Yerba mata (Yerba maté), also called Paraguay cayi, Paraguay tea, South American holly, matéteestrauch, erva-verdadeira, St. Bartholomew’s tea, Jesuit’s tea, hervea, caminú, kkiro, kali chaye, Ilex paraguayensis (Ilex paraguariensis) of the Aquifoliaceae family, is an herbal tea claimed to have multiple medicinal and healthful properties.
Ilex paraguariensis is a medium-sized tree of the holly family grown wild and cultivated in Paraguay, Uruguay, Argentina and Brazil. It's a sustainable harvest which in turn supports rainforest preservation and the conservation and protection of endangered species.
Due to ever growing international popularity, the tree with its graceful, full-leafed branches, and white flowers that produce small red, black, or yellow berries, is now cultivated in other locations.
It’s the leaves that are desirable. They need to be "deactivated" to release the natural enzymes. This can be done by holding cut branches over an open fire in a fire-roasting process. Alternately, the leaves can be blanched before roasting. Either way, the leaves are dried, toasted and crushed to produce a fine, crumbly brown-leaf tea.
Several centuries ago, indigenous people in the South American rainforest discovered the sustained energy and nutrition provided by the leaves of the yerba mate tree and it became the base of their diet and herbal medicine. Over the past decade, the scientific review of yerba mate has demonstrated that the native peoples’ reverence for the health merits of yerba mate is substantiated.
Modern science is shedding light on the many benefits of yerba mate, including its: robust nutrition profile; high level of antioxidants; balanced and sustained stimulation; boost to the immune system; ability to enhance mental clarity; effect in relieving allergy symptoms; role in weight management and elimination; and its relationship to help control or limit other common modern ailments including diabetes, poor circulation, cholesterol and halitosis.
Studies of Antioxidant Properties of Yerba Mate Yerba mate has significant antioxidant activity. In 2005, researchers at the University of Illinois at Champaign-Urbana analyzed 25 different kinds of yerba mate and found that mate contained higher levels of antioxidants than green tea and, based on cellular studies, reported that there was a correlation between yerba mate’s polyphenol content, antioxidant capacity and human topoisomerase inhibition that may help prevent oral cancer.
Prior to this most recent research, researchers in 1995 published a study in Biochemical and Molecular Biology International in which they concluded that water extracts of yerba mate “were more potent antioxidants than either ascorbic acid (vitamin C) or butylated hydroxytoluene.” A few years later, a group of researchers embarked on a study to again investigate the antioxidant properties of Ilex paraguariensis infusions. Those findings were published in March of 2000 in the Journal Biochemical and Biophysica Research Communications. Their results suggest “that ingestion of extracts of Ilex paraguariensis could contribute to an increase in the antioxidant defense of an organism against free radicals attack.” In a more recent study, published in the November 2001 issue of Fitoterapia, researchers took a look at seven different plant species in South America. They found that yerba mate “contained a higher content of flavonoids and caffeoyl derivatives than any other assayed species.”
Sustains energy Yerba mate is a central nervous system stimulant that provides a unique sustaining energy due to its complex combination of xanthine alkaloids including caffeine, theophylline (also found in green tea) and theobromine (the “euphoriant” also found in chocolate), as well as pantothenic acid – which prevents over-stimulation of the central nervous system. Yerba mate is also a rich source of magnesium, which has been proven to ease anxiety without over-stimulating.
Ilex paraguariensis is a dioecious (meaning it has separate male and female plants), evergreen tree that can reach up to 18m high.
The bark of the trunk is:
smooth
shiny
brown, brown-greyish, sometimes green
The simple, alternate leaves:
are 7–11 cm long
are 3–5.5 cm wide
are oblanceolate
are oblong or oval in shape
have prickly dentate margins
are thick, glossy and leathery
are dark-green on upper surface and paler on lower surface
The petioles are dark-red, and about 1.27 cm in length.
