ALL ABOUT YERBA MATE

The strength of coffee, the health benefits of tea, and the euphoria of chocolate

What is Yerba Mate?

Mate is a traditional South American beverage drink that is brewed from the leaves and stems of the yerba mate plant, a tree that belongs to the holly family. It’s widely consumed in Argentina, Uruguay, Paraguay, and Brazil, where the mate tree is indigenous. You’ll also find mate as an ingredient in energy drinks or in the herbal tea section of your local health food store.There are many impressive health benefits attributed to drinking yerba mate (or mate, for short),including:

How Mate is prepared?

You can buy mate pre-made (look near the canned iced tea). Or, you can brew your own. The traditional method is to pour near-boiling water over the leaves and steep for several minutes. The tea is then strained and served hot or cold, with or without the addition of a sweetener. If you want to get really traditional, you’ll want to brew your mate in a gourd and sip it through a special metal straw with a filter at one end. Mate can also be shared as a ritual of friendship or hospitality. There’s a whole set of rules and manners that go along with that.
What does yerba mate taste like?
Many people would describe yerba mate is an acquired taste. Added sugar or honey can make it
more palatable, although this also offsets the healthfulness somewhat. In truth, most traditional stimulant drinks are somewhat bitter due to the various plant alkaloids that give them their special properties. But, given their enduring popularity, the pleasant or useful
effects of the caffeine must more than compensate for any initial aversion.

What nutrients does it provide?

Yerba Mate is said to contain practically all the micronutrients needed to sustain life and it also contains other beneficial phytonutrients such as tannins, trace minerals, flavonoids, quercetin, and amino acids.

• Vitamin A
• Vitamins B1, B2, B3, and B5
• Vitamin C
• Vitamin E
• Calcium
• Iron
• Magnesium
• Manganese
• Phosphorus
• Potassium
• Selenium
• Sodium
• Sulfur
• Zinc

What are the main benefits?

Greater energy

Mental focus

Reduced fatigue

Weight loss: yerba mate can help stimulate fat oxidation and feelings of fullness,
leading to significant decreases in weight. Yerba Mate treatment affects food intake,
resulting in higher energy expenditure, likely as a result of higher basal metabolism.
With a faster metabolism, the energy is spent faster, which can lead to losing weight.
Also, mate’s effect on weight loss is probably due to the caffeine concentration,
which also helps delay the absorption of fat.

Antioxidant activity: due to the presence of substances such as xanthines,
caffeoyl derivatives, and saponins. It is higher in antioxidants than green tea!

Enhanced sports performance

It has anti-inflammatory properties and help modulate the inmune system.

It may help reduce weight by reducing appetite, increasing energy
expenditure, improving insulin sensitivity, and burning stored fat.

Drinking yerba mate tea increases bone density, even in people who don’t
exercise.

Yerba mate may be useful for heart-related conditions including heart failure,
irregular heartbeat, and low blood pressure.

Yerba mate contains several known as anticancer compounds such as saponins,
ursolic acid, rutin, tannin, chlorogenic acid, and chlorophyll. Studies have shown
that compared with other teas (such as green tea), yerba mate has higher
cytotoxicity for cancer cells (“high anticancer potential”).

Drinking yerba mate may be helpful in treating mental disorders such as attention
disorders, depression, mood disorders, eating disorders, and substance abuse.

A 2012-2014 research done in Argentina showed that daily consumption of mate
reduced the total cholesterol and LDL (“The bad”) cholesterol by almost 12% in the
course of 12 weeks

Nutrition information

One cup of yerba mate contains:

• Calories: 15
• Protein: 0.5 grams
• Fat: 0 grams
• Carbohydrates: 3 grams
• Fiber: 0 grams
• Sugar: 0.0 grams

Frequently asked questions

How much caffeine is in Yerba Mate?

Needless to say, it depends on the type of yerba mate. However, in general terms, yerba mate has less caffeine than coffee but more than tea. While coffee has approx. 95 mg per cup, studies have found that there is approx. 78 mg of caffeine per cup of mate. A cup of mate, is 150 ml, so by drinking 0.5 L of water, you would be having 260 mg of caffeine (almost 3 cups of coffee).

What are Yerba Mate’s side effects?

Due to its content of caffeine if drunk in high doses it could induce insomnia, tachycardia, gastritis, and nausea.

Is it safe to drink during pregnancy?

Because of its caffeine content, it should be monitored – and it should be consulted with a doctor.There are different recommendations in terms of what is the limit of caffeine per day during pregnancy (it varies between 200 and 300 mg). This includes mate but also coffee, tea, sodas,etc.

Can Yerba Mate cause cancer?

No, if it is drunk at the right temperature. The IARC recommends drinking beverages under the 65°C. Our Yerba mate is added with the health benefits of reishi mushrooms, including their ability to boost energy, reduce blood pressure, and slow the aging process. It is also known for its anticancer potential. They also detoxify the body, eliminate inflammation, and improve your cognitive ability.
Just try it!

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