Pre-Colombian
Though no archeological evidence has been found to date the beginning of Mate use in South America, it was used in Paraguay before the Spanish arrived in the early 1500s.
early 16th century
Spanish explorer Juan de Solís reported that the Guarani Indians of Paraguay made a tea from leaves that "produced exhilaration and relief from fatigue." Yerba mate became known as Paraguay tea.
1670
Demand for yerba maté grew throughout the South American colonies, and by 1670, Jesuit missionaries had set up maté plantations in Paraguay, leading to the common name "Jesuit tea". Jesuit missions were encouraged to set up agricultural plantations on mission grounds using indigenous labor, in order to make the missions self sustaining. They are believed to be the first to have cultivated maté (Ilex paraguariensis). At this point, the product was distributed almost exclusively within the Spanish colonies, rather than exported back to Europe. 1
1673
A letter written by the Jesuit priest Nicaolás del Techo described the character of maté. “Too many virtues are attributed to the herb,” he complained. “It acts as a soporific at the same time as it stimulates; calms the appetite at the same time it aids digestion. It restores strength, brings happiness, and cures many diseases. All I see is that those who develop the habit can’t seem to get along without it.”
1767
Maté cultivation is significantly curtailed when the Jesuits are expelled from Spanish territories. Harvesting continued, but using forest harvesting methods rather than cultivation methods.
1770s
Yerba mate had become a popular social drink throughout the Andes, served at all hours of the day.
1820s
Brazil began commercial harvesting of forest maté. Its product was considered inferior to that of Paraguay.
1800s
Maté harvesting, trade, and consumption continues in South America, but on a small scale. The introduction of Oriental tea (Camellia sinensis) in the early 1800s provided significant competition to the maté market.
1897
Exploitation of forest maté resources leads to the renewal of some maté plantations in Nueva Germania, Paraguay and in Santa Ana, Argentina.
2009
You try fresh Mate Factor Yerba Mate for the first time and tell all your friends !! Go to www.matefactor.ca and order now !
Wednesday, February 4, 2009
What is Yerba Mate ?
Simpley put. Yerba Mate is this really cool green tea from South America and you drink with a gourd and a straw called a Bambillia. It has a wonderful kick to it that will keep you awake, alert and will help you stay focused when you would normally be tired and warn out. I mean this stuff really has some herbal wonders to it. Tastes great and keeps you awake without all the cafein of coffee. On top of it tasting great and keeping you awake and alert it has many herbal health benfits as a major plus! That about sums it up for me !
You can order Yerba Mate at www.matefactor.ca or in the USA at www.matefactor.com
You can order Yerba Mate at www.matefactor.ca or in the USA at www.matefactor.com
Monday, January 12, 2009
South America's Herbal Tea- Yerba Mate
Tea is most commonly associated with Asia. And it’s true that the majority of tea comes from China, India and other countries in that area. But there are other countries that have the climate, soil and expertise to produce a fine tea.
In recent years, South Africa has been on the radar with the rising popularity of Rooibos. Delightful as it is, Rooibos is not a traditional tea. It’s not made from the Camilla Senensis plant. Another plant makes for a great tea, and this one is cultivated in South America: Yerba Mate.
Produced from the Ilex Paraguariensis tree, part of the holly family, it makes a fine herbal tea. Grown in Paraguay, Uruguay, Argentina and Brazil it is a South American wonder. Each country has its own distinctive style of Yerba Mate tea. In Brazil, the leaves are toasted, yielding a stronger taste. In Argentina, the cocido is a fine breakfast tea.
Like other herbal teas, it has many of the great health benefits of a traditional leaf. It provides a relaxing drink while aiding digestion. And it still has many of the antioxidants that are helpful in warding of cancers.
Even in bag or loose leaf form it still makes for a great brew. It can be a very fine, almost powdery substance, though. The leaves are dried, then crumbled into a very fine brown-leaf tea mixture. So, if you don’t care for bits of herb in the liquid, filter well. The tea can even be prepared in a French press.
It’s easy to obtain in bag form, but for a more traditional South American brew there’s an alternative preparation method. Instead of a teapot, a gourd and a bombilla is used. The gourd (called a mate) is used in place of a cup, and the bombilla is a metal straw that gives the smooth herbal a nice little tang.
Fill the gourd 3/4 full of herb, then pour cold water over them until they’re wetted but not drowned. Let them soak for a few minutes. While you wait, heat a cup of water to about 82°C/180°F, then add enough water to fill the gourd. Steep for a few minutes. Then insert the bombilla filter end down into the liquid and sip. Arriba!
In the traditional social setting, one person typically takes the role of preparer and server and has the first sip. Then the gourd and straw is passed from one person to the next. And you thought only the Japanese had tea rituals!
Pick up a gourd and bombilla and have some tea South American style.
In recent years, South Africa has been on the radar with the rising popularity of Rooibos. Delightful as it is, Rooibos is not a traditional tea. It’s not made from the Camilla Senensis plant. Another plant makes for a great tea, and this one is cultivated in South America: Yerba Mate.
Produced from the Ilex Paraguariensis tree, part of the holly family, it makes a fine herbal tea. Grown in Paraguay, Uruguay, Argentina and Brazil it is a South American wonder. Each country has its own distinctive style of Yerba Mate tea. In Brazil, the leaves are toasted, yielding a stronger taste. In Argentina, the cocido is a fine breakfast tea.
Like other herbal teas, it has many of the great health benefits of a traditional leaf. It provides a relaxing drink while aiding digestion. And it still has many of the antioxidants that are helpful in warding of cancers.
Even in bag or loose leaf form it still makes for a great brew. It can be a very fine, almost powdery substance, though. The leaves are dried, then crumbled into a very fine brown-leaf tea mixture. So, if you don’t care for bits of herb in the liquid, filter well. The tea can even be prepared in a French press.
It’s easy to obtain in bag form, but for a more traditional South American brew there’s an alternative preparation method. Instead of a teapot, a gourd and a bombilla is used. The gourd (called a mate) is used in place of a cup, and the bombilla is a metal straw that gives the smooth herbal a nice little tang.
Fill the gourd 3/4 full of herb, then pour cold water over them until they’re wetted but not drowned. Let them soak for a few minutes. While you wait, heat a cup of water to about 82°C/180°F, then add enough water to fill the gourd. Steep for a few minutes. Then insert the bombilla filter end down into the liquid and sip. Arriba!
In the traditional social setting, one person typically takes the role of preparer and server and has the first sip. Then the gourd and straw is passed from one person to the next. And you thought only the Japanese had tea rituals!
Pick up a gourd and bombilla and have some tea South American style.
GOING FOR THE GOURD
My mate gourd was from a company called Guayaki, which sells sustainably-grown yerba mate from a 20,000-acre rain forest preserve in Paraguay.
I was a little nervous about the gourd because the box looks like it was created by someone hopped up on caffeine. There's tiny print everywhere, even on the bottom, and the instructions are so detailed and complicated it seems like they should be labeled "How to Fly the Space Shuttle."
Clegg has tried the gourd experience already, and warned me that it is "definitely tricky."
"What I've been doing so far is sucking up a lot of stems through it," he said.
The instructions say to pack the gourd just over half full with mate leaves. Then, covering the opening with your hand, you're supposed to turn the gourd upside down and shake it with several flicks of the wrist. This motion supposedly brings the more powdery leaves to the top.
Then you turn the gourd on its side and shake it back and forth to bring the stems to the surface.
Then you do the hokey-pokey and you turn yourself around . . . just kidding.
Next comes the insertion of the bombilla - the metal, straw-like filter that allows you to drink the tea without getting a mouthful of leaves. You gently roll the gourd over until the mate levels off inside and some of the larger stems are covering the bottom of the filter.
Whew.
"With the straw having those slits on the side of it, you're trying to get as many of the big pieces (of mate) next to those slits," Clegg said. "I wasn't very good at it. I tried it three times, then my 6-year-old was like, 'What's this Dad?' and she just pulled it out."
Come Saturday morning, I padded downstairs and did a surprisingly good job, I think, of packing the gourd. The next step was to add cool water and let it sit for a few minutes.
"The cool water protects the nutrients and flavor of the mate," the package explained.
The mate was supposed to absorb the water and swell. I didn't notice much swelling, so after a few minutes I went ahead and added the hot water. After 20 minutes, the leaves had absorbed almost all the water, and I could have added more. I decided instead to take my first sip. It was at least two to three times stronger than the beverage I had tried at Maine Coffee Roasters.
All the yerba mate was gone in about two sips - there couldn't have been more than a quarter-cup of liquid left in the gourd - so I added more hot water. By the time I got to the third round, the leaves had absorbed all the liquid they could and there was more tea for me.
I kept filling the gourd all day, going through a total of seven or eight rounds. (The instructions say you can refill it 15 to 20 times.) I must have done something right because I got almost 100 percent liquid through the straw. I think the trick is to not move the bombilla around.
The verdict? Drinking out of the gourd was fun, but a lot of work.
Even after eight gourds, there were no coffee-like jitters.
But I'm a little disappointed I haven't heard any jungle birds yet.
I was a little nervous about the gourd because the box looks like it was created by someone hopped up on caffeine. There's tiny print everywhere, even on the bottom, and the instructions are so detailed and complicated it seems like they should be labeled "How to Fly the Space Shuttle."
Clegg has tried the gourd experience already, and warned me that it is "definitely tricky."
"What I've been doing so far is sucking up a lot of stems through it," he said.
The instructions say to pack the gourd just over half full with mate leaves. Then, covering the opening with your hand, you're supposed to turn the gourd upside down and shake it with several flicks of the wrist. This motion supposedly brings the more powdery leaves to the top.
Then you turn the gourd on its side and shake it back and forth to bring the stems to the surface.
Then you do the hokey-pokey and you turn yourself around . . . just kidding.
Next comes the insertion of the bombilla - the metal, straw-like filter that allows you to drink the tea without getting a mouthful of leaves. You gently roll the gourd over until the mate levels off inside and some of the larger stems are covering the bottom of the filter.
Whew.
"With the straw having those slits on the side of it, you're trying to get as many of the big pieces (of mate) next to those slits," Clegg said. "I wasn't very good at it. I tried it three times, then my 6-year-old was like, 'What's this Dad?' and she just pulled it out."
Come Saturday morning, I padded downstairs and did a surprisingly good job, I think, of packing the gourd. The next step was to add cool water and let it sit for a few minutes.
"The cool water protects the nutrients and flavor of the mate," the package explained.
The mate was supposed to absorb the water and swell. I didn't notice much swelling, so after a few minutes I went ahead and added the hot water. After 20 minutes, the leaves had absorbed almost all the water, and I could have added more. I decided instead to take my first sip. It was at least two to three times stronger than the beverage I had tried at Maine Coffee Roasters.
All the yerba mate was gone in about two sips - there couldn't have been more than a quarter-cup of liquid left in the gourd - so I added more hot water. By the time I got to the third round, the leaves had absorbed all the liquid they could and there was more tea for me.
I kept filling the gourd all day, going through a total of seven or eight rounds. (The instructions say you can refill it 15 to 20 times.) I must have done something right because I got almost 100 percent liquid through the straw. I think the trick is to not move the bombilla around.