The flowers are unisexual by abortion (so the plant is functionally dioecious) and both female and male flowers form corymbose inflorescences (small clusters) in the axils of the leaves. Flowers are tiny with 4 valvate sepals, each 1mm by 1mm, joined right at the base, and 4 whitish petals, each about 3mm by 2mm and also joined at the base.
There are 4 stamens in male flowers but these are reduced to sterile staminodes in the female flowers.
The fruits are:
globose
dark red or purple drupes
about the size of small peas (4–6 mm in diameter)
contain 4 stones or seeds.
Yerba mate has a slight astringent bitter taste due to the high tannin content of the leaves. Additionally, products with a higher amount of sticks and stems will have more bitterness than pure leaf mate. As with other bitter beverages such as black coffee, beer, or tea, straight yerba mate is an acquired taste for some consumers. People are naturally drawn toward sweet, sugary foods and drinks (even though these may not be the best choice from a nutritional standpoint). While folks in South America may shun adding sweeteners or fruit flavoring, it's perfectly OK here in the states to add these flavorings just like you would with coffee or tea.
Traditionally, the dry leaves are placed in a cup, or gourd called a maté, then cold water is added to moisten the leaves and protect the nutrients and flavor. Next, hot water is added until all the leaves are covered. Rather than removing the leaves, you sip the tea through a straw called a bombilla which has a filter or strainer at the bottom to prevent the leaves going through the straw. As you drink the tea, you add more water to the cup.
However, modern methods include brewing in a coffee maker, french press, or with a tea filter and infusing for two to four minutes. If this is too much bother, the leaves also come in convenient tea bags and tinctures.
It can be brewed cold for iced tea. The addition of lemon, mint, or sweetener to taste helps mask the "natural" flavor. It makes a great sun tea.
You can use milk instead of hot water, as is done for children. Successive additions of water extract all the beneficial properties.
Traditionally, unless you were a gaucho alone on the pampa, you shared your cup of tea with close associates and family.
Sharing the drink is a sign of friendship and bonding, and as such has a certain ceremonial aspect which is still observed and celebrated even though yerba maté bars are popular.
When making and sharing yerba maté, the host, or server, is the one to prepare and serve the tea. The server prepares the first cup, and drinks that. This is the strongest brew, and is fixed according to the host's taste, usually about three quarters of a cup of leaves. Next, the server prepares another cup by adding hot water to the cup, using the same leaves, and passes it to another.
When that person drinks down the cup, he or she passes it back to the server, who refills the cup, and passes it to the next person.
In this way, each person present drinks mate until all have been served, according to the Yerba Mate Sharing Rules, and/or until there is no flavor left to the infusion.
When Sebastian Gaboto sailed up the Paraná river in 1526, he discovered a stout evergreen of the holly family known to the aborigines as Caa, but eventually named by the Spaniards: yerba mate (Ilex Paraguariensis).
The Spaniards were exhausted from the travails of jungle survival. A small break-off group decided to settle along the Paraná River, in an area where they found abundant food and friendly reception among the Guaraní Indians. These Native Americans were well-built, vigorous, and healthy. Naturally the Spaniards wanted to know why. The secret, they were told, was to drink an infusion of dried leaves from the Caa bush.
Two centuries later, the Argentine gauchos of the great Pampean plains and the effete oligarchs of Buenos Aires would share the daily habit of drinking mate with thousands of Paraguayans, Uruguayans, Brazilians, Bolivians, and people as far north as Peru. By the end of the 20th century, the Guaraní herb would be cultivated for worldwide consumption by a $400 million agricultural industry producing more than 300,000 tons of the processed plant every year.
