumed as part of a balanced lifestyle.
Both teas promote hydration, which is genuinely underrated as a health benefit. Most adults are chronically mildly dehydrated, and replacing sugary or artificially flavored beverages with well-brewed tea is one of the highest-leverage dietary switches available. Both mamaki and green tea make that switch easy and pleasurable.
Both teas also carry cultural and ceremonial dimensions worth respecting. Green tea's role in Japanese, Chinese, and Korean tea traditions involves practices of mindfulness, hospitality, and presence that have been shown to independently support well-being. Mamaki's place in Native Hawaiian healing tradition carries its own depth of meaning and historical resonance. When you brew either of these teas with intention and attention, you are participating in something larger than a beverage choice.
Both fit naturally alongside whole, minimally processed foods in an anti-inflammatory approach to eating. If you are curious about how locally grown ingredients support wellness, the connection between what grows in a specific place and what nourishes the people of that place is a thread that runs through both Kona coffee culture and Hawaiian herbal tradition.
And if you want to enhance your mamaki experience further, consider pairing mamaki with local honey. Hawaiian honey adds its own polyphenol contribution and rounds out the earthy, smooth flavor of mamaki beautifully.