Organic yerba mate tea
Yerba mate tastes like tea, stimulates like coffee, but technically it is neither. Yerba mate has a very distinctive taste – strong, slightly bitter. Traditionally, yerba mate is drunk from a special container and sipped with a metal straw with a filter at the lower end.
If you’re looking for an energy boost that espresso beans don’t give you, make a tea from the leaves and twigs of this South American super plant, Yerba mate(Ilex paraguariensis), which has been used for centuries. Yerba mate tea contains almost as much caffeine as coffee, around 80 milligrams per cup.
This tea is rich in antioxidants and nutrients:
Xanthines: these compounds act as stimulants. This includes caffeine and theobromine, which are also found in tea, coffee and chocolate.
Saponins: these bitter compounds have some anti-inflammatory and cholesterol-lowering properties.
Polyphenols: a group of antioxidants. Antioxidants protect the body’s cells from damage caused by free radicals and have a positive impact on health and skin condition, helping to slow the ageing process.
Yerba mate also contains several other important micronutrients, including vitamin C, thiamine, riboflavin and vitamin B6. It also contains some potassium, calcium, magnesium, phosphorus, manganese and iron.
Yerba mate can increase energy and improve mental concentration. Some studies suggest that yerba mate may be effective in reducing body weight.
More information in English:
1. National Library of Medicine
2. Organicfacts