At this point, we have all heard about Yerba Mate at least once. Whether it was in a detox tea blend commercial or it was a listed ingredient in an energy drink, the name tends to feel familiar now.
As our society shifts towards a healthier, more natural lifestyle, we tend to use plenty of natural plants and herbs to prevent and appease certain conditions. But in a world crowded with information – good and bad – it is important to be knowledgeable about what we ingest and the short and long-term effects on our body and health.
Intro
Originally named Ilex Paraguariensis by the French botanist Augustin Saint-Hilaire, Yerba Mate is a tree that is grown and processed essentially in Latin America. The leaves of the Yerba Mate tree are dried and soaked in hot water to make an herbal tea drink. This tisane is extremely popular in Latin American countries such as Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay and Uruguay.
You may be surprised, but Yerba Mate was first introduced by the indigenous. Tribes would drink the Ilex Paraguariensis beverage for its energy and stamina properties. It became traditional in South American cultures to incorporate Yerba Mate to their everyday life.
The reason why this plant became so popular is because it is loaded with antioxidants and contains vitamins C, B1 and B2. Yerba Mate is also known to be one of the plants that contain natural caffeine and it is great to consume it for energy and vitality.
The Benefits of Yerba Mate
Alternative to Coffee:
You may know about the caffeine content of Yerba Mate and how more and more people everyday use it to replace their morning coffee. Yerba Mate appears to provide a more steady, more sustained energy that will last throughout the day.
One of the reasons why lots of individual prefer Yerba Mate over their coffee is because it provides a gentle energy with no jitters or crashes. It also doesn’t interfere with sleep the way coffee would despite the fact that it contains caffeine.
The energy this drink provide is so great that it has been used by athletes to improve their physical performances.
Weight Loss Aid:
Often taken for weight loss and weight management purposes in modern society, Yerba Mate as shown to increase fat oxidation and boost metabolism. Because it helps digestion and contains 90% more antioxidants than green tea, it is most likely to promote healthy guts and weight loss.
Yerba Mate is also a powerful diuretic that can be use to cleanse our digestive system. No matter the detox program you are following, drinking Yerba Mate tea can help flush out all those toxins accumulated over time and give your liver a fresh start.
Just like green tea, Yerba Mate may act as an appetite suppressant and increase calorie burn.
That is why you can often see Yerba Mate in the ingredient list of detox tea programs.
Nootropic aka Brain Enhancer
Yerba Mate use goes far beyond weight management. Because the leaves of this exotic tree contain caffeine, theobromine and theophylline, it has been used for decades to boost energy and improve mental focus. The caffeine content is proven to enhance physical performances and its anti-inflammatory properties may strengthen your immune system.
Recently, Yerba Mate started to be used in cognitive blend formulas. Because it interacts well with other natural nootropic ingredients, it is used to enhance cognitive performances and focus.
Caffeine is already known to improve alterness, memory and mood. The brain hackers community has been experimenting with Yerba Mate because of its unique combination of compounds. They trigger the production of dopamine and offers the consumer, a stimulant effects and the sensation of sharper focus and enhanced brain performances.
So, Yerba Mate is one of those nature’s gifts we should all learn about and introduce to our lifestyle. But like everything else in this world, it has to be taken with moderation. A high consumption of Yerba Mate could have negative side effects on your health and increase the risk of certain types of cancers.
Always get Yerba Mate from trusted sources and make sure no colorant or preservatives have been added. Also, consume the Yerba Mate in its natural form (leaves) rather than in a processed product such as a canned drink.
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References:
https://nutritionandmetabolism.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/1743-7075-11-42
https://examine.com/supplements/yerba-mate/
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4462044/
