It stimulates as effectively as coffee, but unlike it, it does not flush magnesium out of our body. It increases immune system, speeds up metabolism and can be infused many times. Yerba Mate – what is it, what are the properties and composition and how to prepare it?

Yerba Mate – what is it?

Yerba mate is a beverage prepared with the leaves and twigs of yerba mate. This evergreen tree grows in a small area between the Atlantic Ocean and the Paraguay River, in Argentina, Paraguay, Brazil and Uruguay.
Yerba Mate used to be called tea, but the real tea is only a brew made from the tea bush Camelia Sinensis – the Chinese tea. Yerba Mate also has a completely different preparation process, chemical composition and properties than tea. That’s why you should think about Yerba Mate as the Ilex paraguariensis infusion.

Yerba Mate – properties 

• it stimulates very well;
• eliminates the symptoms of fatigue;
• regulates the pressure;
• cleanses and nourishes the body;
• improves the mood and well-being;
• stimulates metabolism;
• increases immunity;
• does not scour magnesium from the body and does not leave any deposits on the teeth – unlike coffee;
• improves skin firmness.

Yerba Mate – composition 

The most important bioactive ingredients in yerba mate infusion comprise:

• xanthine, i.e. caffeine, theobromine and theophylline responsible for the stimulant effects;
• polyphenols with anti-cancer and anti-mutagenic properties;
• saponins, which have an anti-inflammatory effect and have a positive effect on the metabolism of cholesterol;
• macronutrients: magnesium, potassium and phosphorus;
• micronutrients: manganese, zinc, copper, chromium and silicon;
• vitamins: A, B1, B2, C, E, PP and H.

How to prepare Yerba Mate?

In order to brew Yerba Mate, add 3/4 of the dried leaves into a special dish. This gourd comes with a metal straw and with a strainer from which the infusion is drunk. One portion can be infused many times, at least 5-7 times.

How does Yerba Mate taste?

Yerba Mate is bitter. Those who drink it for the first time will definitely notice such a distinct taste. With each gulp, our taste buds will get used to it.