A vilified, and vindicated, brew even though yerba mate is relatively unknown in the United States, people throughout South America, Europe, and the Middle-East have long appreciated its healthy attributes. A letter written in 1628 by the Jesuit priest Nicaolás del Techo sheds light on the health benefits being touted centuries ago. “Too many virtues are attributed to the herb,” he complained. “It acts as a soporific at the same time as it stimulates; calms the appetite at the same time it aids digestion. It restores strength, brings happiness, and cures many diseases. All I see is that those who develop the habit can’t seem to get along without it.”
Maté was first consumed by the indigenous Guaraní and also spread in the Tupí people that lived in southern Brazil and Paraguay, and became widespread with the European colonization. In the Spanish colony of Paraguay in the late 16th century, both Spanish settlers and indigenous Guaranís, who had, to some extent, before the Spanish arrival, consumed it. Maté consumption spread in the 17th century to the River Plate and from there to Argentina, Chile, Bolivia and Peru. This widespread consumption turned it into Paraguay's main commodity above other wares, such as tobacco, and Indian labour was used to harvest wild stands.
In the mid 17th century, Jesuits managed to domesticate the plant and establish plantations in their Indian reductions in Misiones, sparking severe competition with the Paraguayan harvesters of wild stands. In the 1770s, their plantations fell into decay. The industry continued to be of prime importance for the Paraguayan economy after independence, but development in benefit of the Paraguayan state halted after the War of the Triple Alliance (1864–1870) that devastated the country both economically and demographically. Some regions with maté plantations in Paraguay became Argentinean territory.
Brazil then became the largest producer of maté. In Brazilian and Argentine projects in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, the plant was domesticated once again, opening the way for plantation systems. When Brazilian entrepreneurs turned their attention to coffee in the 1930s, Argentina, which had long been the prime consumer, took over as the largest producer, resurrecting the economy in Misiones Province, where the Jesuits had once had most of their plantations. For years, the status of largest producer shifted between Brazil and Argentina.
Now, Brazil is the largest producer, with 53%, followed by Argentina, 37% and Paraguay, 10%.
Scientific studies attribute yerba mate’s medicinal properties to its chemical composition.
Yerba mate contains saponins – water-soluble compounds found in many plants. Their properties include:
antiparasitic
hypocholesterolemic
anti-inflammatory
The compounds also account for the characteristic bitter flavour of mate tea.
The class of purine alkaloids called xanthines – found in coffee as caffeine, and in chocolate as theobromine – is also present in yerba mate. These components give yerba mate the ability to stimulate the central nervous system.
The principal constituents that account for the antioxidant capacity of yerba mate are polyphenols and caffeoyl derivative.
Yerba mate is also diuretic, beneficial for the cardiovascular system and is thought to have potential in the management of obesity.
Yerba mate also possesses a high concentration of vitamins (A, C, E, B1, B2, Niacin (B3), B5 and B Complex) and minerals (aluminium, calcium, chromium, copper, iron, magnesium, manganese, nickel, phosphorus, potassium, selenium and zinc).
Together these components make it a nutritious beverage.
Yerba mate also contains:
Additional Compounds: Carotene, Fatty Acids, Chlorophyll, Flavonols, Polyphenols, Inositol, Trace Minerals, Antioxidants, Tannins, Pantothenic Acid and 15 Amino Acids.
Theophylline, theobromine, and caffeine
Yerba Mate Provides a Wealth of Nutrients:
The Pasteur Institute and the Paris Scientific society in 1964 were interested in this healthy source of vitamins and did a thorough study of its properties. The investigators concluded “it is difficult to find a plant in any area of the world equal to mate in nutritional value” and that yerba mate contains “practically all of the vitamins necessary to sustain life.” In addition, results from a study done by researchers at the University of Madrid assert a high content of mineral elements, especially K, Mg, and Mn, in mate. They considered those findings “to be of great relevance” to the nutritional value of mate infusions.
Yerba mate has been used as a base for herbal medicines in South America for centuries, and the plant’s benefits and therapeutic properties have recently been verified by a number of scientific studies. The chemical components of yerba mate are similar to those found in green tea; however, yerba mate is more nutritious than green tea.
