Yerba Mate Benefits

November 26, 2023

Yerba Mate is considered a Super Drink thanks to the many impressive health benefits it has to offer (as proved by many scientific studies). The traditional tea from South America, Maté (pronounced “matt-ay”) is brewed from the leaves and stem of the Ilex paraguariensis tree.

Called “The Tea of the Gods”, in 1964 a study from the Pasteur Institute and the Paris Scientific Society concluded....

“It is difficult to find a plant in any area of the world equal to mate in nutritional value, practically all of the Yerba Mate has 196 active compounds including 24 vitamins and minerals, 15 amino acids, antioxidants, and a unique harmony of stimulants which result in a clean balanced energy. It practically has all the nutritional value to sustain life"

Oh boy...Yerba Mate offers so many health benefits that this will be a long article so, get ready to dig in!

The Benefits of Yerba Mate

Containing 196 active compounds, nutrients, and amino acids YERBA MATE IS A NUTRITIONAL POWERHOUSE loaded with high concentrations of VITAMINS, MINERALS AND ANTIOXIDANTS

Each serving of Yerba Mate contains the following vitamins and high concentration of these minerals:

vitamin A
vitamins B1, B2, B3, and B5
vitamin C
vitamin E
calcium
iron
magnesium
manganese
phosphorus
potassium
selenium
sodium
sulfur
zinc

It also contains 11 polyphenols and offers more antioxidant properties than any other tea-based drink. Wait, I’m not done! Additional natural compounds include xanthines, carotene, fatty acids, chlorophyll, flavonols, inositol, saponins, trace minerals, tannins, pantothenic acid and 15 amino acids including cystine, histidine, isoleucine, methionine, tryptophan, aspartic acid and tyrosine. (1)

Called “The Tea of the Gods”, in 1964 a study from the Pasteur Institute and the Paris Scientific Society concluded....

“It is difficult to find a plant in any area of the world equal to mate in nutritional value, practically all of the Yerba Mate has 196 active compounds including 24 vitamins and minerals, 15 amino acids, antioxidants, and a unique harmony of stimulants which result in a clean balanced energy. It practically has all the nutritional value to sustain life"

Health Benefits

Yerba Mate consumption has been scientifically proven to:

Antioxidant activity:
Yerba Mate is a super rich source of polyphenols with antioxidant properties. You could call Yerba Mate a Super Drink just because of the antioxidant content alone. We all know antioxidants improve the body’s natural defenses and prevent cell deterioration, early aging, and DNA damage, but did you know its antioxidant properties are stronger and better at preventing oxidative damage than red wine and green tea? (2) (3) (4)

Anti-inflammatory Effect:
As we all know inflammation is a factor in many diseases such as cancer, cardiovascular diseases, obesity, arthritis, diabetes and many more. The powerful flavonoids present in Yerba Mate have anti-inflammatory properties and provide restorative benefits for most chronic inflammatory illnesses.

In a study it was revealed that Yerba Mate reduces acute lung inflammation in mice exposed to cigarette smoke. Quercetin was found to be the most potent inhibitor of pro-inflammatory responses in Yerba Mate. (5)(6)(7)(8)

Great Energy Booster
Yerba Mate contains xanthines, which are alkaloids belonging to the same family of caffeine. They are known to have a stimulating effect on the central nervous system, which is the primary reason why Yerba Mate is incorporated into energy drink formulations. The caffeine concentration in 1 cup (8 oz) of Yerba Mate tea is equivalent to about 78 mg, which is comparable to 80mg per 8 oz of the most famous energy drinks. Coffee (depending on the strength) has about 130 mg of caffeine and green tea has 50 mg. While containing less caffeine than coffee, Yerba Mate provides the same energy boost without the negative side effects associated with the consumption of coffee, black tea or cola.

Beside caffeine, Yerba Mate contains two strictly related compounds: theobromine and theophylline. Thanks to these substances Yerba Mate provides the most balanced energy boost, reduces fatigue and enhances physical performance while compared to other caffeinated drinks in the world.

