Yerba Mate
Yerba mate is a small tree native to subtropical regions of South America. It is a species of holly that has been used for centuries, primarily as a brewed beverage similar to coffee. It also has various medicinal properties, including a relaxing effect on muscles and cancer fighting attributes. Mate, the brewed beverage, is the national drink of both Argentina and Uruguay, and is also drunk in the countries of Syria and Lebanon.
Yerba mate is cultivated mostly in the southern regions of South America, including southern Brazil, northern Argentina, Uruguay, and Paraguay. The Jesuit missionaries were partially responsible for spreading the drinking habit, but it has had limited impact outside of South America. Unlike coffee, which is a product of the pit of a coffee cherry, yerba mate is a product of the leaves and even the twigs of the plant. When yerba mate is harvested, it can be either air dried or fire dried to impart a smoky flavor. There are many different varieties of mate, including some with twigs and stems and some with only leaves. Often, citrus and herbal flavors such as orange and mint are mixed in with the Yerba leaves.
Yerba generally contains a small amount of caffeine, but it has many other stimulant chemicals found in coffee and chocolate. The caffeine content of mate varies greatly, but is almost always less than tea and coffee. Mate beverages are often marketed as caffeine free, but the primary active stimulant in mate, “mateine,” has been shown to be the same as caffeine. Many people are able to tolerate caffeine in mate better than coffee, possibly as a result of it having a different chemical makeup than coffee.
Yerba Mate drinkers often praise it for its lack of negative side effects, such as anxiety, jitteriness, and a laxative effect. Recent studies of mate have concluded that the chemicals in mate have a greater effect on muscle tissue, rather than the nervous system. Many people report that drinking mate produces a general feeling of alertness, leaving them energized yet still able to fall asleep normally.
Other studies have concluded that mate has powerful cancer fighting properties. Studies on the correlation between mate drinkers and oral cancer, however, showed only a limited connection. Mate has also been shown to have similar properties to monoamine oxidase inhibitors, a common kind of antidepressant. Due to its many and potentially valuable chemical properties, yerba mate has been a highly studied plant.
Note: This information is a summary of data from books and articles by various authors. It is not intended to replace the advice or attention of health care professionals.
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