What is the history behind yerba mate? What is it? Where does it come from? Well…yerba mate has been used as a medicinal herb since at least the 16th century when it was consumed by the indigenous Guarani people in Paraguay. Since that time, word of its benefits has spread across the world resulting in it quickly becoming a delicious herbal drink consumed worldwide. While still mainly cultivated in South America, yerba mate can now be found in herbal and nutrition stores globally and people are digging it!So what makes yerba mate so popular? A lot.For starters, yerba mate contains caffeine which everyone loves! If you were to consume yerba mate by brewing a tea, 1 cup would contain about 85 grams of caffeine. This is awesome as caffeine is one of the most effective ergogenic aids we know of and can improve health and fitness through a variety of factors including;
Second, yerba mate contains a ton of compounds known as “polyphenols”. Polyphenols are a large group of various antioxidants which are naturally found in some of our food. Together, have been found to offer an array of health benefits as diets that contain high amounts of polyphenols may;
Mitigate the risk of cancer
Improve digestion
Decrease inflammation
Improve brain function
Improve heart health
In fact, yerba mate has been found to be a more powerful antioxidant than the superfood green tea!Third, yerba mate has been found to help individuals achieve or maintain a healthy weight. This is accomplished through several different mechanisms. For example, some studies have shown yerba mate increases the use of stored fat for fuel. This means fewer cravings, higher levels of energy, improved exercise performance, and less discomfort when in a caloric deficit. Better yet, yerba mate might be one of the very fat compounds which actually targets belly fat!The fourth reason yerba mate is a true superfood is that it may be able to mitigate the risk of several chronic diseases. One of those diseases is diabetes which is, unfortunately, seeing a disturbing uptrend in society. It is believed to be able to lower blood sugar levels naturally as well as help maintain proper levels. South Americans have known about the miracles of this herbal tea for hundreds of years and its far-reaching benefits have finally reached the shores of the USA. Americans are always looking for that special miracle pill or some new drug being produced by big pharma. In reality, we should be looking at what earth has provided us and yerba mate could very well be the true miracle drug you’ve been looking for.