The verdict? Drinking out of the gourd was fun, but a lot of work.
Even after eight gourds, there were no coffee-like jitters.
But I'm a little disappointed I haven't heard any jungle birds yet.
YERBA mate 101
I decided to see what all the fuss is about. I started with the trip to Maine Roasters Coffee, where Clegg introduced me to three different versions of the drink.
First in line was yerba mate , straight up.
Can you say "Moo?"
Yes, indeed, it tasted a lot like sweet hay. The grassy flavor is supposed to be an acquired taste.
Actually, all joking aside, I acquired it fairly quickly. But I also like green tea, Japanese twig tea - anything with earthy, almost bitter overtones.
Beyond the flavor, I like the fact that yerba mate leaves must be brewed for at least 20 minutes to get the full health benefits. The longer you brew it, the better it is for you, without developing too strong a taste. That means I can get some started, then wander off and forget about it for a while without ruining the whole batch.
To make yerba mate more accessible to everyone, and thus more marketable, some retailers are adding milk and sugar, as well as flavorings and spices such as vanilla and cardamom.
That brings me to the next two samples I tried: A yerba mate latte and mate chai latte. Try saying that three times real fast.
The yerba mate latte ($2.85, compared with $1.45 for the plain tea) was made from a concentrate that Clegg sells in his stores. It was warm and milky, with a subtle sweetness. Clegg said this version has become his favorite, and I can see why. ("Oooh, that is good," I believe were my exact words.)
I was pretty sure I wouldn't like the mate chai latte, even before I tried it. Corporate America ruined "regular" chai when it marketed it to the masses, turning it into a sickly sweet concoction fit only for tastebuds trained on junk food. I love real chai so much that I drank it out of dirty glasses at trailside stands in the Himalayas, and today I make my own homemade chai using a spice blend I buy from an Indian woman. So commercial versions are kind of an abomination to me.
Well, it turns out the mate chai latte ($2.85) is actually pretty good. It's still too sweet for me, but at least it's not like drinking a pound of sugar.
I decided to continue my yerba experiment over the long weekend. I bought a traditional mate gourd and bombilla from Clegg, and also dropped by Wild Oats to pick up three kinds of yerba mate tea bags to see what they were like.
I liked the plain, organic tea bags from Traditional Medicinals best. Celestial Seasonings' Morning Thunder, a blend of black tea and yerba mate , simply confused me.
Tazo's Lemon mate is a blend of yerba mate infused with lemon, ginger and cardamom that can, the package says, "make you hear jungle birds talking all night long, and understand what they're saying." It tasted great, but wasn't all that different from other lemon-ginger teas.
First in line was yerba mate , straight up.
Can you say "Moo?"
Yes, indeed, it tasted a lot like sweet hay. The grassy flavor is supposed to be an acquired taste.
Actually, all joking aside, I acquired it fairly quickly. But I also like green tea, Japanese twig tea - anything with earthy, almost bitter overtones.
Beyond the flavor, I like the fact that yerba mate leaves must be brewed for at least 20 minutes to get the full health benefits. The longer you brew it, the better it is for you, without developing too strong a taste. That means I can get some started, then wander off and forget about it for a while without ruining the whole batch.
To make yerba mate more accessible to everyone, and thus more marketable, some retailers are adding milk and sugar, as well as flavorings and spices such as vanilla and cardamom.
That brings me to the next two samples I tried: A yerba mate latte and mate chai latte. Try saying that three times real fast.
The yerba mate latte ($2.85, compared with $1.45 for the plain tea) was made from a concentrate that Clegg sells in his stores. It was warm and milky, with a subtle sweetness. Clegg said this version has become his favorite, and I can see why. ("Oooh, that is good," I believe were my exact words.)
I was pretty sure I wouldn't like the mate chai latte, even before I tried it. Corporate America ruined "regular" chai when it marketed it to the masses, turning it into a sickly sweet concoction fit only for tastebuds trained on junk food. I love real chai so much that I drank it out of dirty glasses at trailside stands in the Himalayas, and today I make my own homemade chai using a spice blend I buy from an Indian woman. So commercial versions are kind of an abomination to me.
Well, it turns out the mate chai latte ($2.85) is actually pretty good. It's still too sweet for me, but at least it's not like drinking a pound of sugar.
I decided to continue my yerba experiment over the long weekend. I bought a traditional mate gourd and bombilla from Clegg, and also dropped by Wild Oats to pick up three kinds of yerba mate tea bags to see what they were like.
I liked the plain, organic tea bags from Traditional Medicinals best. Celestial Seasonings' Morning Thunder, a blend of black tea and yerba mate , simply confused me.
Tazo's Lemon mate is a blend of yerba mate infused with lemon, ginger and cardamom that can, the package says, "make you hear jungle birds talking all night long, and understand what they're saying." It tasted great, but wasn't all that different from other lemon-ginger teas.
This tea is hot
This tea is hot
Copyright © 2006 Blethen Maine Newspapers Inc.
In an unscientific taste test, Staff Writer Meredith Goad "liked the plain, organic tea bags from Traditional Medicinals best. Celestial Seasonings' Morning Thunder, a blend of black tea and yerba mate , simply confused me. Tazo's Lemon mate is a blend of yerba mate infused with lemon, ginger and cardamom that can, the package says, "make you hear jungle birds talking all night long, and understand what they're saying."
Preparing the tea in a mate gourd can be a tricky business, with drinkers running the risk of sucking up a mouthful of stems or leaves.
Yerba mate is a popular beverage that is brewed from the dried leaves of a small tree in the holly family. It is being sold in local coffee shops, and an increasing number of home brewers are drinking it the traditional way - from a gourd.
THE LANGUAGE OF mate
According to Guayaki, a company that sells organic, fair-trade yerba mate and all of its accoutrements, there is a subtle language to serving mate. It's kind of like those little heart candies you pass around at Valentine's Day:
Friendship: Sweet mate
You are in my thoughts: mate with cinammon
I like you: mate with burnt sugar
Come for me: mate with orange peel
I sympathize with your sadness: mate with molasses
I'm so in love with you: Very hot mate
Marriage: mate with honey
True love: Foaming mate
People usually stop by Maine Roasters Coffee for a cup of joe made from their hand-roasted beans.
But here I was in their new South Portland shop, three cups lined up before me, preparing to sample the hottest new drink this side of the equator.
I'd seen all the hype about yerba mate (pronounced mah-tay), a tea-like beverage that is poised to become the next chai in the marketplace. It is a drink brewed from the dried leaves of a small tree in the holly family that grows in the rain forests of Brazil, Argentina and Paraguay.
Yerba mate is billed as a healthful alternative to coffee, although not all of its benefits have been proven by researchers. It has some caffeine in it, so it gives a little pick-me-up without all the jitters. It has vitamins and minerals, too. And, like coffee, it contains lots of antioxidants that help boost the immune system, ward off disease, and retard the aging process.
In South America, yerba mate is known as the "Drink of the Gods," just the kind of tidbit that makes overstressed Americans looking for a quick fix feel all tingly inside. In November, the Center for Culinary Development in San Francisco predicted that yerba mate is going to be the Next Big Thing in American coffee shops and cafés.
Yerba mate's first fans were the South American Guarani Indians, who started brewing it centuries ago. Today folks in South American countries carry on the tradition of drinking the tea out of handmade gourds with metal straws called bombillas.
In places like Argentina, this is still a national pastime. People walk down the street sipping out of their own personal yerba mate gourds, kind of like Americans carrying around their designer water bottles.
Turns out this traditional method of drinking it also is catching on in the United States. Small cults of yerba mate gourd drinkers are popping up all over the place.
"It's almost like a lifestyle choice, I think," said Campbell Clegg, one of the owners of Maine Roasters Coffee, where yerba mate has been on the menu for just two or three weeks. "It's how Indiana Jones would drink it if he were here."
Copyright © 2006 Blethen Maine Newspapers Inc.
In an unscientific taste test, Staff Writer Meredith Goad "liked the plain, organic tea bags from Traditional Medicinals best. Celestial Seasonings' Morning Thunder, a blend of black tea and yerba mate , simply confused me. Tazo's Lemon mate is a blend of yerba mate infused with lemon, ginger and cardamom that can, the package says, "make you hear jungle birds talking all night long, and understand what they're saying."
Preparing the tea in a mate gourd can be a tricky business, with drinkers running the risk of sucking up a mouthful of stems or leaves.
Yerba mate is a popular beverage that is brewed from the dried leaves of a small tree in the holly family. It is being sold in local coffee shops, and an increasing number of home brewers are drinking it the traditional way - from a gourd.
THE LANGUAGE OF mate
According to Guayaki, a company that sells organic, fair-trade yerba mate and all of its accoutrements, there is a subtle language to serving mate. It's kind of like those little heart candies you pass around at Valentine's Day:
Friendship: Sweet mate
You are in my thoughts: mate with cinammon
I like you: mate with burnt sugar
Come for me: mate with orange peel
I sympathize with your sadness: mate with molasses
I'm so in love with you: Very hot mate
Marriage: mate with honey
True love: Foaming mate
People usually stop by Maine Roasters Coffee for a cup of joe made from their hand-roasted beans.
But here I was in their new South Portland shop, three cups lined up before me, preparing to sample the hottest new drink this side of the equator.
I'd seen all the hype about yerba mate (pronounced mah-tay), a tea-like beverage that is poised to become the next chai in the marketplace. It is a drink brewed from the dried leaves of a small tree in the holly family that grows in the rain forests of Brazil, Argentina and Paraguay.
Yerba mate is billed as a healthful alternative to coffee, although not all of its benefits have been proven by researchers. It has some caffeine in it, so it gives a little pick-me-up without all the jitters. It has vitamins and minerals, too. And, like coffee, it contains lots of antioxidants that help boost the immune system, ward off disease, and retard the aging process.
In South America, yerba mate is known as the "Drink of the Gods," just the kind of tidbit that makes overstressed Americans looking for a quick fix feel all tingly inside. In November, the Center for Culinary Development in San Francisco predicted that yerba mate is going to be the Next Big Thing in American coffee shops and cafés.
Yerba mate's first fans were the South American Guarani Indians, who started brewing it centuries ago. Today folks in South American countries carry on the tradition of drinking the tea out of handmade gourds with metal straws called bombillas.
In places like Argentina, this is still a national pastime. People walk down the street sipping out of their own personal yerba mate gourds, kind of like Americans carrying around their designer water bottles.
Turns out this traditional method of drinking it also is catching on in the United States. Small cults of yerba mate gourd drinkers are popping up all over the place.
"It's almost like a lifestyle choice, I think," said Campbell Clegg, one of the owners of Maine Roasters Coffee, where yerba mate has been on the menu for just two or three weeks. "It's how Indiana Jones would drink it if he were here."
Thursday, January 8, 2009
Motley elements of Argentina united by common gourds
At first sight, yerba mate (pronounced DZER-ba MAH-teh) is an innocuous plant. A relative of the common holly, it grows widely in the steamy forests of northeastern Argentina. Place its leaves in an ornamental gourd, however, infuse in hot water and throw in a complex social ritual, and the bitter-tasting plant takes on almost mythical qualities.