Yerba Mate:
Helps Stimulate Focus and Clarity
Boosts Physical Energy
Traditionally Used to Support Weight Loss Programs that Include a Balanced Diet and Exercise
Aids Elimination
Contains Antioxidants
“CHAMPAIGN, Ill.—Yerba maté tea-based beverages contained the largest antioxidant and polyphenol content among tea-based and non-tea-based drink in a recent study published in the Comprehensive Reviews in Food Science and Food Safety (doi 10.1111/j.1541-4337.2010.00111.x). Brands included in the study were ... Honest Tea, Monster Energy, Red Bull, and Sobe, among others.”
Researchers from the University of Illinois Urbana reviewed the U.S. energy drink market with emphasis on its market size, target demographic, active ingredients, potential benefits, safety and regulations. Several mainstream energy drinks, 16 non-tea-based and 15 tea-based, including yerba maté, were analyzed for their antioxidant content using the ORAC assay, and the total polyphenol concentration was measured in the same energy drinks with the Folin-Ciocalteu method.
They found tea-based energy drinks had much higher antioxidant capacities and polyphenol concentrations than non tea-based energy drinks. Yerba maté drinks contained up to 100-fold higher amounts of antioxidants and polyphenols compared to the mainstream non-tea-based drinks.
Mate is POSSIBLY SAFE for most people, when taken for short periods of time. It contains caffeine, which can cause some side effects such as inability to sleep (insomnia), nervousness and restlessness, stomach upset, nausea and vomiting, increased heart rate and breathing, high blood pressure, headache, ringing in the ears, irregular heartbeats, and other side effects.
When taken in large amounts or for long periods of time, mate is POSSIBLY UNSAFE. It increases the risk of mouth, esophageal, laryngeal, kidney, bladder, and lung cancer. This risk is especially high for people who smoke or drink alcohol.
When taken in very large amounts, mate is LIKELY UNSAFE, due to its caffeine content.
Children: Mate is POSSIBLY UNSAFE for use in children. Mate is linked with an increased risk of mouth cancer, esophageal cancer, laryngeal cancer, kidney cancer, bladder cancer, and lung cancer.
Pregnancy and breast-feeding: Mate is POSSIBLY UNSAFE when used during pregnancy. One concern is that using mate seems to increase the risk of getting cancer. It’s not known whether that risk is transferred to the developing fetus. Another concern is the caffeine content of mate. Caffeine crosses the placenta and enters the fetus’ bloodstream, producing caffeine levels in the fetus that resemble the caffeine level in the mother. In general, mothers should avoid consuming more than 200 mg of caffeine daily; that’s about 2 cups of coffee or tea. Infants born to mothers who consume a lot of caffeine during pregnancy sometimes show symptoms of caffeine withdrawal after birth. High doses of caffeine have also been linked with miscarriage, premature delivery, and low birth weight. However, researchers studied mothers who drank mate tea during pregnancy and found no strong link between drinking mate and premature delivery or small birth weight. But this study has been criticized because it did not consider the amount of mate or caffeine used by the mothers; it looked only at how often they used mate.
Mate is also POSSIBLY UNSAFE during breast-feeding. It’s not known whether the cancer-causing chemicals in mate pass into breast milk, but that is a concern. The caffeine in mate is also a problem. It might cause irritability and increased bowel movements in nursing infants.
Alcoholism: Heavy alcohol use (which must be at all times avoided) combined with long-term mate use increases the risk of cancer from 3-fold to 7-fold.
Anxiety disorders: The caffeine in mate might make anxiety disorders worse.
Bleeding disorders: Caffeine might slow clotting. As a result, there is a concern that the caffeine in mate might make bleeding disorders worse. But so far, this effect has not been reported in people.
Heart conditions: Caffeine in mate can cause irregular heartbeats in certain people. If you have a heart condition, discuss using mate with your healthcare provider.
