Yerba mate

The Yerba mate

Yerba mate is obtained from the leaves of Ilex paraguariensis, tree native to the subtropical forests in South America that belongs to the Aquifoliaceae family.

Yerba Mate grows in a very limited natural range and thrives in certain areas of Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay and Uruguay. A geographical area between 18 and 30 degrees south latitude, bordered on the east by the Atlantic Ocean and the Paraguay River to the west. In Argentina, the geographical area where yerba mate is produced is made up of the northeast provinces of Corrientes and Misiones. It is a region of great natural beauty where the humid climate and soil type has created the ideal conditions for the cultivation of yerba mate. In the Guarani language Caa means Yerba, but it also means plant and forest. For the Guarani, the Yerba Mate tree is the main tree. It is considered a gift from the gods. Drinking the sap from the leaves was to them like drinking the forest itself.
Argentina is the largest producer and exporter of yerba mate with a consumption of 6.7 kilos per person per year. The consumption has spread throughout the country and does not discriminate in age or social class. In Argentina, yerba mate is a common drink, an infusion that, when drunk with hot water is called mate and when consumed with cold water is called terer. Mate tea bags are also common, steeped in hot water and drunk from a mug. The consumption of mate produces a beneficial effect, awakening the mind and energizing the body.

Yerba Mate is a natural energy source

Yerba mate contains vitamins, minerals, amino acids and antioxidants such as flavonoids. These antioxidants combat the oxidative action of free radicals, which attack the bodys cells, and are responsible for the production of many diseases and early aging.

For example, if you were to drink 50 grams of mate two times per day, you would significantly increase your intake of vitamin (B1) and (B6). The complexity of substances in yerba mate results in an all-natural energized and anti-fatigued state. This is due to the concentration of xanthic bases within yerba mate, something which has been found to be very useful in weight loss treatments to reduce appetite.

Yerba mate also has a laxative, diuretic and general stimulant effect on the central nervous system, particularly in the cerebral cortex, stimulating mental functions and improving the formation and association of ideas.