Popularized by Argentina's gauchos, the hard-living cowboys and work hands of the fertile pampas, the consumption of mate has whipped through all sections of society, breaking through the barriers of class and race. The drink is central to the Argentine identity; more, it has become a national obsession.
"I couldn't live without mate," an Argentine friend gravely told me when I quizzed him on the habit. "For us, mate is like oxygen."
Since I moved to Buenos Aires six years ago, the practice had intrigued me. Many Argentines cannot bear to be separated from the paraphernalia of mate production, and happily carry a decorated gourd, metal straw and hot-water flask everywhere, often in large leather satchels, despite the inconvenience. Travelers can stock up with near-boiling water at bus stations, or buy disposable plastic flasks for long-distance trips.
My first day in the city, I watched a bus driver fighting to control his 6-ton 10-wheeler without spilling a drop from a cup of mate held precariously in one hand. Strolling downtown, I noticed businessmen in suits sipping pensively at the liquid in a momentary break from the office. Resting in a leafy park, I fell into conversation with a homeless woman who chattered away happily, mate gourd in hand. I could see little that united the country's social extremes save for an undiluted enthusiasm for mate.
Even expat Argentines remain hooked. During the Cuban revolution, Ernesto "Che" Guevara took time out from fighting Batista's forces several times a day for a mate break.
But it is not easy for an outsider to join the true circle of mate drinkers. To be handed the mate gourd is a sign of acceptance within a group, a symbol of bonding and togetherness that Argentines use to barricade themselves against an ever more hostile world. I was a month in the country before the chance came to sample the experience.
According to legend, a shaman brought the yerba plant to the Guaraní Indians of Paraguay and northern Argentina, who drank an infusion of its leaves to cure fever and restore lost energy. European settlers soon took to the beverage after arriving in the continent in the early 1500s. Writing back to Europe, an Austrian Jesuit, Martin Dobrizhoffer, recorded that mate "provokes a gentle perspiration, improves the appetite, speedily counteracts the languor arising from the burning climate, and assuages both hunger and thirst."
These days, some drinkers choose to flavor their mate with cinnamon, honey or mint. Strong regional differences also exist -- mate is drunk throughout Uruguay and Paraguay and also in parts of Chile and Brazil -- but Argentines regard themselves as the standard bearers of the habit. They look disdainfully on their neighbours' preferences: Brazilians, some say, even add milk.
Mate use is so common in Argentina that it figures in a popular chat-up line -- yerba no hay? -- used by the country's youth. The line refers to a story in which two lovers are discussing how to spend an evening together. "We're bored," says one. "Shall we drink mate or make love?" Suggestively, the other murmurs, Yerba no hay... ("There is no mate...") I tried the line on a waitress in downtown Buenos Aires. She blushed and fled giggling to the rear of the restaurant.
At last, two friends offered to explain the unwritten rules of the mate ritual. Lupe, an Argentine artist, took up a mate gourd roughly the size and shape of a goose egg and made from a seasoned squash skin. Others are carved from wood or even fashioned from fine metals; the most ornate are embossed with silver filigree. Filling the gourd with desiccated yerba leaves, sieved first to remove both twigs and dust, she inserted the bombilla, a metal straw with a perforated bulb at the base, and poured in hot water, just shy of boiling.
As the server, or cebador, Lupe took the first sip. "The cebador is under great pressure at this point," interjected Nitu, her friend. "If you make a bad mate, people won't come to see you again. If you do it well, they'll compliment you on your technique."
Lupe handed me the gourd. I placed the straw delicately between my teeth and took a gentle sip. I tasted nothing. "Suck harder," she urged, "you're supposed to hear the slurp."
I took a long pull on the straw, slurping with gusto, and drained the mate in seconds. It was hot, strong and bitter, and it tasted ... well, it tasted very much like tea.
But the taste, I discovered, was only part of the experience. As Lupe presided over a complex process of passing and re-filling the gourd, I realized that what mattered was the ritual. Mate preparation is elaborate, time-consuming and troublesome. But that's the idea. By demanding concentration, it forces drinkers to forget their troubles, for a few minutes at least, and to focus on savoring the perfect drink. That, I finally understood, is the point.
Popularized by Argentina's gauchos, the hard-living cowboys and work hands of the fertile pampas, the consumption of mate has whipped through all sections of society, breaking through the barriers of class and race. The drink is central to the Argentine identity; more, it has become a national obsession.
"I couldn't live without mate," an Argentine friend gravely told me when I quizzed him on the habit. "For us, mate is like oxygen."
Since I moved to Buenos Aires six years ago, the practice had intrigued me. Many Argentines cannot bear to be separated from the paraphernalia of mate production, and happily carry a decorated gourd, metal straw and hot-water flask everywhere, often in large leather satchels, despite the inconvenience. Travelers can stock up with near-boiling water at bus stations, or buy disposable plastic flasks for long-distance trips.
My first day in the city, I watched a bus driver fighting to control his 6-ton 10-wheeler without spilling a drop from a cup of mate held precariously in one hand. Strolling downtown, I noticed businessmen in suits sipping pensively at the liquid in a momentary break from the office. Resting in a leafy park, I fell into conversation with a homeless woman who chattered away happily, mate gourd in hand. I could see little that united the country's social extremes save for an undiluted enthusiasm for mate.
Even expat Argentines remain hooked. During the Cuban revolution, Ernesto "Che" Guevara took time out from fighting Batista's forces several times a day for a mate break.
But it is not easy for an outsider to join the true circle of mate drinkers. To be handed the mate gourd is a sign of acceptance within a group, a symbol of bonding and togetherness that Argentines use to barricade themselves against an ever more hostile world. I was a month in the country before the chance came to sample the experience.
According to legend, a shaman brought the yerba plant to the Guaraní Indians of Paraguay and northern Argentina, who drank an infusion of its leaves to cure fever and restore lost energy. European settlers soon took to the beverage after arriving in the continent in the early 1500s. Writing back to Europe, an Austrian Jesuit, Martin Dobrizhoffer, recorded that mate "provokes a gentle perspiration, improves the appetite, speedily counteracts the languor arising from the burning climate, and assuages both hunger and thirst."
These days, some drinkers choose to flavor their mate with cinnamon, honey or mint. Strong regional differences also exist -- mate is drunk throughout Uruguay and Paraguay and also in parts of Chile and Brazil -- but Argentines regard themselves as the standard bearers of the habit. They look disdainfully on their neighbours' preferences: Brazilians, some say, even add milk.
Mate use is so common in Argentina that it figures in a popular chat-up line -- yerba no hay? -- used by the country's youth. The line refers to a story in which two lovers are discussing how to spend an evening together. "We're bored," says one. "Shall we drink mate or make love?" Suggestively, the other murmurs, Yerba no hay... ("There is no mate...") I tried the line on a waitress in downtown Buenos Aires. She blushed and fled giggling to the rear of the restaurant.
At last, two friends offered to explain the unwritten rules of the mate ritual. Lupe, an Argentine artist, took up a mate gourd roughly the size and shape of a goose egg and made from a seasoned squash skin. Others are carved from wood or even fashioned from fine metals; the most ornate are embossed with silver filigree. Filling the gourd with desiccated yerba leaves, sieved first to remove both twigs and dust, she inserted the bombilla, a metal straw with a perforated bulb at the base, and poured in hot water, just shy of boiling.
As the server, or cebador, Lupe took the first sip. "The cebador is under great pressure at this point," interjected Nitu, her friend. "If you make a bad mate, people won't come to see you again. If you do it well, they'll compliment you on your technique."
Lupe handed me the gourd. I placed the straw delicately between my teeth and took a gentle sip. I tasted nothing. "Suck harder," she urged, "you're supposed to hear the slurp."
I took a long pull on the straw, slurping with gusto, and drained the mate in seconds. It was hot, strong and bitter, and it tasted ... well, it tasted very much like tea.
But the taste, I discovered, was only part of the experience. As Lupe presided over a complex process of passing and re-filling the gourd, I realized that what mattered was the ritual. Mate preparation is elaborate, time-consuming and troublesome. But that's the idea. By demanding concentration, it forces drinkers to forget their troubles, for a few minutes at least, and to focus on savoring the perfect drink. That, I finally understood, is the point.
Wednesday, January 7, 2009
The Nutritional Value Associated With Yerba Mate
The Pasteur Institute and the Paris Scientific society in 1964 were interested in this healthy source of vitamins and did a thorough study of its properties. The investigators concluded "it is difficult to find a plant in any area of the world equal to mate in nutritional value" and that yerba mate contains "practically all of the vitamins necessary to sustain life." In addition, results from a study done by researchers at the University of Madrid assert a high content of mineral elements in mate.
While yerba mate has been used as a base for herbal medicines in South America for centuries, the plant’s benefits and therapeutic properties have recently been verified by a number of scientific studies. The chemical components of yerba mate are similar to those found in green tea; however, yerba mate is much more nutritious. Each infusion of yerba mate contains:
• Vitamins: A, C, E, B1, B2, Niacin (B3), B5, B Complex
• Minerals: Calcium, Manganese, Iron, Selenium, Potassium, Magnesium, Phosphorus, Zinc
• Additional Compounds: Carotene, Fatty Acids, Chlorophyll, Flavonols, Polyphenols, Inositol, Trace Minerals, Antioxidants, Tannins, Pantothenic Acid and 15 Amino Acids.
Nicknamed the “liquid vegetable,” the yerba mate plant contains 196 volatile (or active) chemical compounds – of which 144 are also found in green tea. Yerba mate contains 24 vitamins and minerals, 15 amino acids, and 11 polyphenols, a group of phytochemicals which act as powerful antioxidants. Polyphenols are considered to exhibit anticancer effects in mammals by strengthening an organism’s natural defenses and protecting it against cellular destruction.
In addition to polyphenols, yerba mate leaves contain saponins. Saponins are phytochemicals that have been found to specifically stimulate the immune system and aid the body in protecting against disease. In fact, one study yielded three new saponins in the yerba mate leaf. These "natural detergent" compounds (glycosides) are found in a wide variety of plant life, which bind with cholesterol so it cannot be reabsorbed into the system and is excreted from the body.
Yerba mate is high in chlorophyll which helps reduce the binding of carcinogens to DNA in the liver and other organs. It also breaks down calcium-oxalate stones (better known as kidney stones) and can boast higher polyphenol and antioxidant counts than either green or black teas.
While yerba mate has been used as a base for herbal medicines in South America for centuries, the plant’s benefits and therapeutic properties have recently been verified by a number of scientific studies. The chemical components of yerba mate are similar to those found in green tea; however, yerba mate is much more nutritious. Each infusion of yerba mate contains:
• Vitamins: A, C, E, B1, B2, Niacin (B3), B5, B Complex
• Minerals: Calcium, Manganese, Iron, Selenium, Potassium, Magnesium, Phosphorus, Zinc
• Additional Compounds: Carotene, Fatty Acids, Chlorophyll, Flavonols, Polyphenols, Inositol, Trace Minerals, Antioxidants, Tannins, Pantothenic Acid and 15 Amino Acids.