Diabetes: Some research suggests that the caffeine in mate may affect the way people with diabetes process sugar and may complicate blood sugar control. There is also some interesting research that suggests caffeine may make the warning symptoms of low blood sugar in people with type 1 diabetes more noticeable. Some studies show that the symptoms of low blood sugar are more intense when they start in the absence of caffeine, but as low blood sugar continues, symptoms are greater with caffeine. This might increase the ability of people with diabetes to detect and treat low blood sugar. However, the downside is that caffeine might actually increase the number of low-sugar episodes. If you have diabetes, talk with your healthcare provider before using mate.
Diarrhea: Mate contains caffeine. The caffeine in mate, especially when taken in large amounts, can worsen diarrhea.
Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS): Mate contains caffeine. The caffeine in mate, especially when taken in large amounts, can worsen diarrhea and might worsen symptoms of IBS.
Glaucoma: Using mate increases the pressure inside the eye due to the caffeine it contains. The increase in pressure occurs within 30 minutes and lasts for at least 90 minutes. If you have glaucoma, discuss your use of mate with your healthcare provider.
High blood pressure: The caffeine in mate might increase blood pressure in people with high blood pressure. Consuming 250 mg of caffeine can increase blood pressure in healthy people, but this doesn't seem to happen in people who use caffeine all the time.
Weak bones (osteoporosis): The caffeine in mate tends to flush calcium out of the body in the urine. This can contribute to weak bones. For this reason, many experts recommend that caffeine intake be limited to less than 300 mg per day (approximately 2-3 cups of mate). Taking extra calcium may help to make up for the calcium that is flushed out.
There are some women who are at special risk for weak bones. These women have an inherited condition that makes it hard for them to use vitamin D properly. Vitamin D works with calcium to build strong bones. These women should be especially careful to limit the amount of caffeine they get from mate as well as other sources.
Smoking: The risk of getting cancer is 3 to 7 times higher in people who smoke and use mate for long periods of time.
Amphetamines interacts with MATE
Stimulant drugs such as amphetamines speed up the nervous system. By speeding up the nervous system, stimulant medications can make you feel jittery and increase your heart rate. The caffeine in mate might also speed up the nervous system. Taking mate along with stimulant drugs might cause serious problems including increased heart rate and high blood pressure. Avoid taking stimulant drugs along with mate.
Cocaine interacts with MATE
Stimulant drugs such as cocaine speed up the nervous system. By speeding up the nervous system, stimulant medications can make you feel jittery and increase your heart rate. The caffeine in mate might also speed up the nervous system. Taking mate along with stimulant drugs might cause serious problems including increased heart rate and high blood pressure. Avoid taking stimulant drugs along with mate.
Ephedrine interacts with MATE
Stimulant drugs speed up the nervous system. Caffeine (contained in mate) and ephedrine are both stimulant drugs. Taking caffeine along with ephedrine might cause too much stimulation and sometimes serious side effects and heart problems. Do not take caffeine-containing products and ephedrine at the same time.
Adenosine (Adenocard) interacts with MATE
Mate contains caffeine. The caffeine in mate might block the affects of adenosine (Adenocard). Adenosine (Adenocard) is often used by doctors to do a test on the heart. This test is called a cardiac stress test. Stop consuming mate or other caffeine-containing products at least 24 hours before a cardiac stress test.
Antibiotics (Quinolone antibiotics) interacts with MATE
The body breaks down caffeine to get rid of it. Some antibiotics might decrease how quickly the body breaks down caffeine. Taking these antibiotics along with mate can increase the risk of side effects including jitteriness, headache, increased heart rate, and other side effects.
Some antibiotics that decrease how quickly the body breaks down caffeine include ciprofloxacin (Cipro), enoxacin (Penetrex), norfloxacin (Chibroxin, Noroxin), sparfloxacin (Zagam), trovafloxacin (Trovan), and grepafloxacin (Raxar).
