Yerba Maté
Wikipedia: Yerba_mate | Teaviews: mate-teaUpdated: Apr. 11, 2012
About Yerba Maté
Yerba maté (pronounced "mah-tay"), sometimes called Paraguay tea, is an herb that has stimulant properties. Yerba maté is made from a species of holly, Ilex paraguariensis, and is one of several species of holly that naturally contain caffeine, others being guayusa and yaupon. In addition to caffeine, yerba maté contains other chemicals that make its effects somewhat different from those of tea or coffee. Because yerba maté is prepared similarly to tea, the drink made from it is often referred to as mate tea or yerba mate tea.
Yerba maté is available in different forms based on its processing, sometimes called green (unsmoked, unroasted) varieties and roasted/smoked varieties. Also, different parts of the plant are used to make beverages with different qualities of aroma and flavor.
Yerba mate gourd
Photo by Olof Johansson
Traditional preparation & consumption:
Traditionally, yerba maté is served in a dried and hollowed gourd, with the loose leaf kept in the hot water. Sometimes the gourd would be protected with leather or even metal. Vessels in the shape of a gourd are also made out of various materials, including wood or metal (even silver). The gourd is then passed around and shared among a group of people. The drink is sucked through a straw, which has a built-in strainer at the base. These straws are often ornate and made of silver.Health effects:
Yerba maté has not been as widely studied as tea, and there have been mixed results as to its health effects. It has been found to have significant antioxidant content which is likely preserved when it is consumed as tea.[1][2] It also contains vitamins and minerals, including vitamins C, B1, and B2, and phosphorus, iron, and calcium.[2]However, consumption of large amounts over a long period of time was pointed to as a likely cause of liver damage.[3]
The findings on yerba maté's effects on cancer are mixed; two reviews have concluded that drinking hot maté is probably carcinogenic to humans, but that the effect was probably caused by the fact that it was a hot beverage, not by the maté itself.[2][4] Although some epidemiological studies have found substantial increases in cancer risk associated with heavy (1 liter daily) yerba maté consumption, it is not clear whether this is due to the maté, to contaminants present in the maté, or is attributable to the maté increasing absorption of harmful chemicals in tobacco or other drugs; tobacco and alcohol use were high in the groups which showed increased cancer risk.[2] In seemingly conflicting results, Yerba maté has also shown strong anti-cancer activity in a number of in vitro studies.[2]
See also flavored yerba maté.
References:
1. Rosana Filip et. al, Antioxidant activity of Ilex paraguariensis and related species, Nutrition Research, Vol. 20, No. 10, pp. 1437-1446, Oct. 2000.
2.. C.I. Heck, E.G. De Mejia, Yerba Mate Tea (Ilex paraguariensis): A Comprehensive Review on Chemistry, Health Implications, and Technological Considerations, Journal of Food Science, Vol. 72, No. 9, Nov/Dec 2007.
3. J McGee et al.A case of veno-occlusive disease of the liver in Britain associated with herbal tea consumption., Journal of Clinical Pathology Vol. 29, pp. 788-794, 1976.
4. International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) - Summaries & Evaluations, Vol. 51, p. 273, 1991.
Best Yerba Maté
The notion of the "best" Yerba Maté is subjective, because different people have different tastes. We present the most often-rated and highest-rated teas in this category, and allow you to draw your own conclusions.
Most Often-Rated Teas: San Mateo Air Dried Loose Yerba Mate
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