Nicknamed the “liquid vegetable,” the yerba mate plant contains 196 volatile (or active) chemical compounds – of which 144 are also found in green tea. Yerba mate contains 24 vitamins and minerals, 15 amino acids, and 11 polyphenols, a group of phytochemicals which act as powerful antioxidants. Polyphenols are considered to exhibit anticancer effects in mammals by strengthening an organism’s natural defenses and protecting it against cellular destruction.
In addition to polyphenols, yerba mate leaves contain saponins. Saponins are phytochemicals that have been found to specifically stimulate the immune system and aid the body in protecting against disease. In fact, one study yielded three new saponins in the yerba mate leaf. These "natural detergent" compounds (glycosides) are found in a wide variety of plant life, which bind with cholesterol so it cannot be reabsorbed into the system and is excreted from the body.
Yerba mate is high in chlorophyll which helps reduce the binding of carcinogens to DNA in the liver and other organs. It also breaks down calcium-oxalate stones (better known as kidney stones) and can boast higher polyphenol and antioxidant counts than either green or black teas.
Yerba mate drunk by Matt Dillon, Madonna, Alicia Silverstone and rocker Flea
If you've seen the Che Guevera biopic The Motorcycle Diaries, you might wonder what the heck Ernesto and Alberto were drinking.
"Good feeling": The holly-shrub concoction is loaded with anti-oxidants. But unless you add honey, it tastes "bitter and grassy."
Sipping through a metal "straw" from a shared gourd, the easy riders kept their energy up with yerba maté (mah-tay), a traditional South American drink — and ritual — that's the hottest U.S. beverage since green tea and chai. (Related story: The health benefits of yerba mate)
Made from the holly shrub of the South American rain forest, maté has gained celebrity status recently, reportedly drunk by Matt Dillon, Madonna, Alicia Silverstone and rocker Flea, among others. Musician Moby sells it at Teany, his New York City cafe. And the International Association of Culinary Professionals recently named it one of the top five food trends for 2006.
Why the sudden popularity? Drinkers laud its anti-oxidant-loaded health benefits. It can't be the taste: Even devotees liken it to stewed hay — "bitter and very grassy," says Oren Arnon, general manager of the Brooklyn Tea Lounge. "Up to a year ago, no one knew what it was," but now "people who are into it sit here and sip for hours."
Drinking maté is a traditional social activity in Mexico, Argentina, Uruguay and Paraguay. Family or friends pass around a gourd of the brew, sipped through a bombilla ("little pump" or "straw"), often made of silver.
In the USA, you don't need to go anywhere to drink it: You can buy the dried, chopped and ground maté leaves in bulk or in tea bags at grocery chains including Whole Foods, Trader Joe's and Wegmans.
But what could really make maté take off, says Perry Abbenante, Whole Foods' national grocery buyer, is a new form: Guayaki's cold, bottled Yerba Maté Organic Energy Drink, which retails for $2.29 and comes in raspberry, mint and traditional flavors.
Guayaki, which dominates the U.S. maté market, produces and distributes organic maté "from source to shelf," says co-founder David Karr. The company began a decade ago when he, his brother and a pal "spent years crossing the country in a van, handing out more than 5 million" free samples.
"We'd set up a table, put out some nice flowers, and talk about this healthy source of caffeine," Karr says.
Now Guayaki is a multimillion-dollar-a-year business; it sells about 100 tons of the stuff each year. "Its health benefits bring people to maté," he says, "but the good feeling" keeps them drinking it.
Jimmy Pumarol, general manager of the "nuevo Latin" restaurant Café Atlántico in Washington, D.C., agrees. Once he tells his clientele about maté's benefits, "they don't care what it tastes like," he says. "It's good for your lungs, your liver, kidneys, stomach." The bartender will even make a yerba maté old fashioned — maté leaves are steeped in hot water before bourbon is added.
Claims about maté's effects range from a "high" or an immune-system booster to an aid for digestion, alertness, healing or weight loss .
Its effect is "more mental clarity than it is a buzz, " Karr explains. After his Argentine friend introduced him to the drink, Karr says, "it cleared up all my allergies — I had hay fever and was allergic to practically everything green."
Tatiana Becker, co-owner of the Trabant Chai Lounge in Seattle, is one of the sample-tasting converts. When she's fixing a drink for herself, she says, "I make what I call a Vanilla Rooibos" (a red South African tea): She brews the maté in vanilla syrup, then adds the tea and lets it all steep. Some customers like to sweeten the straight maté with honey.
"Our bulk order keeps going up," she says. "We have three brewing baskets in our espresso machine, and one is dedicated to maté." The lounge has a monthly tango night, and dancers "are really into maté."
Trabant sells it retail as well — in 16 tea-bag boxes ($6.95) or half-pound bags.
"We also carry a Guayaki kit that has the loose mix, the gourd, the bombilla and an instruction booklet," Becker says.
Now Guayaki hopes to spark a "bevolution" with its new energy drink, Karr says: The "grab-it-and-go" bottles will be available nationwide starting this month.
Better than red wine or green tea?
By Anne Goodfriend, USA TODAY Yerba maté has been extolled as a healthful energy drink. (Related story: Yerba maté: The accent is on popular health drink | 10 great places to get jazzed about great java) Two studies, one of them conducted in 2004 at the University of Illinois at Champaign-Urbana and the other in 2005 by the Glycation, Oxidation and Disease Laboratory at Touro University in Vallejo, Calif., found some positive benefits:
• Thanks to its high anti-oxidant content, maté promotes cell survival better than red wine or green tea.
• Maté and ardisia tea (popular on Mexico's Pacific coast) "may share a public health potential," the 2004 study says.
Another benefit: what Tim Butler of Reno calls "the zip without the zap of coffee" in the testimonials on the website yerba-mate.com.
Even though it contains caffeine, maté also has xanthine alkaloids: one is a stimulant found in tea, and another is the mood elevator and muscle relaxant found in chocolate.
Maté also is loaded with B vitamins, which "nourish the nervous system and ... raise metabolism," says David Karr, co-founder of Guayaki, a major U.S. purveyor.
"Good feeling": The holly-shrub concoction is loaded with anti-oxidants. But unless you add honey, it tastes "bitter and grassy."
Sipping through a metal "straw" from a shared gourd, the easy riders kept their energy up with yerba maté (mah-tay), a traditional South American drink — and ritual — that's the hottest U.S. beverage since green tea and chai. (Related story: The health benefits of yerba mate)
Made from the holly shrub of the South American rain forest, maté has gained celebrity status recently, reportedly drunk by Matt Dillon, Madonna, Alicia Silverstone and rocker Flea, among others. Musician Moby sells it at Teany, his New York City cafe. And the International Association of Culinary Professionals recently named it one of the top five food trends for 2006.
Why the sudden popularity? Drinkers laud its anti-oxidant-loaded health benefits. It can't be the taste: Even devotees liken it to stewed hay — "bitter and very grassy," says Oren Arnon, general manager of the Brooklyn Tea Lounge. "Up to a year ago, no one knew what it was," but now "people who are into it sit here and sip for hours."
Drinking maté is a traditional social activity in Mexico, Argentina, Uruguay and Paraguay. Family or friends pass around a gourd of the brew, sipped through a bombilla ("little pump" or "straw"), often made of silver.
In the USA, you don't need to go anywhere to drink it: You can buy the dried, chopped and ground maté leaves in bulk or in tea bags at grocery chains including Whole Foods, Trader Joe's and Wegmans.
But what could really make maté take off, says Perry Abbenante, Whole Foods' national grocery buyer, is a new form: Guayaki's cold, bottled Yerba Maté Organic Energy Drink, which retails for $2.29 and comes in raspberry, mint and traditional flavors.
Guayaki, which dominates the U.S. maté market, produces and distributes organic maté "from source to shelf," says co-founder David Karr. The company began a decade ago when he, his brother and a pal "spent years crossing the country in a van, handing out more than 5 million" free samples.
"We'd set up a table, put out some nice flowers, and talk about this healthy source of caffeine," Karr says.
Now Guayaki is a multimillion-dollar-a-year business; it sells about 100 tons of the stuff each year. "Its health benefits bring people to maté," he says, "but the good feeling" keeps them drinking it.
Jimmy Pumarol, general manager of the "nuevo Latin" restaurant Café Atlántico in Washington, D.C., agrees. Once he tells his clientele about maté's benefits, "they don't care what it tastes like," he says. "It's good for your lungs, your liver, kidneys, stomach." The bartender will even make a yerba maté old fashioned — maté leaves are steeped in hot water before bourbon is added.
Claims about maté's effects range from a "high" or an immune-system booster to an aid for digestion, alertness, healing or weight loss .
Its effect is "more mental clarity than it is a buzz, " Karr explains. After his Argentine friend introduced him to the drink, Karr says, "it cleared up all my allergies — I had hay fever and was allergic to practically everything green."
Tatiana Becker, co-owner of the Trabant Chai Lounge in Seattle, is one of the sample-tasting converts. When she's fixing a drink for herself, she says, "I make what I call a Vanilla Rooibos" (a red South African tea): She brews the maté in vanilla syrup, then adds the tea and lets it all steep. Some customers like to sweeten the straight maté with honey.
"Our bulk order keeps going up," she says. "We have three brewing baskets in our espresso machine, and one is dedicated to maté." The lounge has a monthly tango night, and dancers "are really into maté."
Trabant sells it retail as well — in 16 tea-bag boxes ($6.95) or half-pound bags.
"We also carry a Guayaki kit that has the loose mix, the gourd, the bombilla and an instruction booklet," Becker says.
Now Guayaki hopes to spark a "bevolution" with its new energy drink, Karr says: The "grab-it-and-go" bottles will be available nationwide starting this month.
Better than red wine or green tea?
By Anne Goodfriend, USA TODAY Yerba maté has been extolled as a healthful energy drink. (Related story: Yerba maté: The accent is on popular health drink | 10 great places to get jazzed about great java) Two studies, one of them conducted in 2004 at the University of Illinois at Champaign-Urbana and the other in 2005 by the Glycation, Oxidation and Disease Laboratory at Touro University in Vallejo, Calif., found some positive benefits:
• Thanks to its high anti-oxidant content, maté promotes cell survival better than red wine or green tea.
• Maté and ardisia tea (popular on Mexico's Pacific coast) "may share a public health potential," the 2004 study says.
Another benefit: what Tim Butler of Reno calls "the zip without the zap of coffee" in the testimonials on the website yerba-mate.com.
Even though it contains caffeine, maté also has xanthine alkaloids: one is a stimulant found in tea, and another is the mood elevator and muscle relaxant found in chocolate.
Maté also is loaded with B vitamins, which "nourish the nervous system and ... raise metabolism," says David Karr, co-founder of Guayaki, a major U.S. purveyor.
Yerba Mate provides mental Clarity.
Yerba mate quickens the mind and increases alertness and acuity. Yerba mate also provides sustained-release energy due to its complex combination of xanthine alkaloids, (including caffeine, theobromine, and theophylline) and nutritional support (including B vitamins and chromium). The average cup of mate made from brewed tea bags contains around 40 mg of caffeine, roughly 1/3 of what coffee delivers.
