What is Yerba Mate?
I have been drinking this herb called Yerba Mate. It is in tea form. I want to know if anyone knows anything about this herb. Are there side effects to using it? Is it addictive? You can only find it in health food store.
It is amazing, but I just want to make sure it is safe.
Pete answers:
Yerba Mate is a herb that is a traditional tea infusion used originally by the natives of South America.
This tea-like beverage is consumed mainly in Argentina, Uruguay, Paraguay and southern Brazil. It is brewed from the dried leaves and stems of the Yerba Mate tree (Ilex paraguarensis).
The infusion is prepared from the leaves of the Mate tree, a native of the tropical rain forests of northeastern Argentina, eastern Paraguay and southern Brazil.
Some of the common names are Paraguayan tea or Jesuit tea.
Yerba mate is being used in many energy drinks in America and in Brazil, you can buy it commercially packaged as the equivalent of ice tea in the U.S.
Yerba Mate is a stimulant that acts on your smooth muscles without jitteriness.
It induces mental clarity and it is not habit-forming as many caffeine drinks are.
Yerba Mate has been known to boost and stimulate the immune system.
Researches have found that it helps fight cancer, and when consumed in large quantities its effects are similar to those of coffee and teas.
You can find more information about yerba mate in this article.