Cimetidine (Tagamet) interacts with MATE
Mate contains caffeine. The body breaks down caffeine to get rid of it. Cimetidine (Tagamet) can decrease how quickly your body breaks down caffeine. Taking cimetidine (Tagamet) along with mate might increase the chance of caffeine side effects including jitteriness, headache, fast heartbeat, and others.
Clozapine (Clozaril) interacts with MATE
The body breaks down clozapine (Clozaril) to get rid of it. The caffeine in mate seems to decrease how quickly the body breaks down clozapine (Clozaril). Taking mate along with clozapine (Clozaril) can increase the effects and side effects of clozapine (Clozaril).
Dipyridamole (Persantine) interacts with MATE
Mate contains caffeine. The caffeine in mate might block the affects of dipyridamole (Persantine). Dipyridamole (Persantine) is often used by doctors to do a test on the heart. This test is called a cardiac stress test. Stop consuming mate or other caffeine-containing products at least 24 hours before a cardiac stress test.
Disulfiram (Antabuse) interacts with MATE
The body breaks down caffeine to get rid of it. Disulfiram (Antabuse) can decrease how quickly the body gets rid of caffeine. Taking mate (which contains caffeine) along with disulfiram (Antabuse) might increase the effects and side effects of caffeine including jitteriness, hyperactivity, irritability, and others.
Estrogens interacts with MATE
The body breaks down caffeine (contained in mate) to get rid of it. Estrogens can decrease how quickly the body breaks down caffeine. Decreasing the breakdown of caffeine can cause jitteriness, headache, fast heartbeat, and other side effects. If you take estrogens limit your caffeine intake.
Some estrogen pills include conjugated equine estrogens (Premarin), ethinyl estradiol, estradiol, and others.
Fluvoxamine (Luvox) interacts with MATE
The body breaks down the caffeine in mate to get rid of it. Fluvoxamine (Luvox) can decrease how quickly the body breaks down caffeine. Taking mate along with fluvoxamine (Luvox) might cause too much caffeine in the body, and increase the effects and side effects of mate.
Lithium interacts with MATE
Your body naturally gets rid of lithium. The caffeine in mate can increase how quickly your body gets rid of lithium. If you take products that contain caffeine and you take lithium, stop taking caffeine products slowly. Stopping mate too quickly can increase the side effects of lithium.
Medications for depression (MAOIs) interacts with MATE
The caffeine in mate can stimulate the body. Some medications used for depression can also stimulate the body. Drinking mate and taking some medications for depression might cause too much stimulation to the body and serious side effects including fast heartbeat, high blood pressure, nervousness, and others could occur.
Some of these medications used for depression include phenelzine (Nardil), tranylcypromine (Parnate), and others.
Medications that slow blood clotting (Anticoagulant / Antiplatelet drugs) interacts with MATE
Mate contains caffeine. Caffeine might slow blood clotting. Taking mate along with medications that also slow clotting might increase the chances of bruising and bleeding.
Some medications that slow blood clotting include aspirin, clopidogrel (Plavix), diclofenac (Voltaren, Cataflam, others), ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin, others), naproxen (Anaprox, Naprosyn, others), dalteparin (Fragmin), enoxaparin (Lovenox), heparin, warfarin (Coumadin), and others.
Nicotine interacts with MATE
Stimulant drugs such as nicotine speed up the nervous system. By speeding up the nervous system, stimulant medications can make you feel jittery and increase your heart rate. The caffeine in mate might also speed up the nervous system. Taking mate along with stimulant drugs might cause serious problems including increased heart rate and high blood pressure. Avoid taking stimulant drugs along with mate.
Pentobarbital (Nembutal) interacts with MATE
The stimulant effects of the caffeine in mate can block the sleep-producing effects of pentobarbital.