Many of the innovative new yerba mate beverages on the market today contain higher levels of caffeine that are comparable to coffee. These products include mate lattes and bottled yerba mate drinks. Also, levels comparable to coffee can be achieved if desired by brewing 12 or more grams of loose yerba mate. Clinical studies have shown that caffeine-sensitive individuals generally have very positive results with mate and don’t experience the hard side effects (jitters, stomach discomfort, headache) commonly associated with other sources of caffeine.
Many of the innovative new yerba mate beverages on the market today contain higher levels of caffeine that are comparable to coffee. These products include mate lattes and bottled yerba mate drinks. Also, levels comparable to coffee can be achieved if desired by brewing 12 or more grams of loose yerba mate. Clinical studies have shown that caffeine-sensitive individuals generally have very positive results with mate and don’t experience the hard side effects (jitters, stomach discomfort, headache) commonly associated with other sources of caffeine.
The Athlete's New Brew
Second only to water in global popularity, tea may be the perfect
all-natural energy drink. It's odd to think of a nearly 5,000-year-old beverage as trendy, but in
America tea is becoming exactly that. With sales growing from an estimated
$1.84 billion to more than $6 billion since 1990, it's crossed over from the
Birkenstock set to the rest of us. That's good news for anyone with the
adventure bug, because traditional tea, as opposed to herbals like
chamomile, can provide an all-natural boost that's a lot easier on you than
coffee or, worse, most "energy drinks." Traditional tea comes from Camellia
sinensis, an evergreen plant native to China's tropical Yunnan province. It
shares coffee's pick-me-up appeal but has an amino acid, L-theanine, that
causes its naturally occurring caffeine to have a milder, steadier effect
that peaks after 60 minutes or so and falls to half strength over the next
four to six hours. Tea expert Paul Holmgren describes the effect as a "more
friendly, approachable boost" than coffee's. Tea's powerful antioxidants,
called catechins, may be able to repair certain types of cellular damage
that can lead to cancer. And observational studies in Asia, where folks
drink as many as five cups a day, point to a possible connection between
green tea and reduced cardiovascular disease. Now traditional tea is gaining
traction with the endurance set, as marathoners carry diluted bottles on
long runs. "Recent animal studies suggest that green tea's combination of
caffeine and a polyphenol called EGCG has the potential to improve
endurance," says University of Miami sports nutritionist Lisa Dorfman. Here
are the teas to know.
The Best Energy Teas
1 | OOLONG
Oolong has a fruity, roasted taste and a sweet aroma, and some cultures
believe it lowers cholesterol and blood sugar. It also reputedly speeds
metabolism by 10 percent (teagarden.com).
2 | PU-ERH
Pu-erh ("POO-erh"), a robust black brick made in Yunnan province, has a
following as a digestive aid and for allegedly lowering blood alcohol levels
and flushing toxins (taooftea.com).
3 | ROOIBOS
This caffeine-free, antioxidant-packed brew from South Africa isn't
officially tea, but never mind: Its antispasmodic properties can tame
stomach cramps (ntelligentsiacoffee.com).
4 | YERBA MATE
Also not strictly tea (it's in the holly family), this caffeinated elixir
was discovered by Paraguay's Guarani Indians as a digestive aid and morning
brew before it caught on abroad (guayaki.com).
5 | BLACK
The stuff of traditional tea bags, its processing and preparation make it
the most caffeinated. Still only half as charged as coffee, it's the ideal
way to kick the bean (todd-holland.com).
6 | WHITE
Brewed properly, this rarity, made from young leaves, has a sweet taste,
little caffeine, and antimicrobial properties for oral health. Steep with
hot, not boiling, water (teance.com).
7 | GREEN
A pungent jolt of catechins and caffeine (about a third of that in a cup of
joe), green tea, like coffee, is an acquired taste, but you'll soon crave
its summery flavor and clean feel (rishitea.com).
By: Ceil Miller Bouchet
Photograph by: Steve Giralt
(November 2006)
How to Brew Loose Tea
STORE IT RIGHT Remove leaves from package and put them in a tightly sealed
opaque container to keep light or any nearby spices from affecting the
flavor.
NOT TOO HOT Ideal water temp for brewing descends gradually from black
(boiling) to white (steaming). Hotter water can ruin more delicate teas.
CONTROL THE CAFFEINE The first brew is the most caffeinated, so toss it and
resteep for less jolt. Asian drinkers reuse their tea leaves up to four
times a day.
DRINK IT FRESH Down your iced tea within 24 hours, before it loses most of
its mojo. Long-term storage diminishes its antioxidants and flavor.
Yerba Mate vs. Coffee: Which is Healthier?
"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"
(From BrainReady )
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...
Traditional native source of health and energy: in South America, Yerba Mate has been revered for centuries as the “drink of the gods” and is still drunk daily for health, sustained energy and mental clarity by millions. The leaves of the rainforest Mate tree naturally contain 24 vitamins and minerals, 15 amino acids and are rich in antioxidants -- with reported ORAC antioxidant levels even higher than many brewed green teas. Many Mate advocates cite the Pasteur Institute and Paris Scientific society which in 1964 concluded, "it is difficult to find a plant in any area of the world equal to mate in nutritional value" and that yerba mate contains, "practically all of the vitamins necessary to sustain life."
It's also the national drink of Argentina (side note: wow! What would the national drink of the U.S. be currently...diet soda?), where drinkers of Yerba Mate are even more ubiquitous than coffee drinkers in the United States. It is not uncommon to see Argentines walking down the street sipping out of a Mate gourd.
More bitter than English or Indian teas, Yerba Mate is something of an acquired taste for the neophyte: "Most Americans wouldn’t like it the way Argentinians drink it, it’s too earthy and grassy tasting," said David Karr, founder of the online herb vendor Guayaki. For that reason, many sellers are blending Yerba Mate with mint, vanilla, orange or other flavorings. Yet others find the native taste wonderful -- earthy, grassy, complex, and find this sort of blending and sweetening to be blasphemous (ed: we agree). "People are seeking out alternatives to coffee for getting a lift, and yerba mate is mild and not as acidic," said Karr. "People are burning out on coffee."
But one of the main draws is Yerba Mate’s reported health benefits. Vendors claim it can, "boost immunity, restore youthful hair color, retard aging, combat fatigue, control the appetite and eliminate insomnia," to name a few.
But is it all true? The answer is that there is still comparatively little comprehensive scientific research on the long-term effects of Mate consumption. But the nutritional constituents of the plant are real and verified, as are ORAC antioxidant levels thanks to some ORAC testing, and thus it's likely that Mate does provide large, complex range of antioxidants as well as nutrients and amino acids, as widely reported. Just as with Matcha green tea or high-quality organic coffee beans, the source must be as pure as possible in order to derive maximum benefit: in this case, rainforest shade-grown Mate, consumed straight (no added sugar or milk or other diluting elements). And like Matcha, teas and coffees, the strength of the brew will also affect the resulting amount of nutrients.
From an antioxidant profile standpoint, and 8 oz. serving of Mate compared to an 8 oz serving of brewed sencha green tea shows that Mate's ORAC level is indeed almost twice that of both brewed green tea and coffee, however high-grade Matcha green tea and ground Sencha can still eclipse Mate (and coffee) on the ORAC scale depending on source and brewing strength (and contain some different components at different levels, which have given green tea its own deserving praise, most notably EGCG and L-Theanine).
Oh, and there is caffeine in Mate...although some Mate proponents insist that the form in Mate is slightly different and worthy of its own name, "Mateine", providing almost identical effects but without the caffeine jitters. Others argue that it's the same caffeine as in other teas, but thanks to the synergistic combination of balancing nutrients, the net effect is far different from coffee.
So whether it's the same caffeine as in other teas and coffees or indeed the purported mateine variant, Yerba Mate contains about 30 milligrams of caffeine/mateine in an eight ounce cup, according to a recent Health Canada report, compared with 47 milligrams in a cup of tea and 100 milligrams in a cup of coffee.
So how does is compare to coffee? To answer this question, one must look at the nutritional profile of both mate and coffee, as well as the "functional" profile -- or the real-world human effects and experiences of those who have consumed both and found differences. From a nutritional standpoint, assuming both coffee and mate drinks are prepared equally using high-quality fresh source material and nothing else but hot water added, Mate does appear to win: with comparatively higher levels of both amino acids and plant-derived vitamins, the combination of leaves and stems from the mate tree have been shown to possess a higher overall nutritional profile than the coffee bean. But remember that BOTH are powerhouses in the overall antioxidants area compared to so many other beverage choices out there (including most fruit juices).
Functional benefits may be the key difference: it's in the real-world, practical application area that Mate really shines compared to coffee, at least for many people, particularly those sensitive to the effects of coffee: many former coffee drinkers cite the fact that Mate doesn't upset their stomach like coffee once did, which can be attributed to Mate's more alkaline nature compared to the often acidic coffee (depending on how coffee is brewed, of course, as we've cited in our Espresso vs. coffee comparison).
With about one-third the caffeine of coffee, plus the presence of natural calming tryptophan and other elements, many also report the lack of jitters, shakes and anxiety that can accompany coffee drinking, resulting in all of the "good buzz" of coffee without the bad. And perhaps most significant is the reported lack of "coffee crash", which has been particularly of interest to athletes and performers, who cite Mate's sustained energy without the hard crash at the end; this is likely the result of lower caffeine content combined with calming amino acids and muscle-fueling nutrients, helping athletes both mentally and physically without an extreme jittery high (and resulting crash) as can occur from coffee.
leavesandstems_textmedium
Sounds great, but what about the downside? The fact is that despite Yerba Mate's recent popularity climb, comparatively little is known, scientifically, about the long-term effects of regular consumption. But many studying Mate's historical traditional usage have found numerous examples of peoples who thrived nutritionally, and experienced impressive longevity, despite otherwise poor diets and access to other staples of nutrition. This supports the reports of Mate's nutritionally rich profile.
There have been a few past anecdotal reports of liver toxicity associated with Mate, but there appears to be no conclusive findings nor other problems that one would assume to accompany such a dramatic increase in consumption around the world (not to mention the many centuries of Mate drinking in South America). To the contrary, Mate's only apparent downside is that it does contain caffeine (or mateine, for purists), which for some can be problematic even in amounts smaller than present in coffee. Frankly, compared to the garbage that so many people commonly drink as their day-long beverages, one can only imagine how the health problems of society at large would change if Yerba Mate (and Matcha green tea, white teas, Rooibos, and other excellent options) were the norm rather than the exception.
Our conclusion: we like it. A lot. And we've added Yerba Mate to our list of natural drinks that we at BrainReady enjoy ourselves and recommend to friends, family and peers. But not at the exclusion of coffee, nor Matcha green tea, nor brewed green or white teas for that matter. Yes, Yerba Mate may indeed beat coffee from an antioxidants, nutrients and functional standpoint, but the coffee bean and other teas are also wonderful for different reasons, particularly for those who can tolerate them without problems.
We enjoy ALL of these natural plants-made-into-drinks, and all of them have been shown to possess health benefits to brain and body, so we like alternate. Some days we'll substitute Yerba Mate in place of coffee in the morning, have a bit of Matcha in the afternoon. Other days, it's Matcha in the morning, and some white tea late in the afternoon, and Rooibos in the evening. Others, it's all about coffee and espresso, especially when there's a particularly interesting coffee varietal available.
