Yerba mate is a caffeine-laden beverage from South America that is brewed from the leaves of the yerba mate bush. Yerba mate tea, also simply called mate, is now a popular drink in other parts of the world, including the United States. Not only is mate a tasty and invigorating beverage, but it has medicinal benefits that recommend it, as well. Use yerba mate only under a doctor's supervision.
Description
Indigenous to Uruguay, Paraguay and Argentina, yerba mate is an evergreen bush that can grow up to 65 feet tall, although cultivated bushes are trimmed to 20 feet, according to naturopath Leslie Taylor in "The Healing Power of Rainforest Herbs." Mate has the glossy, leathery leaves, like other members of the holly family. "Yerba Mate C/S" refers to the fact that the plant material is cut and sifted before being sold. Traditionally, the leaves are smoked over a fire, and then brewed into a tea. Because some people do not like the smoky taste, you can now buy green or unsmoked mate.
Traditional Uses
Mate is traditionally used in the Amazon rain forest region to treat indigestion and fatigue, and to improve cognition and mental alertness, according to the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, UPMC. Other ethnobotanical uses include treatment for nerve pain, depression, water retention and as an appetite suppressant, according to Taylor. She also notes that mate is used to lower blood pressure, cleanse the blood, tone the heart and as a laxative. The use of yerba mate is not an adequate substitute for advice and treatment from a qualified health-care provider.
Scientific Investigations
The June 2011 issue of "Molecular Nutrition and Food Research" reports that phytochemicals called dicaffeoylquinic acids, or diCQAs, were isolated from yerba mate leaves and tested against human colon cancer cells. This test-tube study demonstrated that diCQAs induced cell death in human colon cancer cells. Researchers concluded that yerba mate constituents might be developed as anti-cancer drugs, as well as for inflammatory diseases, such as rheumatoid arthritis. Another study published in a 2010 issue of "Journal of Food Science" tested methanol extracts of yerba mate powder for antioxidant properties. The extracts contained high levels of antioxidants called polyphenols, which scientists postulate may be used to benefit human well-being. Consult a qualified health-care provider before adding yerba mate to your regimen.
Safety
Yerba mate tea contains caffeine, which can cause nervousness, sleeplessness, gastric problems and irregular heartbeat. If you are sensitive to caffeine, you should avoid yerba mate. In addition, yerba mate may increase the action of certain anti-depressants called MAO-inhibitors, according to the UPMC.
References
- "Molecular Nutrition and Food Research"; Dicaffeoylquinic Acids in Yerba Mate (Ilex Paraguariensis St. Hilaire) Inhibit NF-κB nucleus Translocation in Macrophages and Induce Apoptosis by Activating Caspases-8 and -3 in Human Colon Cancer Cells; S. Puangpraphant et al.; June 2011
- University of Pittsburgh Medical Center: Mate
- "The Healing Power of Rainforest Herbs"; Leslie Taylor; 2005
- "Journal of Food Science"; Phenolic Acids and Methylxanthines Composition and Antioxidant Properties of Mate (Ilex Paraguariensis) Residue; M.A. Vieira et al.; April 2010
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