The Origins Of Yerba Mate
Yerba Mate (Ilex paraguariensis) or Mate for short, is a popular tea alternative with a long drinking history in the South American country of Paraguay. It was first consumed by the indigenous Guarani people, later spreading to the Tupi people, and eventually to a sizeable chunk of South America. Then, as the world became more globalized in the 21st century, the drink found its way to other parts of the world. These days you can find it in stocked in most major cities around the world.
It is traditionally drunk in a gourd, using a metal or wooden straw but nowadays you can find it in just about every format that your imagination can conjure up. Yerba Mate entrepreneurs have turned it into sparkling canned sodas, energy shots, and supplement pills. What this means for you is that you need to be careful to avoid Yerba Mate with a lot of unwanted extra ingredients, but it also means you have options if you choose to incorporate it into your weight loss routine.
The Unique Nutritional Profile Of Yerba Mate
The main compounds found in brewed Yerba Mate include varying degrees of caffeine, theobromine, theophylline, rutin, quercetin, kaempferol, chlorogenic acid, and caffeic acid. The exact amounts depend on the origin of the leaves used, the quantity brewed and the method of brewing. Prior to brewing, caffeine is generally present at 1 to 2% of total dry weight, followed by theobromine at 0.3 to 0.9% of total dry weight. The consumption of caffeine found in a cup of Yerba Mate (78 mg) is similar to that of a cup of coffee (85 mg). However, the traditional method of Yerba Mate consumption involves repeatedly pouring additional hot water over the brewed leaves, which can result in a much higher intake of more than 260 mg of caffeine per serving. (1)
Can Yerba Mate Improve Your Workout?
Much like coffee and many of the other performance enhancers on this list, the key ingredient that makes Yerba Mate a good energy booster is the presence of caffeine. However, unlike the jittery feeling that you can sometimes get from drinking coffee, Yerba Mate drinkers report that this doesn’t happen with Mate. Science backs up their claim. Yerba Mate has demonstrated a relaxing effect on smooth muscle tissue, while simultaneously having stimulating effect on myocardial (heart) tissue. (2) This can be attributed to the presence of plant compounds that are in Yerba Mate, that are not contained in coffee.
Can Yerba Mate Help You Lose Weight?
Other unique compounds in Yerba Mate have their own fat burning and / or weight loss effects. For example, in one animal model, rutin was shown to reduce bodyweight by 7.9% compared to the control group. (3) In another animal study involving rats, theobromine was able to induce weight loss and positively change the lipid profile of the animals. (4) When you consume Yerba Mate, you get a synergistic effect with all of these key fat burning compounds working together to give you the results you are looking for.
The anti-obesity activity of Yerba Mate beverages has been validated in clinical trials. A randomized double-blind trial demonstrated that body fat mass was significantly reduced in obese people that took 3 grams a day worth of Yerba Mate capsules for 12 weeks. (5)
Does Yerba Mate Have Side Effects?
Yerba Mate is an acquired taste for many people. It has that feeling of an herbal tea, which is fine for some people, but others can find it off-putting. If you want a tastier version, look for roasted Yerba Mate, which is more nutty and can be considered more broadly appealing. If you want to try it with a sweetener, make sure you choose either stevia or monk fruit extract. A good quality, raw honey is okay in small amounts as well.
Besides the taste, it should be noted that some people are sensitive to theobromine. Theobromine is found in the cacao plant as well and it’s what makes chocolate toxic to dogs, because their bodies are unable to metabolize it. While it’s unlikely that any human would have the same reaction as a dog would, there are some people who are sensitive to it and can experience negative side effects. So if it’s your first time trying it (or any new substance really) then start of small to gauge the effect it has on you. Once you determine that everything is okay, you can gradually consume more.