So just as with the importance of having a rich and varied diet, we like a balance of all of these wonderful natural drinks, and we'd encourage you to consider the benefits of a varied, balanced approach. The fact remains that all are high in antioxidants, all are tasty, all possess brain-fueling and physically-boosting properties, all have been used for eons by millions of people.
It's not an "either/or", but rather "all, in balance".
Enjoy!
(From BrainReady )
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...
Traditional native source of health and energy: in South America, Yerba Mate has been revered for centuries as the “drink of the gods” and is still drunk daily for health, sustained energy and mental clarity by millions. The leaves of the rainforest Mate tree naturally contain 24 vitamins and minerals, 15 amino acids and are rich in antioxidants -- with reported ORAC antioxidant levels even higher than many brewed green teas. Many Mate advocates cite the Pasteur Institute and Paris Scientific society which in 1964 concluded, "it is difficult to find a plant in any area of the world equal to mate in nutritional value" and that yerba mate contains, "practically all of the vitamins necessary to sustain life."
It's also the national drink of Argentina (side note: wow! What would the national drink of the U.S. be currently...diet soda?), where drinkers of Yerba Mate are even more ubiquitous than coffee drinkers in the United States. It is not uncommon to see Argentines walking down the street sipping out of a Mate gourd.
More bitter than English or Indian teas, Yerba Mate is something of an acquired taste for the neophyte: "Most Americans wouldn’t like it the way Argentinians drink it, it’s too earthy and grassy tasting," said David Karr, founder of the online herb vendor Guayaki. For that reason, many sellers are blending Yerba Mate with mint, vanilla, orange or other flavorings. Yet others find the native taste wonderful -- earthy, grassy, complex, and find this sort of blending and sweetening to be blasphemous (ed: we agree). "People are seeking out alternatives to coffee for getting a lift, and yerba mate is mild and not as acidic," said Karr. "People are burning out on coffee."
But one of the main draws is Yerba Mate’s reported health benefits. Vendors claim it can, "boost immunity, restore youthful hair color, retard aging, combat fatigue, control the appetite and eliminate insomnia," to name a few.
But is it all true? The answer is that there is still comparatively little comprehensive scientific research on the long-term effects of Mate consumption. But the nutritional constituents of the plant are real and verified, as are ORAC antioxidant levels thanks to some ORAC testing, and thus it's likely that Mate does provide large, complex range of antioxidants as well as nutrients and amino acids, as widely reported. Just as with Matcha green tea or high-quality organic coffee beans, the source must be as pure as possible in order to derive maximum benefit: in this case, rainforest shade-grown Mate, consumed straight (no added sugar or milk or other diluting elements). And like Matcha, teas and coffees, the strength of the brew will also affect the resulting amount of nutrients.
From an antioxidant profile standpoint, and 8 oz. serving of Mate compared to an 8 oz serving of brewed sencha green tea shows that Mate's ORAC level is indeed almost twice that of both brewed green tea and coffee, however high-grade Matcha green tea and ground Sencha can still eclipse Mate (and coffee) on the ORAC scale depending on source and brewing strength (and contain some different components at different levels, which have given green tea its own deserving praise, most notably EGCG and L-Theanine).
Oh, and there is caffeine in Mate...although some Mate proponents insist that the form in Mate is slightly different and worthy of its own name, "Mateine", providing almost identical effects but without the caffeine jitters. Others argue that it's the same caffeine as in other teas, but thanks to the synergistic combination of balancing nutrients, the net effect is far different from coffee.
So whether it's the same caffeine as in other teas and coffees or indeed the purported mateine variant, Yerba Mate contains about 30 milligrams of caffeine/mateine in an eight ounce cup, according to a recent Health Canada report, compared with 47 milligrams in a cup of tea and 100 milligrams in a cup of coffee.
So how does is compare to coffee? To answer this question, one must look at the nutritional profile of both mate and coffee, as well as the "functional" profile -- or the real-world human effects and experiences of those who have consumed both and found differences. From a nutritional standpoint, assuming both coffee and mate drinks are prepared equally using high-quality fresh source material and nothing else but hot water added, Mate does appear to win: with comparatively higher levels of both amino acids and plant-derived vitamins, the combination of leaves and stems from the mate tree have been shown to possess a higher overall nutritional profile than the coffee bean. But remember that BOTH are powerhouses in the overall antioxidants area compared to so many other beverage choices out there (including most fruit juices).
Functional benefits may be the key difference: it's in the real-world, practical application area that Mate really shines compared to coffee, at least for many people, particularly those sensitive to the effects of coffee: many former coffee drinkers cite the fact that Mate doesn't upset their stomach like coffee once did, which can be attributed to Mate's more alkaline nature compared to the often acidic coffee (depending on how coffee is brewed, of course, as we've cited in our Espresso vs. coffee comparison).
With about one-third the caffeine of coffee, plus the presence of natural calming tryptophan and other elements, many also report the lack of jitters, shakes and anxiety that can accompany coffee drinking, resulting in all of the "good buzz" of coffee without the bad. And perhaps most significant is the reported lack of "coffee crash", which has been particularly of interest to athletes and performers, who cite Mate's sustained energy without the hard crash at the end; this is likely the result of lower caffeine content combined with calming amino acids and muscle-fueling nutrients, helping athletes both mentally and physically without an extreme jittery high (and resulting crash) as can occur from coffee.
leavesandstems_textmedium
Sounds great, but what about the downside? The fact is that despite Yerba Mate's recent popularity climb, comparatively little is known, scientifically, about the long-term effects of regular consumption. But many studying Mate's historical traditional usage have found numerous examples of peoples who thrived nutritionally, and experienced impressive longevity, despite otherwise poor diets and access to other staples of nutrition. This supports the reports of Mate's nutritionally rich profile.
There have been a few past anecdotal reports of liver toxicity associated with Mate, but there appears to be no conclusive findings nor other problems that one would assume to accompany such a dramatic increase in consumption around the world (not to mention the many centuries of Mate drinking in South America). To the contrary, Mate's only apparent downside is that it does contain caffeine (or mateine, for purists), which for some can be problematic even in amounts smaller than present in coffee. Frankly, compared to the garbage that so many people commonly drink as their day-long beverages, one can only imagine how the health problems of society at large would change if Yerba Mate (and Matcha green tea, white teas, Rooibos, and other excellent options) were the norm rather than the exception.
Our conclusion: we like it. A lot. And we've added Yerba Mate to our list of natural drinks that we at BrainReady enjoy ourselves and recommend to friends, family and peers. But not at the exclusion of coffee, nor Matcha green tea, nor brewed green or white teas for that matter. Yes, Yerba Mate may indeed beat coffee from an antioxidants, nutrients and functional standpoint, but the coffee bean and other teas are also wonderful for different reasons, particularly for those who can tolerate them without problems.
We enjoy ALL of these natural plants-made-into-drinks, and all of them have been shown to possess health benefits to brain and body, so we like alternate. Some days we'll substitute Yerba Mate in place of coffee in the morning, have a bit of Matcha in the afternoon. Other days, it's Matcha in the morning, and some white tea late in the afternoon, and Rooibos in the evening. Others, it's all about coffee and espresso, especially when there's a particularly interesting coffee varietal available.
So just as with the importance of having a rich and varied diet, we like a balance of all of these wonderful natural drinks, and we'd encourage you to consider the benefits of a varied, balanced approach. The fact remains that all are high in antioxidants, all are tasty, all possess brain-fueling and physically-boosting properties, all have been used for eons by millions of people.
It's not an "either/or", but rather "all, in balance".
Enjoy!
Tuesday, January 6, 2009
South America’s ‘Secret’ Weight-Loss Tea
If, like most Americans, you haven’t heard of Yerba Mate - the national drink of Argentina - it’s about time you did. Why? Because it has the power to shrink your appetite, tame your cravings, rev you up and trim you down! Here’s why you should get in on South America’s top slimming secret…
Like any working mom, Dr. Shirley Impellizzeri is a busy woman. On a typical day, she counsels patients, offers expert court testimony, works on her upcoming book, chauffeurs her eight-year old, helps with homework, makes dinner and generally tries to keep her house from looking like hurricane alley. So It’s easy to see how she came to crave regular pick-me-ups.
“Mid-morning, I used to have a Danish or a donut,” sighs the famed L.A. psychologist. “Then in the afternoon, I’d have a muffin with coffee. Plus, burgers for lunch, huge bowls of pasta for dinner. It was stress related eating. I knew I wasn’t choosing the right foods, but I couldn’t seem to help myself.” For awhile, she tried to ignore the weight steadily creeping onto her petite 5’3” frame. Then came the morning when her favorite jeans wouldn’t button any more. She realized something had to give. “It was either forget shopping or lose weight,” she recalls, “ I decided to give weight loss a try.”
And is she ever glad she did! Fifteen pounds slimmer after just six weeks, the 37-year-old – affectionately known to patients as “Dr Shirley” – also doubled her energy and shrunk her appetite down in size. Did she squeeze a complicated diet or grueling exercise into her packed schedule? Nah. She simply discovered – make that rediscovered – a virtually effortlessly little trick, one she first tucked up her sleeve as a teenager exploring the world with her family…
Argentina’s sip-yourself-slim secret
Dr. Shirley’s initial inclination ad been to try the Zone, a celebfavorite diet that calls for drastically cutting carb consumption. “I had these terrible carbohydrates cravings, so it was difficult for me to stay with it.” The California native recalls. Yet she kept trying struggling… until a lucky day when wandering through a gourmet deli, she had a lightbulb moment. There, sitting on a shelf, was a package of Yerba Mate -a tea she’d first sipped as a girl….
“For three years while I was in high school, my parents took us to live near relatives in Argentina, where yerba mate is part of the cultural tradition, kind of like coffee is for Americans,” she explains. “I remember that the younger people realized drinking yerba mate made us eat less and lose weight. We purposely drank lots of it to keep nice and trim. It wasn’t anything scientific back then, just teenage girls wanting to look good. But when I remembered that, I did some research.” What she found inspired her to begin drinking two to three cups of the spicy herbal brew a day. And those cups of tea prompted her incredibly effortless weight loss.
Considering the kind of results Dr. Shirley got, it’s no surprise word of yerba mate’s slimming power has begun to spread. In Scottsdale, Arizona, hairstylist Jamie Rosen shed a whooping 45 pounds after a friend insisted she try it. San Francisco yoga instructor Stephanie Bernstein had her first taste of the tea at a health-food store where they were handing out free samples; she took some home and promptly dropped 10 incredibly stubborn pounds. And then there are the folks who’ve tested yerba mate in a more formal setting – specifically a research lab. One group given supplements spiked with yerba mated lost over 10 times more weight than those who go a sugar pill instead. “I’ve never seen anything like it,” says one top doc involved in the yerba mated studies. “The weight-loss results using yerba mate were truly remarkable.”
What yerba mate can do for you
Do you feel as though your metabolism is stalled? Do you have strong urges to eat that sabotage your efforts to slim down? Yerba mate can offer relief from both problems, say experts. Here’s how:
It will boost your ability to burn calories.