Phenylpropanolamine interacts with MATE
Mate contains caffeine. Caffeine can stimulate the body. Phenylpropanolamine can also stimulate the body. Taking mate and phenylpropanolamine together might cause too much stimulation and increase heartbeat and blood pressure and cause nervousness.
Riluzole (Rilutek) interacts with MATE
The body breaks down riluzole (Rilutek) to get rid of it. Taking mate can decrease how fast the body breaks down riluzole (Rilutek) and increase the effects and side effects of riluzole.
Theophylline interacts with MATE
Mate contains caffeine. Caffeine works similarly to theophylline. Caffeine can also decrease how quickly the body gets rid of theophylline. Taking mate along with theophylline might increase the effects and side effects of theophylline.
Verapamil (Calan, Covera, Isoptin, Verelan) interacts with MATE
The body breaks down the caffeine in mate to get rid of it. Verapamil (Calan, Covera, Isoptin, Verelan) can decrease how quickly the body gets rid of caffeine. Drinking mate and taking verapamil (Calan, Covera, Isoptin, Verelan) can increase the risk of side effects for caffeine including jitteriness, headache, and an increased heartbeat.
Alcohol interacts with MATE
The body breaks down the caffeine in mate to get rid of it. Alcohol can decrease how quickly the body breaks down caffeine. Taking mate along with alcohol might cause too much caffeine in the bloodstream and caffeine side effects including jitteriness, headache, and fast heartbeat.
Fluconazole (Diflucan) interacts with MATE
Mate contains caffeine. The body breaks down caffeine to get rid of it. Fluconazole (Diflucan) might decrease how quickly the body gets rid of caffeine. This could cause caffeine to stay in the body too long and increase the risk of side effects such as nervousness, anxiety, and insomnia.
Medications for diabetes (Antidiabetes drugs) interacts with MATE
Mate might increase blood sugar. Diabetes medications are used to lower blood sugar. By increasing blood sugar, mate might decrease the effectiveness of diabetes medications. Monitor your blood sugar closely. The dose of your diabetes medication might need to be changed.
Some medications used for diabetes include glimepiride (Amaryl), glyburide (DiaBeta, Glynase PresTab, Micronase), insulin, pioglitazone (Actos), rosiglitazone (Avandia), chlorpropamide (Diabinese), glipizide (Glucotrol), tolbutamide (Orinase), and others.
Mexiletine (Mexitil) interacts with MATE
Mate contains caffeine. The body breaks down caffeine to get rid of it. Mexiletine (Mexitil) can decrease how quickly the body breaks down caffeine. Taking Mexiletine (Mexitil) along with mate might increase the caffeine effects and side effects of mate.
Terbinafine (Lamisil) interacts with MATE
The body breaks down caffeine (contained in mate) to get rid of it. Terbinafine (Lamisil) can decrease how fast the body gets rid of caffeine and increase the risk of side effects including jitteriness, headache, increased heartbeat, and other effects.
The appropriate dose of mate depends on several factors such as the user's age, health, and several other conditions. At this time there is not enough scientific information to determine an appropriate range of doses for mate. Keep in mind that natural products are not always necessarily safe and dosages can be important. Be sure to follow relevant directions on product labels and consult your pharmacist or physician or other healthcare professional before using.
Average values in the infusion prepared of 100 g of dry product.
