Summary
Ilex paraguariensis , commonly called yerba mate, is a flowering tree. Traditionally, its leaves are brewed into a stimulating tea, popular throughout the Middle East and South America.
Yerba mate is marketed for its supposed ability to suppress appetite and burn fat. Evidence suggests its appetite-suppression effect can only be achieved through high doses, if at all. Yerba mate’s fat burning effect is attributed to its caffeine content. It has not been shown to be a more effective fat burner than compounds like green tea catechins, though it can help reverse some of the adverse health effects associated with obesity.
Yerba mate has anti-inflammatory and anti-oxidant properties. It is able to reduce LDL cholesterol within 20 days of supplementation. Like many supplements derived from plants, it protects the heart and cardiovascular system.
Yerba mate contains a cocktail of xanthines (like caffeine), flavonoids (like quercetin), saponins (like ursolic acid), and cinnamic acid compounds (like chlorogenic acid).
Yerba mate is a healthy tea, but it is not necessarily healthier than other plant-based drinks, like coffee. It does, however, have a unique nutrient composition.
What are other names for Yerba Mate
- Ilex paraguariensis
- Mate plant
- St. Hilaire
- Aquifoliaceae
Dosage information
Studies typically use a dose of 3 cups (330mL each) of yerba mate a day, for up to 60 days.
It’s safe to drink up to 1.5 liters of yerba mate a day, though toxicity has not been shown to occur from higher doses either.
A daily supplemental dose of isolated yerba mate in a powdered supplemental form is between 1,000-1,500mg of yerba mate leaf.
Examine Database: Yerba Mate
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Research Breakdown
Examine Database References
- Blood Pressure - Martinet A, Hostettmann K, Schutz YThermogenic effects of commercially available plant preparations aimed at treating human obesityPhytomedicine.(1999 Oct)
- Metabolic Rate - Alkhatib AYerba Maté (Illex Paraguariensis) ingestion augments fat oxidation and energy expenditure during exercise at various submaximal intensitiesNutr Metab (Lond).(2014 Sep 2)
- Esophageal Cancer Risk - Szymańska K, Matos E, Hung RJ, Wünsch-Filho V, Eluf-Neto J, Menezes A, Daudt AW, Brennan P, Boffetta PDrinking of maté and the risk of cancers of the upper aerodigestive tract in Latin America: a case-control studyCancer Causes Control.(2010 Nov)
- Anti-Oxidant Enzyme Profile - Brunna Cristina Bremer Boaventura, Patrícia Faria Di Pietro, Aliny Stefanuto, Graziela Alessandra Klein, Elayne Cristina de Morais, Fernanda de Andrade, Elisabeth Wazlawik, Edson Luiz da SilvaAssociation of mate tea (Ilex paraguariensis) intake and dietary intervention and effects on oxidative stress biomarkers of dyslipidemic subjectsNutrition.(2012 Jun)
- Blood glucose - Klein GA, Stefanuto A, Boaventura BC, de Morais EC, Cavalcante Lda S, de Andrade F, Wazlawik E, Di Pietro PF, Maraschin M, da Silva ELMate tea (Ilex paraguariensis) improves glycemic and lipid profiles of type 2 diabetes and pre-diabetes individuals: a pilot studyJ Am Coll Nutr.(2011 Oct)
- Low-density lipoprotein (LDL) - de Morais EC, Stefanuto A, Klein GA, Boaventura BC, de Andrade F, Wazlawik E, Di Pietro PF, Maraschin M, da Silva ELConsumption of yerba mate ( Ilex paraguariensis ) improves serum lipid parameters in healthy dyslipidemic subjects and provides an additional LDL-cholesterol reduction in individuals on statin therapyJ Agric Food Chem.(2009 Sep 23)
- Bone Mineral Density - Conforti AS, Gallo ME, Saraví FDYerba Mate (Ilex paraguariensis) consumption is associated with higher bone mineral density in postmenopausal womenBone.(2012 Jan)
- Oxidative Stress Biomarkers - Ruth L T Matsumoto, Deborah H M Bastos, Simone Mendonça, Valéria S Nunes, Waldemar Bartchewsky, Marcelo L Ribeiro, Patrícia de Oliveira CarvalhoEffects of mate tea (Ilex paraguariensis) ingestion on mRNA expression of antioxidant enzymes, lipid peroxidation, and total antioxidant status in healthy young womenJ Agric Food Chem.(2009 Mar 11)