What is Yerba Mate?

Yerba Mate the definition:

Yerba mate or hierba mate, or sometimes called simply yerba, is a shrub in the holly family Aquifoliaceae, native to South America, used as a herbal tea. Mate is the correct spelling, but it is often misspelt "maté" or even "matte", a sort of hypercorrection intended to signal that the word is foreign, or does not have a silent e, or is otherwise distinct from the normal English word "mate".

The word hierba is Spanish for grass or herb. Yerba is a variant spelling of it which is quite common in Argentina and Uruguay. Mate is from the Quechua mati, meaning "cup". Yerba mate is therefore literally the "cup herb".

The plant is grown mainly in South America, more specifically in Paraguay, Argentina, Uruguay and Southern Brazil (Rio Grande do Sul and Paraná). The Guarani are reputed to be the first people who cultivated the plant; the first Europeans to do this were Jesuit missionaries, who spread the drinking habit as far as Ecuador.

Traditionally, the Paraguayans use yerba maté as the herbal base for their daily herbal medicine mixtures. Yuyeras (herbalists) sell herbs to make remedios (herbal remedies) in the maté gourd. As an herbal base, yerba maté acts as a catalyst to enhance the healing powers of other herbs. By improving healthy circulation and promoting balance, maté helps assimilate other herbs into the body. South Americans drink maté as a daily tonic for optimum health.

The drink has a pungent taste like a cross between green tea and coffee, with hints of tobacco and oak. Sugar or honey are sometimes added if desired, creating mate dulce — sweet mate (mate without sugar is called mate amargo or bitter mate). Normally the preference for mate dulce and mate amargo is one or the other.

Health Benefits of Yerba Mate:

"The Healthy Stimulant," Yerba Mate is the base for herbal medicine in South America and has a staggering list of health benefits with 196 active compounds: 24 vitamins and minerals, 15 amino acids, and 11 polyphenols – powerful antioxidants. Mate is high in chlorophyll and can boast higher polyphenol and antioxidant counts than either green or black teas. Yerba Mate provides a unique sustaining energy by its complex combination of xanthine alkaloids: caffeine, theophylline and Theo bromine.

This stimulating herbal beverage has the unique ability to wake up the mind without the nervousness and jitters associated with coffee.

Clinical studies have shown that caffeine-sensitive individuals generally have very positive results with Yerba Mate. Unlike coffee, Yerba Mate comes equipped with a wealth of nutrients to provide a broad range of vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants to the body.

There are 196 active compounds present in Yerba Mate, all of which contribute to the sense of well-being that most people experience.

What Vitamins does Yerba Mate have?

A, C, E, B1, B2, Niacin (B3), B5, B Complex, Biotin, Choline, Inositol

What Minerals does Yerba Mate have?

Calcium, Manganese, Iron, Selenium, Potassium, Magnesium, Silicon, Phosphorus, Sulfur And 15 Amino Acids, Fatty Acids, Chlorophyll, Flavenols, Polyphenols, Trace Minerals, and Antioxidants

Table of Nutrients

Vitamin A
Potent antioxidant. Essential for immune system. Prevents night blindness. Aids in skin disorders and acne. Necessary for tissue repair and maintenance.
Vitamin C
Potent antioxidant . Vital for tissue growth and repair. Benefits immune system.
Vitamin E
Aids circulation. Vital for tissue repair and maintenance. Potent antioxidant. Useful in treating PMS, fibrocystic breast disease. Benefits immune system.
Vitamin B1
Essential for the function of the nervous system, heart muscles, and brain. Aids in the metabolism of fats, proteins, and carbohydrates.
Vitamin B2
Creates body tissue and red blood cells. Aids in the metabolism of fats, proteins, and carbohydrates.
Vitamin B3 (Niacin)
Aids in treating osteoarthritis. Helps in the metabolism of fats, proteins, and carbohydrates. Benefits digestion.
Vitamin B5
Aids in metabolizing fats, proteins, and carbohydrates. Potent antioxidant. Enables adrenal gland function and nerve transmission. Helps production of red blood cells.
Biotin
Biotin aids in cell growth, in fatty acid production, in the metabolism of carbohydrates, fats, and proteins, and in the utilization of the B-complex vitamins. Biotin also promotes healthy sweat glands, nerve tissue, and bone marrow.
Choline
Necessary for nerve transmission, gallbladder regulation, and liver function, choline also minimizes excess fat in the liver and aids in hormone production.
Inositol
Is vital for hair growth. It helps prevent hardening of the arteries and helps remove fats from the liver.
Calcium
Assists in blood clotting and regulates hormones, muscle contractions, and nerve impulses. Strengthens bones and teeth.
Manganese
Essential for bone and cartilage formation. Aids in sex hormone function. Activates enzymes for vitamins absorption. Necessary for metabolism of proteins, fats, and cholesterol.
Iron
Essential for immune function. Vital for hemoglobin production. Aids in energy production.
Selenium
Antioxidant
Preventative against heart disease and cancer. Aids immune response. Needed for tissue elasticity. Potassium necessary for nervous system, hormone, and muscle function. Regulates blood pressure and controls heart activity. Balances water/sodium balance.
Antioxidants are the body's main defense against free radicals!
Our bodies fight free radicals with antioxidants. Antioxidants are nutrients that seek out free radicals and neutralize their damaging cellular effects.

