http://www.care2.com/greenliving/the-magic-of-yerba-mate.html
The Magic of Yerba Maté
By Veronica Peterson, Editor, Healthy & Green Living
Walk anywhere in Argentina and you can’t help but notice stylish men and women toting, not Starbucks lattes or portable coffee mugs, but instead, fist-size gourds, piled high with loose tea, topped with hot water and served, filtered, with a metal straw. Yerba maté - it’s thick and sludge-like, bitter-tasting and quite frankly, in my first-timer opinion, not-so-delicious. Yet, it’s one of the most healthful, natural beverages on earth.
Very similar to coffee and tea, Yerba Maté has been used as a beverage since the time of the ancient Indians of Brazil and Paraguay and is considered a national drink in several South American countries. Consumed in moderation, it is widely considered a healthy alternative to caffeine and is considered safe by the FDA. However, unlike sugary energy drinks, tea or coffee, it offers you long-lasting energy, focus and alertness without the dreaded side-effects of caffeine.
Some benefits of Yerba Maté:
Helps Prevent Cancer
Maté contains polyphenols, powerful antioxidants that are considered to have anti-cancer effects in humans by strengthening our immune systems while preventing the damage done by free-radicals. In lab tests, the herb and its components protect our DNA from damage by reducing oxidative stress on heart and liver cells and have been shown to kill human liver cancer cells.
Boosts Energy
Great for those who love the energy-boosting effects of caffeine but don’t love the flip side - shakes, mood swings and eventual crash. Maté helps to eliminate fatigue, while stimulating mental and physical activity with little or no side-effects compared to caffeine.
Stimulates Digestion
That bitter taste does serve a greater a purpose. Users who drink maté after meals report less digestive problems.
Packed with Vitamins
The herb contains vitamins A, C, E, B1, B2, Niacin, B5 and complex minerals like Selenium, Calcium, Magnesium, Zinc, Phosphorus, Potassium, Magnesium, and Iron. Maté also contains Carotene, Fatty Acids, Flavonols, Polyphenols (like those found in red wine), Trace Minerals, 80% more antioxidants than green tea, and 15 Amino Acids.
Fights Disease
Yerba Maté also contains phytochemicals that have been found to stimulate the immune system and protect the body against disease. Yerba Maté health benefits have been documented by research such as being anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, increases fat burning, aids in weight loss, and can help the brain with mental clarity.
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48 comments
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Konteyner
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People, people, you cannot listen to the MSM(main stream media). Yerba Mate is fine to drink. They just try to debunk it because it does have health benefits and if people are healthy the drug companies lose money. It's all about the money.
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I'm Argentinian and I have Mate almost every day, but I was never conscious of what it really does to you. In Argentina, they tell us that when you have stomach problems, you can usually drink some Mate to settle your stomach and eventually, you'll be relieved in the bathroom.
With my family, we don't go anywhere without the Mate, it's better than tea and not always bitter. Mixing different Yerbas (tea leaves and herbs) you can make your own healthy taste to your Mate.
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I love the taste & effects of yerba mate it has a energizing feeling all day with just one cup! I do believe moderation in all things is important! I have aquired several vintage gourds
with silver lining on top with a sterling
bombilla straw with a strainer on the end & a chilean centavos as a holder ,one of which is for sale @ my online store www.crystalcreek.etsy.com if interested please check it out. I love mine.
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why is this inappropriate?
I love the taste & effects of yerba mate it has a energizing feeling all day with just one cup! I do believe moderation in all things is important! I have aquired several vintage gourds
with silver lining on top with a sterling
bombilla straw with a strainer on the end & a chilean centavos as a holder ,one of which is for sale @ my online store www.crystalcreek.etsy.com if interested please check it out. I love mine.
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Sorry, I don't know why that submitted twice.
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why is this inappropriate?
Whatever! Some people can drink coffee, while some can't. Some people can take aspirin, while others can't. Some people have a pre-determined risk factor towards cancer, while others don't. Some people can drink Yerba-mate, and some can't. Just remember, the coca leaf is natural, too. It is also used in S.American countries as a stimulant. It isn't until it becomes the derivative we all hear about when it becomes dangerous. Why - because it is highly concentrated in its derivative form. Just don't turn your lovely drink into a concentrated, white crystalline powder that all scientists love to do when conducting research experiments to determine cancer risks. Also remember, scientist researchers also enlightened us of the horrors of l-tryptophan.
Nuff said.
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why is this inappropriate?
Whatever! Some people can drink coffee, while some can't. Some people can take aspirin, while others can't. Some people have a pre-determined risk factor towards cancer, while others don't. Some people can drink Yerba-mate, and some can't. Just remember, the coca leaf is natural, too. It is also used in S.American countries as a stimulant. It isn't until it becomes the derivative we all hear about when it becomes dangerous. Why - because it is highly concentrated in its derivative form. Just don't turn your lovely drink into a concentrated, white crystalline powder that all scientists love to do when conducting research experiments to determine cancer risks. Also remember, scientist researchers also enlightened us of the horrors of l-tryptophan.
Nuff said.
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http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yerba_mate
Note YM is a MAOI (monoamine oxidase inhibitor) and extremely dangerous to consume with seritonin uptake inhibitors like Prozac. Also, 'mateine' IS caffeine. Please be a wise consumer and know that YM has these drug components, ask your doc if you have blood pressure issues, etc., and meds that may be incompatible with YM. I drink it occasionally but don't offer it to guests, because we Americans have more crap in our bloodstreams than the traditional consumers of YM. Wish Veronica did more research and provided a more balanced article on this. As she said, enjoy in moderation, but for some people, that might be far too much.
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I think that before saying that a product is carcinogenic, it's necessary to review more serious statistics. There is no better than the health information of all Argentina, were the consumption of this herbal tea is national. In rural schools kids from early age drink "mate cocido" (mate with milk) and bread, sometimes as their only daily food. Adults drink mate at work, home, school, in the parks, in their cars, on the beaches,... everywhere. Statiscally, there is no more cancer insidence than in any other latinamerican country without consumption of yerba mate. Giving a research result without isolating one factor is not very accurate. With that same mentality, I can link driving a car to cancer because all tobacco smokers drive a car: "The populations included in many of these studies also used alcohol and tobacco products, confounding the influence of driving a car as an independent risk factor."
Conclusion:
Drinking mate is as carcigenic as any other herbal tea, if you don't smoke or drink alcohol.
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