Nov 18, 2018
6 Awesome Medicinal Properties of Yerba Maté
Maté (Ilex paraguariensis) is a plant native to subtropical regions of South America. It is widely used in the South of Brazil, North of Argentina, Paraguay and Uruguay. Maté beverages have been consumed for hundreds of years as infusions popularly known as chimarrão, or tererê both made from green dried mate leaves. Maté tea is made with roasted mate leaves and have a deep dark cola look.
As a natural medication, maté is good for arthritis, migraines, constipation, rheumatism, hemorrhoids, obesity, fatigue, retention of liquid, hypertension, stomach, and liver diseases. Other medicinal properties such as cancer prevention, vaso-dilatation, glication inhibitor and, free radical scavenger have also been evidenced by several recent studies.
Maté beverages are rich in bioactive compounds such as caffeine, phenolic compounds (mainly phenolic acids) and saponins. This article is an introduction to the latest scientific data on maté medicinal properties and daily use.
The joy of drinking maté
Maté is a unique beverage I’ve been enjoying for years. Love coffee but there is something about maté that is unlike any other caffeinated drink. Maté has the cleanest form of caffeine high you can find and is more than just a pleasure to drink — it’s a complete daily ritual. You prepare the cuia, let the herb swell pour hot water and drink from the metal straw (bomba) pouring small amounts of hot water several times; you pass it around with your friends. I enjoy going through the steps to prepare it.
There are many types of cuias you can buy, they are beautifully adorned and have different shapes. They are mostly made of gourds, but other materials are also popular.
6 Awesome Medicinal Properties of Yerba Maté
#1 Anti Diabetic type II Properties
The aggregation between sugar aldehydes and proteins is the basis for diabetic complications when blood sugar is elevated for a long time. Yerba maté works by inhibiting the formation of advanced glycation. Maté extracts have powerful AGE inhibiting qualities.
The anti-diabetic effects of maté are comparable to that of pharmaceutical grade AGE inhibitor drugs. AGE, which are irreversibly formed, accumulate with aging, atherosclerosis, and diabetes mellitus. Maté combat diabetes at its core, not only lowering blood sugar but preventing the process that aggravates diabetes type II on the long run.
#2 Anti-fatigue and stimulant actions
Yerba maté is a central nervous system (CNS) stimulant. Metabolic effects of maté appear to have the ability to maintain aerobic breakdown of carbohydrates during exercise for long periods of time.
As a result, more calories are burned, thereby increasing cardiac efficiency and delaying the build-up of lactic acid. Drinking 3 small cups of maté before you workout will give noticeable higher levels of energy and endurance. Try it, and find out for yourself.
#3 Antioxidant, anti-inflammatory
Oxygen radicals are involved in many human diseases including cancer, inflammation, liver and cardiovascular diseases. Yerba maté antioxidant, anti obesity and anti-inflammation properties have been thoroughly studied and confirmed [3].
Inflammation is a factor in many diseases: cancer, cardiovascular disease, obesity, and diabetes. It was determined that yerba maté reduces acute lung inflammation in mice exposed to cigarette smoke. Quercetin was found to be the most potent inhibitor of pro-inflammatory responses in yerba maté.
Yerba maté extracts have been previously shown to provide antioxidant activity and inhibition of LDL (the bad cholesterol). Mice fed yerba maté had lower thiobarbituric acid reactive substances in the liver, suggesting that treatment with yerba maté may especially protect the liver.
#4 Mental clarity
Yerba Maté quickens the mind and increase mental alertness and acuity. After drinking a few cups full of mate one feels a boost of energy, focus and ability to concentrate on either intellectual or physical work.
Maté gives you mental sharpness much like coffee but with a difference. It does not give you the jitters. There’s no effect to the nerves. No nervousness, heart palpitations, crankiness, or insomnia. Mate gives you clean high energy, and mental clarity. What else can you ask for? Nutrients and antioxidants? You got that too.
Drinking maté may also improves sleep providing collateral benefits. Because maté speeds up metabolism, you’ll also fell more tired at the end of the day. And because the maté caffeine does not affect the nerves, you’re more likely to achieve deep sleep more often. Quality sleep will in turn contribute to overall well-being and mental fitness giving you higher energy levels.
Several studies suggest maté might be useful in treating a variety of disorders such as depression, attention deficit, mood, emotional disorders, Parkinson’s disease, extra-pyramidal disorders, hypertension, substance abuse, eating disorders, withdrawal syndromes, and smoke cessation. Yerba maté can inhibit monoamine oxidase (MAO) activity by 40–50%. [15]
#5 Cardiovascular protection
Maté is a powerful vasodilatation agent. Some articles on the web may warn you about increased blood pressure after drinking mate due to its caffeine content. But keep it in mind that mate only has a little more caffeine than black tea.
But the effects of caffeine are outweighed by the vasodilatation properties in maté. Maté is an AGE inhibitor. As mentioned above, AGE creates inflammation of the arteries and decreased vasculatures, and reduces nitric oxide [9]. Maté was found to reverse erectile dysfunction and preserve pressure-induced cutaneous vasodilation in diabetic animals [11].