|
Ingredients |
'tea-bag' infusion |
warm mate |
cold mate |
|
Glucose (g) |
0,54 |
0,59 |
0,15 |
|
Sucrose (g) |
2,97 |
2,77 |
1,19 |
|
Proteine (g) |
3,69 |
2,14 |
1,24 |
|
Caffeine1 (g) |
|
|
|
|
Vitamins |
|
||
|
Vitamin C (mg) |
4,89 |
5,11 |
2,35 |
|
Thiamine B1 (mg) |
1,59 |
1,48 |
0,15 |
|
Niacin B3 (mg) |
4,38 |
1,27 |
– |
|
Pyridoxine B6 (mg) |
0,54 |
0,94 |
– |
|
Minerals |
|
||
|
Calcium (mg) |
107,25 |
80,94 |
43,90 |
|
Phosphorus (mg) |
60,5 |
45,89 |
21,27 |
|
Iron (mg) |
2,54 |
2,22 |
1,10 |
|
Magnesium (mg) |
86,96 |
58,58 |
33,17 |
|
Potassium (mg) |
99,64 |
100,59 |
41,63 |
|
Sodium (mg) |
27,54 |
14,04 |
11,07 |
1 Caffeine in yerba mate is sometimes referred to as mateine. At the same time there are no proofs that this alkaloid differs from caffeine.
July 06, 2008, From West Virginia
Yerba Mate is great all the time, as it's an energizing tea, but this blend is also delicious - with just a touch of stevia! I put a tea bag into my high-alkaline ionized water - due to the microclustered water molecules, it extracts the tea quickly, without any heat! So the "water" is doubly good for you!
April 10, 2009, From Massachusetts
Love this tea. Just a hint of sweetness. No need to add any additional sweetner. Great tasting. ...
April 03, 2010, By Jeremy Stein From California
This Yerba Mate grind is uncured, similar to white tea and certain green teas. It's the best, and I recommend that Yerba lovers put a teaspoon per 8oz in boiling water. Allow it to sit until it's cool enough not to burn your oral mucosa tissue (yerba + burning hot water = oral cancers in some studies). Then you can drink it... Furthermore, the taste of uncured Yerba is superior in my opinion. It's sweeter and less bitter. Yerba is theoretically a good adjunct those trying to use nicotine replacement products to quick smoking. Yerba Mate may inhibt MAO-B enzymes, which is part of what gives tobacco smoke additional euphoriant properties (with concomitant withdrawal effects) beyond nicotine alone. MAO-B partial inhibition may or may not be pleasant for typical drinkers. It, can cause agitation in some people.
April 24, 2008, From Mississippi
I love the yerba mate tea. It has a more milder flavor ... and it really curbs my appetite. I am drinking the tea for weight loss so far so good.I will definitely order again and have sent you several customers.I have lost 6 pounds and 18.25 inches overall since March 19, 2008. Thanks for this wonderful product.
October 31, 2011, By Angela Cleveland From Georgia
This is my 1st time using Yerba Mate tea. I purchased it because it said it will increase my metabolism and give me more energy. I drink it before I go to the gym in the morning and find that it is a good pick me up. ... I like this and recommend if you need a boost in the a.m without jitters. My body just feel awake and clear. Gave this 5 stars cause I believe it is a good energy boost.
November 21, 2008, From California
one of the best teas with antioxidants. drink it every single day. …
December 19, 2010, From California
This product rocks! Energizing without making you crash like coffee does....plus full of health benefits.
April 21, 2011, From California
I love this tea! I don't use a lot of caffeine, but before a workout, this tea, with milk and honey ... So yummy!
September 04, 2011, By Ronald Hamby From California
Have been using Mate for years. Love the feeling, unlike coffie, Mate works to keep me focused cup after cup, up to 7 cups on days i'm working.
from Ukraine November 19, 2011
very good!
July 27, 2009, From Arizona
Been drinking it for years, I love it!! Good iced too!
August 07, 2009, From Virginia
I really enjoy this tea...not really much of a energy rush but it helps me stay away from coffee and not mis it.
September 23, 2009, From Illinois
I drink the traditional yerbe mate from a gourd with a bombilla, and this is my favorite. Full, mild flavor.
January 20, 2010, From Washington
LOve this tea, helped curve my appetite, the taste was good too.
March 21, 2008, From Pennsylvania
Amazing. I may as well be in the rainforest drinking this stuff... Seriously, this is great tea. ... An excellent buy!
June 10, 2010, From New York
Trying to stay away from coffee and this stuff makes it very easy.