Yerba Mate Could be Polyphenol Plus for Beverages

Researchers at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign are looking to target antioxidant properties from Mate tea for use as functional beverage ingredients, reports FoodNavigator-USA.com. Mate or yerba mate is a tea-like drink traditionally consumed in South American countries by pouring boiling water onto a high concentration of leaves.

It is drunk in very high concentrations in many Latin American countries as part of a daily social ritual, in which it is passed around amongst friends and coworkers. It has what is often described as an "acquired" and earthy taste. According to their published research, the Illinois researchers have shown yerba mate tea is a rich source of polyphenols.

Green tea extracts are already used in functional beverages for their antioxidant properties, but the leader of the Urbana-Champaign research believes mate tea could bring even greater functional benefits. "The beverage industry can really take advantage of mate tea to add concentrated antioxidants to juices or teas," said Dr. Elvira de Mejia, assistant professor of food chemistry and food toxicology at Urbana-Champaign

 

 

 

Yerba Mate vs. Coffee: Which is Healthier?

At BrainReady, we've covered the brain health and longevity-related benefits of just about every natural drink one could think of; from Matcha green tea to cocoa to the differences between espresso and regular coffee, the list of health-fueling natural choices can be almost overwhelming if you're trying to pick the right one for you.

But we'd be remiss if we didn't add Yerba Mate (pronounced "yair-ba mah-tay") to the list, particularly with so many BrainReady readers asking us how it stacks up against the surprisingly nutrient-rich coffee -- in both the nutrition department as well as the unpleasant side effects that can accompany coffee and espresso for many people.

And unpleasant side effects, such as the stomach upset, post-caffeine "crash", shakiness and even serious anxiety that accompany coffee for some people, are also a serious problem for the often unrecognized fact that many people choose to drink chemical and sugar-laden sodas instead, as a sad alternative, missing out on the health benefits of these antioxidant-rich natural foods and instead ingesting unhealthy artificial alternatives. How many people do you know that say, "yeah, I can't really do coffee...." as they sip their 3rd diet soda? And we wonder why obesity and poor health is a problem. But we digress.

Actually, the better-than-coffee notion may indeed be the key driver of the Yerba Mate explosion over the last couple years. Another (perhaps related) factor may be the growing list of celebrities such as Matt Dillon, Madonna, Moby and other celebs, athletes and health gurus who all swear by the health benefits of Mate, citing the common Mate gospel, "significant mental and physical energy boosting without the crash or jittery effects of coffee, and with far more nutrients".

So what is Yerba Mate? Yerba Mate, or Mate as it is often called, is a South American herb from the holly shrub of the South American rain forest. It grows wild in Argentina, Chile, Peru, and Brazil, but is most abundantly in Paraguay where it is also cultivated. Drinking Mate is a longtime traditional social activity in Mexico, Argentina, Uruguay and Paraguay -- family or friends pass around a "gourd" (fist-sized, round wooden ball-like cup) of the brew (just hot water and Mate leaves & stems), sipped through a "bombilla" (which translates to "little pump" or "straw"), often made of silver or bamboo. It's brewed in similar fashion other teas or even coffee in this sense; just hot water and the source, so it can also be easily brewed in a french press, tea ball infuser, tea pot with tea holder area, and similar methods if you don't happen to have a traditional gourd handy...

By LAURA JOHANNES
 
Yerba mate tastes bitter, so is it any surprise it's supposed
to be good for you? Companies that sell the strong-flavored South American
tea say it's full of nutrients that fight disease, provide energy and aid
weight loss. Research does show Yerba mate has positive effects on cells in
test tubes and animals, but scientists say human studies are needed.
 
The leaves of a holly shrub called ilex paraguariensis are dried to make Yerba
mate (pronounced mah-tay). In South America, it is drunk in gourds with
straws, often shared by a group of friends. In the U.S., it's sold in tea
bags, leaf tea and cold energy drinks.

 Yerba mate is increasingly popular,
despite its harsh, grassy taste, because of health claims ranging from
cancer-fighting activity to prevention of atherosclerosis. It's purported to
have more antioxidants than green tea. Contrary to some marketing claims,
scientists say the tea does contain caffeine, though less than coffee.

University of Illinois scientist Elvira de Mejia, who receives no funding
from Yerba mate growers or marketers, says studies by her lab and others
have found the tea contains more antioxidants than green tea. But the
difference is small, and depends on the brand and how you brew it, she adds.
Yerba mate contains little or no catechines, the green-tea ingredient linked
to a lower risk of prostate cancer.

 Yerba mate is far less studied than
green tea, but a flurry of scientific research has been published in recent
years. In test tubes, it inhibits growth of some kinds of cancer cells, but
so far there no proof of cancer-retarding properties in humans.