Theobromine is an alkaloid found in cocoa which helps Yerba Mate exert a smoother and longer-lasting stimulating effect.

Theophylline is a stimulant present also in green and black tea and known because of its energy enhancing properties.

These three alkaloids combined deliver a unique and mild stimulant effect as they also do in coffee, chocolate and tea but without making you feel jittery and nauseous.

Studies also suggest Yerba Mate may have a potential protective role in the development of Parkinson disease. (1) (9)

Mental Focus:
As Theobromine stimulates the vagus nerve that is responsible to increase the delivery of oxygen to the brain, Theophylline aids smooth muscle relaxation and also provides stimulant effects. These two xanthines combined work together with caffeine to help you shake off morning brain fog, enhancing mental clarity, alertness, focus, memory and concentration. Drinking Yerba Mate may be helpful in treating mental disorders such as attention disorders, depression, eating disorders and substance abuse. (10) (11)

"Thanks to its caffeine content, Yerba Mate can help increase your energy levels and boost your mental focus."

Healthy Weight Loss:
Yerba Mate triggers your body's calorie-burning mechanism thanks to its Thermogenic effect inducing the body to burn more calories, helping to burn fat by increasing thermogenesis from 8 – 10% to 35 – 43%. Some studies have shown that Yerba Mate can help stimulate fat oxidation and feelings of fullness, leading to significant decreases in weight in some patients. The direct cause for this decrease is unknown but researchers suspect that the effect could be due to yerba mate’s caffeine and antioxidants mix. A study showed that those who consumed only 3 grams of yerba mate per day lost an average of 0.7 kg of body weight and 2% of abdominal fat in a period of 12 weeks, with a statistically significant difference compared to the placebo group.(12) (13) (14) (15)

Enhanced Sports Performance:
Caffeine in Yerba Mate has been related to improving athletic performances.
Its metabolic effects appear to have the ability to maintain aerobic breakdown of carbohydrates during exercise for long periods of time. As a result more calories are burned thereby increasing cardiac efficiency and delaying the build-up of lactic acid. Yerba Mate increases your body’s reliance on fat as fuel during exercise. It may also improve muscle contractions and reduce fatigue, overall contributing to better physical performance. Researches shows that taking Yerba Mate daily for 5 days might modestly improve exercise performance in trained athletes.

In one study, those given one 1-gram capsule of ground yerba mate leaves right before exercise burned 24% more fat during moderate-intensity exercise.
A study performed on well-trained cyclists found Yerba mate increased fat oxidation at low-exercise intensities and improved performance in short time trials.(16) (17) (18)

Stimulating The Immune System

The plant-based compounds in Yerba Mate naturally boost the immune system thanks to their antioxidant and anti- inflammatory properties. Yerba Mate contains a significant quantity of compounds called saponins. Saponins are natural emulsifiers that boost the immune system and have antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. These plant-based compounds modulate the overactive immune response which contributes to seasonal allergies, inflammatory bowel disease, multiple sclerosis, rheumatoid arthritis and diabetes. Drinking Yerba Mate on a daily basis is an excellent way to increase your intake of phytochemicals and phytonutrients, strengthening your body’s defenses. (19) (2) (3) (4) (5) (6) (7) (8)

"Labeled as a Super Drink drink and providing up to 90% more antioxidants than green tea, Yerba Mate improves the body’s natural defenses and prevents diseases and cellular aging."