When scientists at the Universite de Lausanne in the Switzerland tested different plants said to have fat-burning properties, only yerba mate was found to possess real power to melt flab. It works its magic courtesy of something called the “thermogenic effect,” which essentially triggers the body to turn excess calories (calories that would otherwise end up in fat cells) into heat that simply rises off the skin and disappears, explains Lynn Anderson, N.D., Ph.D., author of several health and nutrition books. And by causing more calories to be burned than usual, the thermogenic effect makes it easy to burn off more calories than we consume-which in turn, forces stored fat to be burned!
“It definitely revved me up and speeded up my metabolism,” confirms Dr. Shirley. Jamie eventually came to the same conclusion-but first she had a lot of scepticism to overcome. “I’m a realist, so I didn’t believe there was a ‘super-tea’ you could drink with your Krispy Kremes and still lose weight,” says the mom of two, 39. “But a friend who heard me constantly complaining about my weight frustration said, ‘You have to try it. I’ll give you a box.’ I made a big jugful and started drinking it with ice.” To Jamie’s surprise, she dropped from a size 12 to a size 6 in two months-and the shrinking didn’t stop there. “One day, I pulled on a pair of size 6 pants, and I was swimming in them!” she says. “So I got out a box of my ‘pre-mommy’ clothes and pulled on a pair of size 4 jeans. They fit!
It fills you up as much as an entire meal would.
A Danish study published in the Journal of Human Nutrition and Dietetics found that a supplement containing yerba mate slowed the release of stomach contents by a full 20 minutes, so test subjects felt full sooner and longer. The effect not only left volunteers
satisfied, it left them skinny: in 45 days, people taking the yerba mate combination lost 16 times more weight than those who didn’t. (Note: you’ll need to sip yerba mated during or soon after meals to maximize this effect, say experts.)
Yerba mate also helps curb hunger by meeting a surprising number of the body’s nutritional requirements for zero calories. A French study found that it contains almost all of the vitamins and minerals necessary to sustain life: calcium, iron potassium, magnesium, vitamins A, C, E and more.
Dr. Shirley is so stuffed thanks to drinking the tea that she has all but give up snacks and has to remind herself to eat meals. “Often, the morning goes by, and suddenly it’s 2 p.m. and I still haven’t felt a hunger pang,” she says. Jamie noticed her appetite disappearing too-especially for the sugary foods that once sabotaged her weight loss. “I used to wake up wanting cookies,” she says. “But since I started the tea, I don’t have those unstoppable cravings. Even my husband noticed the difference.”
It doubles your energy without caffeine jitters.
What if exercise was suddenly something you wanted to do? Well. When you start drinking yerba mate tea, don’t be surprised if that happens! “Yerba mate contains a chemical compound called mateine, which is thought by many authorities to be identical to caffeine with one exception-it doesn’t cause jitteriness,” notes Raymond M. Lombardi, D.C., N.D., a certified herbalist based in Redding, California. “But like caffeine, it has a stimulating effect on metabolism.” A faster metabolism not only means you burn more calories, it means you turn more calories into energy. So your get-up-and-go goes through the roof!
Dr. Shirley, Jamie and Stephanie all found this out firsthand. Says Dr. Shirley; “I started walking so much more. If I needed to go a few blocks, I’d walk instead of taking the car. I’d take a walk after dinner. I enjoyed it!” Jamie, who had never exercised consistently before, suddenly got hooked on aerobics and strength training. Meanwhile, Stephanie found herself so much more revved up by yerba mate that she automatically started doing her regular yoga routines more vigorously. “My clothes fit differently almost immediately!” she says.
It soothes moodiness-and curbs emotional eating.
One more thing about mateine: it’s a double-duty compound. As it stimulates the metabolism into turning more calories to energy, it simultaneously soothes the nervous system. You feel less nervous and anxious, and you’re better able to resist physical and mental fatigue, says Daniel Mowrey, Ph.D., who first began researching yerba mate over 25 years ago. “improvement in mood, especially in cases of depression, often follows drinking the tea,” he says. And that takes the temptation out of fattening comfort foods.
Dr. Shirley can vouch for that. “Taking care of other people’s needs is a stressful job. Before, it felt like there were never enough hours in the day,” she says. But with the tea? “I’m not always stressed out about getting everything done anymore. I’m calmer. Of course, I also get a lot more things done in a day, so I not only handle things better, I have less to worry about!” Certainly losing weight is no longer a worry for Dr. Shirley. “All of a sudden, I found myself changing in front of the mirror again,” she says. “I felt really good, and was calling all my friends to tell them about my weight loss!” Adds Jamie: “Everyone laughed after I had my kids and talked about getting back into my pre-pregnancy clothed. But I’m the one who’s laughing now!”
So what are you waiting for? Brew a cup of yerba mate tea and get on the road to a slimmer, more energized and less stressed you. Oh, then take a little “psychological” advice from Dr. Shirley: treat yourself to some skinny jeans and a sexy new top!
Stephanie Huszar
Woman’s World
October 21, 2003
Like any working mom, Dr. Shirley Impellizzeri is a busy woman. On a typical day, she counsels patients, offers expert court testimony, works on her upcoming book, chauffeurs her eight-year old, helps with homework, makes dinner and generally tries to keep her house from looking like hurricane alley. So It’s easy to see how she came to crave regular pick-me-ups.
“Mid-morning, I used to have a Danish or a donut,” sighs the famed L.A. psychologist. “Then in the afternoon, I’d have a muffin with coffee. Plus, burgers for lunch, huge bowls of pasta for dinner. It was stress related eating. I knew I wasn’t choosing the right foods, but I couldn’t seem to help myself.” For awhile, she tried to ignore the weight steadily creeping onto her petite 5’3” frame. Then came the morning when her favorite jeans wouldn’t button any more. She realized something had to give. “It was either forget shopping or lose weight,” she recalls, “ I decided to give weight loss a try.”
And is she ever glad she did! Fifteen pounds slimmer after just six weeks, the 37-year-old – affectionately known to patients as “Dr Shirley” – also doubled her energy and shrunk her appetite down in size. Did she squeeze a complicated diet or grueling exercise into her packed schedule? Nah. She simply discovered – make that rediscovered – a virtually effortlessly little trick, one she first tucked up her sleeve as a teenager exploring the world with her family…
Argentina’s sip-yourself-slim secret
Dr. Shirley’s initial inclination ad been to try the Zone, a celebfavorite diet that calls for drastically cutting carb consumption. “I had these terrible carbohydrates cravings, so it was difficult for me to stay with it.” The California native recalls. Yet she kept trying struggling… until a lucky day when wandering through a gourmet deli, she had a lightbulb moment. There, sitting on a shelf, was a package of Yerba Mate -a tea she’d first sipped as a girl….
“For three years while I was in high school, my parents took us to live near relatives in Argentina, where yerba mate is part of the cultural tradition, kind of like coffee is for Americans,” she explains. “I remember that the younger people realized drinking yerba mate made us eat less and lose weight. We purposely drank lots of it to keep nice and trim. It wasn’t anything scientific back then, just teenage girls wanting to look good. But when I remembered that, I did some research.” What she found inspired her to begin drinking two to three cups of the spicy herbal brew a day. And those cups of tea prompted her incredibly effortless weight loss.
Considering the kind of results Dr. Shirley got, it’s no surprise word of yerba mate’s slimming power has begun to spread. In Scottsdale, Arizona, hairstylist Jamie Rosen shed a whooping 45 pounds after a friend insisted she try it. San Francisco yoga instructor Stephanie Bernstein had her first taste of the tea at a health-food store where they were handing out free samples; she took some home and promptly dropped 10 incredibly stubborn pounds. And then there are the folks who’ve tested yerba mate in a more formal setting – specifically a research lab. One group given supplements spiked with yerba mated lost over 10 times more weight than those who go a sugar pill instead. “I’ve never seen anything like it,” says one top doc involved in the yerba mated studies. “The weight-loss results using yerba mate were truly remarkable.”
What yerba mate can do for you
Do you feel as though your metabolism is stalled? Do you have strong urges to eat that sabotage your efforts to slim down? Yerba mate can offer relief from both problems, say experts. Here’s how:
It will boost your ability to burn calories.
When scientists at the Universite de Lausanne in the Switzerland tested different plants said to have fat-burning properties, only yerba mate was found to possess real power to melt flab. It works its magic courtesy of something called the “thermogenic effect,” which essentially triggers the body to turn excess calories (calories that would otherwise end up in fat cells) into heat that simply rises off the skin and disappears, explains Lynn Anderson, N.D., Ph.D., author of several health and nutrition books. And by causing more calories to be burned than usual, the thermogenic effect makes it easy to burn off more calories than we consume-which in turn, forces stored fat to be burned!
“It definitely revved me up and speeded up my metabolism,” confirms Dr. Shirley. Jamie eventually came to the same conclusion-but first she had a lot of scepticism to overcome. “I’m a realist, so I didn’t believe there was a ‘super-tea’ you could drink with your Krispy Kremes and still lose weight,” says the mom of two, 39. “But a friend who heard me constantly complaining about my weight frustration said, ‘You have to try it. I’ll give you a box.’ I made a big jugful and started drinking it with ice.” To Jamie’s surprise, she dropped from a size 12 to a size 6 in two months-and the shrinking didn’t stop there. “One day, I pulled on a pair of size 6 pants, and I was swimming in them!” she says. “So I got out a box of my ‘pre-mommy’ clothes and pulled on a pair of size 4 jeans. They fit!
It fills you up as much as an entire meal would.
A Danish study published in the Journal of Human Nutrition and Dietetics found that a supplement containing yerba mate slowed the release of stomach contents by a full 20 minutes, so test subjects felt full sooner and longer. The effect not only left volunteers
satisfied, it left them skinny: in 45 days, people taking the yerba mate combination lost 16 times more weight than those who didn’t. (Note: you’ll need to sip yerba mated during or soon after meals to maximize this effect, say experts.)
Yerba mate also helps curb hunger by meeting a surprising number of the body’s nutritional requirements for zero calories. A French study found that it contains almost all of the vitamins and minerals necessary to sustain life: calcium, iron potassium, magnesium, vitamins A, C, E and more.
Dr. Shirley is so stuffed thanks to drinking the tea that she has all but give up snacks and has to remind herself to eat meals. “Often, the morning goes by, and suddenly it’s 2 p.m. and I still haven’t felt a hunger pang,” she says. Jamie noticed her appetite disappearing too-especially for the sugary foods that once sabotaged her weight loss. “I used to wake up wanting cookies,” she says. “But since I started the tea, I don’t have those unstoppable cravings. Even my husband noticed the difference.”
It doubles your energy without caffeine jitters.
What if exercise was suddenly something you wanted to do? Well. When you start drinking yerba mate tea, don’t be surprised if that happens! “Yerba mate contains a chemical compound called mateine, which is thought by many authorities to be identical to caffeine with one exception-it doesn’t cause jitteriness,” notes Raymond M. Lombardi, D.C., N.D., a certified herbalist based in Redding, California. “But like caffeine, it has a stimulating effect on metabolism.” A faster metabolism not only means you burn more calories, it means you turn more calories into energy. So your get-up-and-go goes through the roof!