Third, although unlikely to happen to even a moderate daily consumer, at least one study shows that really heavy users of Mate in South America were documented with an increased risk of upper-aerodigestive tract cancers (a 1.6- to 4-fold increase for heavy drinkers). It was speculated that this risk was caused by the tannins in the leaf (mate contains 7-14% tannins) consumed at a high temperature. (2) Again, this was shown in those who drank very large quantities of Yerba Mate, likely due to cultural reasons where it’s common to drink it all day as a social activity. The average Yerba Mate drinker outside of its traditional environment would not be consuming anywhere near the quantities observed in this study.
Lastly, as with all of the other fat burners that contain caffeine, you should be mindful of how much daily caffeine you consume.
Some Of Our Favorite Yerba Mate
Two of the Yerba Mates below are made from the fresh dry leaves, but we also included a roasted variety for you to try. For those who want the energy boost but don’t care for the flavor of the traditional Yerba Mate, the roasted leaves have a much more approachable taste.
The Yerba Mate We Sip Regularly To Stay Lean
The first is a solid loose leaf choice. The second comes in a convenient tea bag format. The third is a roasted loose leaf for better flavor.
Loose Leaf Yerba Mate To Fuel Your Workout
Mate Factor, Organic Yerba Mate, Fresh Green, Loose Herb Tea, 12 oz (340 g)
Caffeine
Theobromine
Quercetin
Chlorogenic Acid
Yerba Mate Tea Bags For Pre-Workout
Eco Teas, Yerba Mate, Unsmoked, Green Energy, 24 Tea Bags, 1.7 oz (48 g)
Caffeine
Theobromine
Quercetin
In Convenient Tea Bag Form
Roasted Yerba Mate To Burn Fat
The Tao of Tea, Organic Roasted Maté, 4.0 oz (115 g)
More Appealing Taste Than Regular Yerba Mate
Great Source Of Caffeine
Theobromine
Strong Natural Pre-Workout
The Yerba Mate
We Sip Regularly To Stay Lean
The 1st - a solid loose leaf choice
The 2nd - a convenient tea bag format
The 3rd - a roasted loose leaf for better flavor
Organic Loose Leaf Yerba Mate
Mate Factor, Organic Yerba Mate, Fresh Green, Loose Herb Tea, 12 oz (340 g)
Caffeine
Theobromine
Quercetin
Chlorogenic Acid
Yerba Mate Tea Bags For Pre-Workout
Eco Teas, Yerba Mate, Unsmoked, Green Energy, 24 Tea Bags, 1.7 oz (48 g)
Caffeine
Theobromine
Quercetin
In Convenient Tea Bags
Roasted Yerba Mate To Burn Fat
The Tao of Tea, Organic Roasted Maté, 4.0 oz (115 g)
More Appealing Taste Than Regular Yerba Mate
Caffeine
Theobromine
Natural Pre-Workout
Yerba Mate is an excellent, budget friendly choice that can be used as a pre-workout energizer or even as a substitute for green tea or coffee if you’re drinking it for morning wake-me-up purposes. Besides using it for its target purpose of burning fat, it also contains lots of health promoting phytochemicals (plant compounds) that increase antioxidant levels in the body. The main thing to get over is the flavor for many people. If you don’t mind it or if you buy the roasted Yerba Mate variety, then all of the energy and fat burning benefits of this South American plant are available at your disposal.
Coffee
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Cordyceps
Wild grown, high altitude Cordyceps runs for about $50,000 for one kilogram, or about $10 for one single piece. Don't worry, you can get it for much less.
Green Tea
Green tea (Camellia sinensis) is one of the world’s most popular beverages. It not only has lots of health benefits, but it's also an excellent fat burner.
Guarana
Guarana (Paullinia cupana) is a fruit, although the word is interchangeably used to refer to its seeds and to soft drinks where it is the active ingredient.
Guayusa
Guayusa (Ilex guayusa) is in the same family as Yerba Mate and it's been used by humans for at least 1,500 years according to archeological evidence.
Yohimbine
Pausinystalia yohimbe, is one of several different plant species in the pausinystalia family that contain yohimbine, a potent fat burner.