Stronger Bones:
Some researches suggests that drinking Yerba Mate preserves bone mineral density in postmenopausal women, even in those who don’t exercise. This is a somewhat controversial discovery since caffeine is usually associated with bone mineral loss and exercise is deemed critical for building strong bones. Despite these considerations this study found that postmenopausal women, a group particularly at risk for osteoporosis, who regularly drank mate had almost 10% greater bone density in their spines than women who didn’t drink it. (Neither group of women exercised).(20) (21) (22)

Improves Blood Circulation:
Theobromine in Yerba Mate is 10x weaker than caffeine and as mentioned above is also found in chocolate (particularly dark chocolate). It is different from caffeine because it is a vasodilator, meaning it widens the blood vessels, whereas caffeine is a vasoconstrictor meaning it constricts the blood vessels. This makes it good for blood pressure and circulation, also might help to combat some of the palpitations and anxiousness we get from drinking other caffeinated drinks like coffee.(23)

Diabetes:
Saponins in Yerba Mate, also commonly found in adaptogenic herbs, decrease blood lipids and lower blood glucose response. The anti-diabetic effects of yerba mate are comparable to the ones of pharmaceutical grade “AGE inhibitor drugs”. AGE are irreversibly formed and accumulate with aging, atherosclerosis, and diabetes mellitus. Diabetic patients may benefit from its effect on blood glucose because yerba mate may combat diabetes at its core, not only lowering blood sugar but preventing the process that aggravates diabetes type II in the long run.(24) (25)

Reduce Cholesterol Levels & Prevents Cardiovascular Diseases:
In one 40-day investigation, participants who drank a little over a cup (330 milliliters) of Yerba Mate each day lowered their LDL (bad) cholesterol levels by about 8 percent and raised HDL (good) cholesterol by 4.4 percent, which may lower the risk for heart disease.(26) (27) (28) (29) (30)

Liver & Colon Detoxifying Effect:
Yerba Mate has been found to be "hepatoprotective," which translates to "protector of liver cells," also aiding digestion by stimulating production of bile and other gastric acids.

Yerba Mate helps keep your colon clean for effective and efficient waste elimination and helps reduce the stomach bacteria fighting bad breath and aiding your oral health.

Thanks to its natural antibacterial properties it might help combat E. coli, one of the most common causes of food poisoning. At least one saponin found in yerba mate destroys intestinal parasites. It’s also useful for both preventing and treating urinary tract infections and bladder and kidney stones. (31) (32)

Destroys Colon Cancer Cells:
A study from the University of Illinois suggested that bioactive compounds found in one cup of the Yerba Mate can disrupt colon cancer cells, at least in a lab. The researchers reported that caffeine derivatives in tea can damage cancer cell DNA causing the cells to self-destruct. When Yerba Mate extract is added to human colon cancer cells in a test tube, the cancer cells self-destruct. (33) (34)

"Yerba Mate offers many phytonutrients and phytochemicals to prevent cell deterioration such as antioxidants, detoxifiers, phytoestrogens to regulate hormones naturally and cell regulators that inhibit the growth of malignant cells."

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Disclaimer:
These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease. Check with your doctor before incorporating herbal products into your diet if you have any questions or concerns.

The information provided on this site is intended for your general knowledge only and is not a substitute for professional medical advice or treatment for specific medical conditions. You should not use this information to diagnose or treat a health problem or disease without consulting with a qualified healthcare provider. Please consult your healthcare provider with any questions or concerns you may have regarding your condition.

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Called “The Tea of the Gods”, in 1964 a study from the Pasteur Institute and the Paris Scientific Society concluded....

"Thanks to its caffeine content, Yerba Mate can help increase your energy levels and boost your mental focus."

"Labeled as a Super Drink drink and providing up to 90% more antioxidants than green tea, Yerba Mate improves the body’s natural defenses and prevents diseases and cellular aging."

"Yerba Mate offers many phytonutrients and phytochemicals to prevent cell deterioration such as antioxidants, detoxifiers, phytoestrogens to regulate hormones naturally and cell regulators that inhibit the growth of malignant cells."

Disclaimer:These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease. Check with your doctor before incorporating herbal products into your diet if you have any questions or concerns.

References:

:

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Disclaimer:
These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease. Check with your doctor before incorporating herbal products into your diet if you have any questions or concerns.