"It is difficult to find a plant in any area of the world equal to Mate in nutritional value." Yerba Mate is a sought after source of difficult to find important nutrients: Vitamins B-1, B-2, A, riboflavin, carotene, colin, pantothenic acid, inositol and 15 types of amino acids (F. Alikaridis 1987). It also contains significant quantities of the all important iron, potassium, and magnesium minerals, something Green Tea lacks. As noted by The Pasteur Institute and the Paris Scientific Society, "It is difficult to find a plant in any area of the world equal to Mate in nutritional value."

More about Yerba Mate

Just about everyone has felt the jittery side effects of stimulants at one time or another. Yerba mate, in contrast, appears to give your brain a boost without making you nervous. You feel alert and sharp. Interestingly, it actually works as a tonic for the central nervous system, calming the body and the mind. It has also been shown to improve mood and concentration, reduce anxiety, and prevent mental fatigue.

How it works

There are 196 chemicals in yerba mate that are active in the body including B vitamins; Vitamins A, C, and E; and the minerals calcium, magnesium, iron, potassium, and selenium. And mate has 11 polyphenols, which are powerful antioxidants. Plus, it's high in chlorophyll, which gives it its rich green color and may offer additional antioxidant benefits.

But the most important chemical in mate is one by the name of "mateine." Mateine is a xanthine alkaloid. You might have heard of other xanthines, such as caffeine, theophylline, and theobromine. Mateine appears to possess the best combination of xanthine properties. Like other xanthines, it stimulates the central nervous system, but unlike others, it doesn't appear to be addicting. Unlike caffeine, it isn't a strong diuretic, so it's much less likely to dehydrate the body.

Mistakenly, many people think of all xanthines in herbal supplements as caffeine. But whether you call it mateine or mistake it for caffeine, a cup of mate will likely give you quite a lift. For a quick comparison, 50 grams of yerba mate (a typical cup of the tea) with a typical mateine content of 1 to 1.5% by weight contains the equivalent of 500 to 750 mg of caffeine. But a typical cup of coffee contains only 80 to 175 mg of caffeine, and a cup of tea has about half that amount. Thus, we're looking at over twice the "active" ingredient. You might achieve lift off with mate, without the side effects associated with other popular stimulants.

Increased energy and fat burning

The result of the chemical combination in mate may, obviously, be a BIG increase in energy and fat burning. One of the most remarkable abilities of mate appears to be that it gives users energy without the muscle tension associated with caffeine. In fact, all xanthines, with the exception of caffeine, cause smooth muscle relaxation.

Mate may help support long-term energy by maintaining energy production with oxygen for longer periods of time, which burns more calories, improves heart efficiency, and delays buildup of endurance, robbing waste products, such as lactic acid that are created by anaerobic glycolysis (energy production without oxygen). One indicator that it is working to burn more fat is a drop in something called the respiratory quotient (RQ), which indicates a rise in the proportion of fat being oxidized or burned in the body. Science is revealing that it also helps stabilize blood sugar to potentially reduce the risk of diabetes and hypoglycemia.

Other powerful benefits

Improved sleep: Incredibly, mate does not interfere with sleep. In fact, it improves sleep and increases rapid eye movement (REM) sleep as well as the time spent in deep sleep (delta sleep). Many people report that they require less sleep when using mate because they sleep deeper.

Digestive function and detoxification: Mate has been shown to improve digestion and repair damaged gastrointestinal tissues. It may control constipation by softening stools and stimulating intestinal contractions. Mate also may help detoxify the body by increasing water loss thru urination, digestive movements, and evacuation.

Safe for the heart: While other stimulants, like caffeine and ephedra, are feared to potentially have harmful effects on the heart, mate has been shown to actually be good for the heart. It may increase the supply of oxygen and nutrients to the heart during stress or exercise and may lower blood pressure and improve circulation in some people by relaxing blood vessels.

Immune support: Mate appears to boost immunity both by fighting infectious organisms and supporting immune cells, particularly white blood cells, in the body. Vitamins C and E, found in mate, are important for immune support. Unlike other herbs that may continuously stimulate the immune system, mate acts to balance immunity as a tonic. Saponins are also important chemicals in mate, which may be partially responsible for its immune-supporting effects.

Improve lung function Yerba mate also helps relieve allergies by stimulating the adrenal glands to produce corticosteroids, which suppress inflammation and overactive immune responses. It also opens the respiratory passages. This is good news for athletes since these benefits aid optimal breathing and get more oxygen into the body. Mate's potential to relax muscles may make it useful for asthma since it appears to dilate the bronchi (gas absorbers in your lungs).

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