Dr. Shirley, Jamie and Stephanie all found this out firsthand. Says Dr. Shirley; “I started walking so much more. If I needed to go a few blocks, I’d walk instead of taking the car. I’d take a walk after dinner. I enjoyed it!” Jamie, who had never exercised consistently before, suddenly got hooked on aerobics and strength training. Meanwhile, Stephanie found herself so much more revved up by yerba mate that she automatically started doing her regular yoga routines more vigorously. “My clothes fit differently almost immediately!” she says.
It soothes moodiness-and curbs emotional eating.
One more thing about mateine: it’s a double-duty compound. As it stimulates the metabolism into turning more calories to energy, it simultaneously soothes the nervous system. You feel less nervous and anxious, and you’re better able to resist physical and mental fatigue, says Daniel Mowrey, Ph.D., who first began researching yerba mate over 25 years ago. “improvement in mood, especially in cases of depression, often follows drinking the tea,” he says. And that takes the temptation out of fattening comfort foods.
Dr. Shirley can vouch for that. “Taking care of other people’s needs is a stressful job. Before, it felt like there were never enough hours in the day,” she says. But with the tea? “I’m not always stressed out about getting everything done anymore. I’m calmer. Of course, I also get a lot more things done in a day, so I not only handle things better, I have less to worry about!” Certainly losing weight is no longer a worry for Dr. Shirley. “All of a sudden, I found myself changing in front of the mirror again,” she says. “I felt really good, and was calling all my friends to tell them about my weight loss!” Adds Jamie: “Everyone laughed after I had my kids and talked about getting back into my pre-pregnancy clothed. But I’m the one who’s laughing now!”
So what are you waiting for? Brew a cup of yerba mate tea and get on the road to a slimmer, more energized and less stressed you. Oh, then take a little “psychological” advice from Dr. Shirley: treat yourself to some skinny jeans and a sexy new top!
Stephanie Huszar
Woman’s World
October 21, 2003
Studies of Antioxidant Properties of Yerba Mate
Yerba mate has significant antioxidant activity. In 2005, researchers at the University of Illinois at Champaign –Urbana analyzed 25 different kinds of yerba mate and found that mate contained higher levels of antioxidants than green tea and, and based on cellular studies, reported that there was a correlation between yerba mate’s polyphenol content, antioxidant capacity and human topoisomerase inhibition that may help prevent oral cancer.
Prior to this most recent research, researchers in 1995 published a study in Biochemical and Molecular Biology International in which they concluded that water extracts of yerba mate “were more potent antioxidants than either ascorbic acid (vitamin C) or butylated hydroxytoluene.” A few years later, a group of researchers embarked on a study to again investigate the antioxidant properties of Ilex paraguariensis infusions. Those findings were published in March of 2000 in the Journal Biochemical and Biophysica Research Communications. Their results suggest “that ingestion of extracts of Ilex paraguariensis could contribute to an increase in the antioxidant defense of an organism against free radicals attack.” In a more recent study, published in the November 2001 issue of Fitoterapia, researchers took a look at seven different plant species in South America. They found that yerba mate “contained a higher content of flavonoids and caffeoyl derivatives than any other assayed species.”
Prior to this most recent research, researchers in 1995 published a study in Biochemical and Molecular Biology International in which they concluded that water extracts of yerba mate “were more potent antioxidants than either ascorbic acid (vitamin C) or butylated hydroxytoluene.” A few years later, a group of researchers embarked on a study to again investigate the antioxidant properties of Ilex paraguariensis infusions. Those findings were published in March of 2000 in the Journal Biochemical and Biophysica Research Communications. Their results suggest “that ingestion of extracts of Ilex paraguariensis could contribute to an increase in the antioxidant defense of an organism against free radicals attack.” In a more recent study, published in the November 2001 issue of Fitoterapia, researchers took a look at seven different plant species in South America. They found that yerba mate “contained a higher content of flavonoids and caffeoyl derivatives than any other assayed species.”
Wall Street Journal - South American Tea Is High In Antioxidants
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.
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.
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
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 and Caffeine
The issue of whether there is or is not caffeine in Yerba Mate has long been a controversial subject. We are not out to prove one or the other, but rather, we tell people what we know by the experiences that we and countless others have shared. Some people who have allergies to caffeine can drink Yerba Mate without any problem. Some who have allergies react to it. Exactly why, we do not know.
There are stimulants in Yerba Mate, similar to what is in coffee. However, because of the minerals and vitamins they are connected with, they are assimilated by the body very differently from the caffeine in coffee and other teas. Yerba Mate does not attack the nervous system, but rather stimulates the metabolism. It does not give the jitters or shakes, digestive troubles, or a high with a low 'crash' at the end. It stimulates much more evenly and slowly, making it a more pleasant experience. All the health benefits it gives us fortify our bodies instead of making them weaker and susceptible to fatigue. The stimulants in Yerba Mate are only a small part of the complete structure that makes it energizing and healthful.
Consider salt as well. Sodium Chloride is known to be harmful when taken by itself. But in it's natural form, the sodium chloride in salt is only a part of the structure made up of over 80 other minerals and trace minerals, making it completely different in the way it acts upon the body. Salt is good, before greedy people separate the other minerals from the sodium chloride in order to sell them as mineral supplements. Table salt is not really salt, as we were intended to ingest it. Sodium Chloride is not salt, but it is a component of it.
(We aim to have pure, unprocessed, hand-harvested salt from Portugal available soon.)
The stimulating properties in Yerba Mate are pleasant, sustained, and found by most to be free from the unpleasant side effects often associated with coffee and other teas. Of course not everyone experiences exactly the same results due to a wide range of variables. We always advise people on medication to consult their physician
For more info on Yerba Mate , visit http://matefactor.ca
There are stimulants in Yerba Mate, similar to what is in coffee. However, because of the minerals and vitamins they are connected with, they are assimilated by the body very differently from the caffeine in coffee and other teas. Yerba Mate does not attack the nervous system, but rather stimulates the metabolism. It does not give the jitters or shakes, digestive troubles, or a high with a low 'crash' at the end. It stimulates much more evenly and slowly, making it a more pleasant experience. All the health benefits it gives us fortify our bodies instead of making them weaker and susceptible to fatigue. The stimulants in Yerba Mate are only a small part of the complete structure that makes it energizing and healthful.
Consider salt as well. Sodium Chloride is known to be harmful when taken by itself. But in it's natural form, the sodium chloride in salt is only a part of the structure made up of over 80 other minerals and trace minerals, making it completely different in the way it acts upon the body. Salt is good, before greedy people separate the other minerals from the sodium chloride in order to sell them as mineral supplements. Table salt is not really salt, as we were intended to ingest it. Sodium Chloride is not salt, but it is a component of it.
(We aim to have pure, unprocessed, hand-harvested salt from Portugal available soon.)
The stimulating properties in Yerba Mate are pleasant, sustained, and found by most to be free from the unpleasant side effects often associated with coffee and other teas. Of course not everyone experiences exactly the same results due to a wide range of variables. We always advise people on medication to consult their physician
For more info on Yerba Mate , visit http://matefactor.ca
The ancient drink of health and friendship
Yerba Mate (pronounced "yerba mahtay") is a medicinal and cultural drink of ancient origins. Introduced to the world by the Guarani Indians of South America, Mate contains ingredients that help keep its drinkers healthy and energetic.
More than a drink, Yerba Mate has become a cultural phenomenon throughout South America. Its benefits are obvious. In Buenos Aires, where people carry their Mate with them throughout the day, the site of an obese person is rare. Visit http://matefactor.ca and see if Mate is for you !
More than a drink, Yerba Mate has become a cultural phenomenon throughout South America. Its benefits are obvious. In Buenos Aires, where people carry their Mate with them throughout the day, the site of an obese person is rare. Visit http://matefactor.ca and see if Mate is for you !
Yerba Mate: Traditional Gourd & Bombilla “How To”
Traditional Gourd Packing Instructions
For traditional Brazilian Gaucho style yerba mate tea
* Fill gourd 2/3 full of yerba maté tea.
* Turn your gourd on its side and shake lightly so that the mate ends up on one side of the gourd.
* Slowly right the gourd until it is at a 45% angle.
* Pour warm water in the hole that is left next to the mate, and let it sink into the herb. Pour a little more and a little more, letting the herb soak it up so it becomes moist and a little harder. This will keep your mate standing upright on one side of the gourd like a wall.
* Make sure to keep the top of the mate wall dry.
* Put your thumb over the mouthpiece hole of the bombilla (traditional metal straw and filter used to drink from a gourd) and put it straight down into the empty part if the gourd, so that it sits at edge between the mate and the empty space for the water. Fix the top of the bombilla against the edge of the gourd, typically right between the maté and the empty space beside it.
* Heat water to a hot “simmer,” then take it off the heat. Do not bring the water to a boil.
* Pour the water into the empty part of the gourd until full. Do not cover the dry part of the mate “wall” with water. Suck through the bombilla (pronounced bom-BEE-ya) to drink. Suck carefully, as the infusion may be hot enough to burn your lips.
* When your bombilla draws air, refill with hot water. A gourd full of yerba mate is usually good for many refills!
(Warning - Do not put boiling water in your gourd or it may crack. Boiling water also harms the mate and can burn your mouth!)
For traditional Brazilian Gaucho style yerba mate tea
* Fill gourd 2/3 full of yerba maté tea.* Turn your gourd on its side and shake lightly so that the mate ends up on one side of the gourd.
* Slowly right the gourd until it is at a 45% angle.
* Pour warm water in the hole that is left next to the mate, and let it sink into the herb. Pour a little more and a little more, letting the herb soak it up so it becomes moist and a little harder. This will keep your mate standing upright on one side of the gourd like a wall.
* Make sure to keep the top of the mate wall dry.
* Put your thumb over the mouthpiece hole of the bombilla (traditional metal straw and filter used to drink from a gourd) and put it straight down into the empty part if the gourd, so that it sits at edge between the mate and the empty space for the water. Fix the top of the bombilla against the edge of the gourd, typically right between the maté and the empty space beside it.
* Heat water to a hot “simmer,” then take it off the heat. Do not bring the water to a boil.
* Pour the water into the empty part of the gourd until full. Do not cover the dry part of the mate “wall” with water. Suck through the bombilla (pronounced bom-BEE-ya) to drink. Suck carefully, as the infusion may be hot enough to burn your lips.
* When your bombilla draws air, refill with hot water. A gourd full of yerba mate is usually good for many refills!
(Warning - Do not put boiling water in your gourd or it may crack. Boiling water also harms the mate and can burn your mouth!)
Relief for Acid Stomach
"I am writing to inform you of my complete satisfaction with your product. In the past year, I was feeling quite ill. Eventually I discovered that my stomach could not handle the acidity in coffee, black tea, green tea, vanilla or cinnamon, of all things. Dealing with caffeine withdrawal was terrible enough, but the thought of life without tea was unbearable! Thankfully I discovered yerba mate - it energizes me but doesn’t irritate my stomach. Nothing eases me into a day quite like the aroma of a fresh mug of your tea. The taste is so rich and complex, never watery in comparison to other brands of mate. Thank you for your commitment to quality and your customers’ well being."
Elizabeth Ferris
Elizabeth Ferris
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