What do we need to know about the active ingredients of Yerba Mate You get up early, the sun has not yet risen and it seems that you will need a tonic drink. For variety, make a warm cup of tea with Yerba Mate. After half an hour, you are surprised to find that it is really invigorating. The reason? Caffeine, of course, but the interesting thing in this case is that its effect is not equivalent to that of green, black tea and coffee. The latter can be felt mostly by connoisseurs.
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What is Yerba Mate? ( Ilex Paraguriensis )
Yerba Mate (Ilex paraguariensis, Aquifoliaceae) is an evergreen tree typical of subtropical forests in South America. Its growth zone extends to Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay and Uruguay. Traditionally, the list and soft twigs in Mate are used to make similar tea drinks with moderate coffee content, which the locals use as a tonic for the mind and an organic means, as well as to improve lazy digestion.
What do we need to know about the active ingredients of Yerba Mate?
Yerba Mate has long been thought to contain the caffeine-like substance “matein”. Today it is known that such a substance does not exist, but in fact it is pure caffeine, so the word matein is just one of its many synonyms. Depending on how dry the mixture is in Yerba Mate tea, the latter usually contains a little more caffeine than black tea and a little less than a cup of coffee.
In addition to caffeine, Mate extract contains a whole cocktail of xanthines, which studies show works differently on the body than tea, coffee and other sources of the molecules in question. Mate’s tonic effect is similar to that of coffee, but its effect is concentrated on muscle tissue rather than the central nervous system. After taking Mate, toning of the heart and skeletal muscles and relaxation of the smooth ones (including smooth muscle fibers in the blood vessels) are observed.
In many parts of the world, Yerba Mate tea is seen as an equivalent alternative to green tea, and connoisseurs give it the same health properties. True, Mate extract contains antioxidant polyphenols similar to those in tea, but this in itself is not evidence of a health effect.
Proven benefits:
- Proven tonic effect on the body and mind. As a consequence of its caffeine content.
- Accelerates digestion. Due to increased intestinal activity and increased secretion of gastrointestinal fluids.
- It has a calming effect. Studies have shown the ability of Yerba Mate extract to block monoamine oxidase (MAO).
Assumptions, poorly studied statements and scientific predictions:
- Mate taken with Guarana and Damiana extract during a meal increases the feeling of satiety within hours. It has been found that people who consume such a drink are satiated with less food and feel full for a longer time. However, it is not known which herb gives the main effect.
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It has antioxidant potential: In theory, in other words, on paper. So far, there are no independent and properly conducted scientific studies to prove the real antioxidant effect of Mate extracts on the body.
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It has canceroprotective potential: There are studies on laboratory animals and tissues that assign a similar future to some of the xanthines in Yerba Mate, but so far this is not enough to draw a scientifically correct conclusion. Some scientists are of the opposite opinion, putting a mark of “suspect” on Mate extracts in connection with the spontaneous appearance of specific cancers characteristic of the esophagus, stomach and oral cavity.
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Improves heart health: Research is in its infancy, and while it portends a revolution in the way the heart is treated, it’s best to wait for real confirmation.
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Increased libido: There is no evidence of a similar effect. There is a lack of research.
Are there any side effects and contraindications to taking Yerba Mate?
Yerba Mate extract is accepted as a generally safe product in the recommended dosages for daily consumption. However, medical history keeps records of people harming themselves by abusing huge doses of the herb in question, including one death. Intensive and systemic intake of Yerba Mate (in large doses and for years) is indirectly associated with several types of cancer, including esophageal cancer, stomach cancer, kidney cancer and lung cancer.
There is also direct evidence of the carcinogenic effect of Yerba Mate obtained from bacterial studies. Finally, as containing caffeine, Yerba Mate extract is associated with all the side effects characteristic of caffeine overuse (caffeinism).
It should not be taken by pregnant or breast-feeding women or when taken with antidepressants.
Dosage
Traditionally, a dose of 3 to 10 g of dry herb is used for a cup of Yerba Mate tea, as well as two to three cups of tea a day. When taking a dry standardized extract in the form of a food supplement, it is best to follow the instructions on the label.
In which sports and health supplements can we find Yerba Mate extract?
As a caffeine-containing herb, Yerba Mate is most often used in herbal tonics, thermogenic and complex fat burners.
Sources used for : What do we need to know about the active ingredients of Yerba Mate
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
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