 Several small studies have found it aids weight loss, but scientists say more
research is needed. Preliminary work suggests the South American brew may
fight atherosclerosis. Scientists at Touro University in California found
Yerba mate has more antioxidant power against the cellular reactions that
lead to arterial blockages than either red wine or green tea. And, in a
study published last year, Brazilian scientists found the tea slowed the
progression of arterial plaques in rabbits fed a high-cholesterol diet for
two months.

 Nutritionists counsel against Yerba mate for pregnant women and
diabetics, because of the caffeine, which could harm a fetus and raise blood
sugar. Individuals at risk for esophageal cancer, such as smokers and heavy
drinkers, might also want to sip cautiously. A published study found a
higher incidence of esophageal cancer in Uruguay residents who drank more
than four cups of Yerba mate daily compared with those who drunk none.

Yerba mate is generally brewed in a less intense form in the U.S. than in
South America. Still, if you don't like the bitter taste, you can soften it
with sweeteners or orange peel. Don't add milk, scientists say, because it
inhibits absorption of the tea's antioxidants

The Hidden benefits of Yerba Mate

If you're planning on starting a new diet, you will probably hear about the "new" South American tea that has found its way into our culture. It is called Yerba Mate, and has been referred to as the perfect beverage.

This tea helps detoxify the body, metabolize fat, control hunger, restore hair color, retard aging, increase libido and increase energy all without the negative effects typical of other caffeinated beverages. Natural and effective, Yerba Mate naturally aids in weight loss and weight control.

Paraguay and Argentina are the largest cultivators of Yerba Mate, and the people were the first to discover its benefits using it as a main ingredient in medical cures and a way to maintain a health life. It has been found to inhibit oral cancer cell proliferation by a study conducted at the University of Illinois, and it is also now known that Yerba Mate contains cancer-fighting properties.

It is full of antioxidants, Vitamins A, C and E as well as many phytochemicals. Phytochemicals contain powerful antioxidants and augment immune defenses and protect against cellular destruction. Saponins are also found in Yerba Mate and have been found to protect against disease by inciting immune response. Drinking Mate tea, however, should not substitute eating fresh fruits and vegetables to reduce risk of cancer.

Stevia is a bush native to South America that has been used for centuries by the natives of Paraguay, where it’s grown primarily as a sweetener and for medicinal uses. The stevia leaf is usually a component of Paraguayan teas, including the widely popular beverage yerba mate.

Stevia is 200 to 300 times sweeter than sugar but has none of the calories, and it can be used in many of the same ways you use sugar.

Like maple syrup, honey or molasses, Stevia has its own unique flavor, which can affect the taste of some foods and beverages.

Not only is Stevia useful as a sweetener, it also has many health benefits as well.

Blood Glucose

Rather than raise blood sugar like most other natural sweeteners, stevia actually lowers it. Research from the Journal of Phytomedicine shows that stevia helps control blood glucose and promotes insulin creation. Results of the study (which was performed on type 2 diabetic rats) led the researchers at the time to conclude that the plant extract stevioside may potentially be used as a new anti-diabetic medication for type 2 diabetes.

Hypertension

A double-blind placebo-controlled study published in the British Journal of Clinical Pharmacology showed that stevia lowers blood pressure. The study was performed on 106 Chinese subjects with high blood pressure.

Dental Health

Another difference between stevia and sugar is that stevia does not cause tooth decay. A study from the Department of Pediatric Dentistry at the University of Illinois showed that neither of stevia’s primary components, stevioside or rebaudioside, causes cavities. Another study by Portuguese researchers showed that stevia kills the bacteria Streptococcus mutans, which is a prime factor in the creation of dental plaque. But don’t put down your toothbrush just yet—there are many other causes of plaque and cavities.

Is Stevia the Sweetener for You?

In recent years, stevia has been steadily gaining market share in the United States and internationally, and it’s quickly becoming a staple in many American kitchens. Stevia may take some getting used to, but if you give this sweet little leaf a try, you just might find you like it.

Yerba mate: the newest coffeehouse "it" drink may beat out java for health and energy benefits

Americans cry, "I need coffee," when they want a quick pick-me-up. But those living in the southern hemisphere cry out for an entirely different drink--one that has more in common with tea--when they're feeling a bit blah.

Called yerba mate (pronounced yerba mah-tay), it's found both in the wild and in mugs from Paraguay and Uruguay to Brazil and Argentina. It has a long history as a medicinal herb used for everything from increasing immunity and cleansing the blood to reducing stress and battling insomnia. But why should we switch out our coffee?

Yerba mate contains three different xanthines, or stimulant compounds, one of which is caffeine. However, fans swear mate's xanthine cocktail is better than coffee or tea when it comes to increasing energy and alertness without inducing jittery side effects. And that same cocktail may be the reason for mate's apparent weight-loss effect.