Magnesium
Essential for heart and muscle function. Vital for bone formation. Aids enzymatic systems.
Phosphorus
Vital for healthy tissue repair and growth. Necessary for metabolism of calcium, vitamins, fats, proteins, and carbohydrates. Aids in energy production.
Sulfur
Helps to disinfect the blood and aids in the resistance of bacteria. It aids in oxidation reactions, stimulates bile secretions in the liver, and protects against toxic substances.
Amino Acids
Amino acids are the building blocks of life, joined together in chains that make up proteins. Proteins are a necessary part of every living cell in the body. The DNA code that is inherent in every single cell is actually information regarding how to make that cell's proteins. The proteins that make up the human body are not obtained directly from a person's diet. Rather, a person ingests amino acids, which the body then uses to build the specific proteins it needs. There are approximately 28 commonly known amino acids. These amino acids combine to form the hundreds of different proteins that make up all living things. In the human body, the liver produces about 80% of the amino acids needed. The remaining 20% must come directly from the diet, and are thus called: essential amino acids.
Histidine
Helps in the growth and repair of tissues. Is needed for the production of both red and white blood cells.
Isoleucine
Necessary for hemoglobin formation. Stabilizes and regulates blood sugar and energy levels.
Leucine
Protects muscle and acts as a fuel for the body. Promotes healing of bones, skin, and muscle tissue.
Lysine
Building block for all protein. Helps calcium absorption and maintains a proper nitrogen balance in adults. Aids in the production of antibodies, hormones, and enzymes. Helps in collagen formation and tissue repair.
Methionine
Assists in the breakdown of fats, preventing the build-up of fat in the liver and arteries. Aids the digestive system. Very beneficial for allergic chemical sensitivities and osteoporosis.
Threonine
Aids liver function by helping to prevent fatty buildup. Enhances the immune system by aiding in the production of antibodies.
Tryptophan
Cures insomnia, helps stabilize moods and is used by the brain to produce serotonin. Alleviates stress, aids the heart and helps with weight control.
Tyrosine
Treats anxiety, depression, allergies and headaches. Acts as a mood elevator, suppresses the appetite and reduces body fat.
Valine
Stimulant effect. Enhances muscle metabolism, tissue repair and nitrogen balance.
Free radicals
are highly reactive molecules or fragments of molecules that contain one or more unpaired electron. Free radicals are chemical compounds produced in the body as a result of toxic exposure to pollution, radiation, heavy metals, and pesticides. Free radicals increase the probability that affected cells will become susceptible to a wide range of infections and degenerative diseases including cancer, diabetes, heart attacks, premature aging, and strokes
Tonic Properties
Tonics are the substances provided by Nature for the repair and maintenance of normal physiology. Yerba maté is considered a whole-body tonic - it goes where the body needs it most and restores balance to body systems that are under stress.

Yerba Mate and Weight Loss

The metabolic effects of mate include 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.

Traditionally used as a supportive treatment in weight loss programs that include diet and exercise. In Europe mate is used for weight loss "as the ideal slimming remedy which facilitates losing weight in a natural way and stills the distressing feelings of hunger," according to Max Witchl in Herbal Drugs and Phytopharmaceuticals. Clinical evidence also suggests that Yerba Mate may be useful as an antidiabetic agent, as it seems to slow the development of hyperglycemia (excess sugar in the blood). Researchers at the University of Surrey in Guildford, England, found that Mate reduced the abnormal appetite and thirst, as well as weight loss, associated with diabetes.
Boosts the Immune System