The diuretic effect of the tea helps reduce hypertension, another leading cause of heart failure. Theophylline found in maté is also an excellent source of theobromine, commonly used for treating high blood pressure. This compound relaxes the blood vessels and facilitates vasodilatation, reducing the load on the heart.
The heart-protective effect of yerba maté comes from different mechanisms. The strong antioxidant effect of phytochemicals may protect the heart and blood vessels against oxidative damage. They may also prevent the peroxidation of lipids. Oxidized lipid molecules tend to accumulate on the arterial walls, especially in damaged areas, forming atherosclerotic plaques.
Atherosclerosis is one of the markers of poor cardiovascular health since it can reduce the blood flow to the heart and other vital organs. When it completely blocks the blood supply to the heart muscles, it causes heart attacks. And, when supply to the brain is affected, it may result in stroke.
Laboratory experiments have also shown that yerba Maté can reduce platelet aggregation. This reduces the risk of blood clots that can potentially cause stroke or heart attack.
# 6 Weigh loss
Yerba maté was powerful digestive properties. Within 30 minutes of drinking you’ll feel your stomach juices rumbling. Maté increases stomach acids allowing you to eat a heavy and fatty meal and avoid indigestion. Absorption of food minerals and vitamins is also enhanced due to a more efficient digestion.
Yerba maté extracts significantly delay gastric emptying, decreasing the perceived time to fullness and ultimately inducing weight loss. Yerba maté extract has potent anti-obesity effects in adipose tissue controlling the expression of several genes related to obesity processes, such as inflammatory markers.
Yerba maté is also a potent pancreatic lipase inhibitor [2]. This enzyme is responsible for breaking down fat that end up being stored in adipose tissue and around the organs. Pacreatic lipase inhibitors are used in drugs to treat obesity. The inhibitor action of mate is greater than that of green tea. After pancreatic inhibitor action, fat is excreted in the intestines and does not accumulate in tissues or blood. Polyphenol level in yerba maté is higher than in green tea, and is the same as levels found in red wines.
Minerals found in maté
Caffeine in maté (matéine?)
Besides caffeine, yerba maté contains two related compounds, theobromine and theophylline. Some herbalists however claim that the stimulant found in maté is not caffeine but a newly discovered chemical they called matéine. This new xanthine supposedly possessed all the positive attributes of caffeine, but none of the negatives [7].
Unfortunately, there are no studies or research validating this hypothesis. However, many scientific studies since then have identified, the fact that caffeine, theobromine, and theophylline are the primary active xanthine alkaloids in the maté leaf.
Buy fresh and organic yerba maté here: GoYerbaMate.com
Quality products too at: Circle of drink
Image credit: Flickr.com [1] [2] [3] [4] [5]
Resources:
- Anti-obesity and anti-diabetic effects of Yerba Mate (Ilex paraguariensis) in C57BL/6J mice fed a high-fat diet
- Maté Tea Inhibits In Vitro Pancreatic Lipase Activity and Has Hypolipidemic Effect on High-fat Diet-induced Obese Mice
- Yerba maté: Pharmacological Properties, Research and Biotechnology
- Yerba Mate Tea (Ilex paraguariensis): A Comprehensive Review on Chemistry, Health Implications, and Technological Considerations
- COMPOSITION AND BIOACTIVE PROPERTIES OF YERBA MATE (Ilex paraguariensis A. St.-Hil.): A REVIEW
- Effects of Mate´ Tea (Ilex paraguariensis) Ingestion on mRNA Expression of Antioxidant Enzymes, Lipid Peroxidation, and Total Antioxidant Status in Healthy Young Women
- Caffeine (1, 3, 7-trimethylxanthine) in Foods: A Comprehensive Review on Consumption, Functionality, Safety, and Regulatory Matters
- Yerba Maté FAQ “Just Like Green Tea, Only Better!”
- Chelation: A Fundamental Mechanism of Action of AGE Inhibitors, AGE Breakers, and Other Inhibitors of Diabetes Complications
- Assessment report on Ilex paraguariensis St. Hilaire, folium
- Phenolic compounds, antioxidant activity and in vitro inhibitory potential against key enzymes relevant for hyperglycemia and hypertension of commonly used medicinal plants, herbs and spices in Latin America
- Inhibitors of Advanced Glycation End Products (AGEs): Potential Utility for the Treatment of Cardiovascular Disease
- Endothelium-dependent vasorelaxing activity of aqueous extracts of Ilex paraguariensis on mesenteric arterial bed of rats
- Effect of erva-mate (Ilex paraguariensis A. St.-Hil., Aquifoliaceae) on serum cholesterol, triacylglycerides and glucose in Wistar rats fed a diet supplemented with fat and sugar
- The impact of caffeine on mood, cognitive function, performance and hydration: a review of benefits and risks
- Caffeine and the central nervous system: mechanisms of action, biochemical, metabolic and psychostimulant effects
