The Benefits Of Yerba Mate Tea

Yerba Mate is a plant or tree if you like, and can be found in the tropics to temperate zones worldwide. It was first used and cultivated by the Guarani people and in some Tupi communities in southern Brazil, prior to the European colonization. Yerba mate can also be found in energy drinks.

It contains caffeine (85mg/p236ml) not as much as a regular cup of brewed coffee (163mg/p236ml) but still more than in a cup of green tea (25mg/p236ml). The beverage is similar to tea overall both in its appearence and how it is consumed, which is hot, about 80-90 degrees celcius for it to release the healthy ingredients. Besides caffeine it also contains two other components no other beverage has, which is Theobromine and Theophylline, both as with caffeine members of the xanthine derivates. It also contains a lot of minerals and such.

Theobromine is most known to be found in the cacao plant and in some other plants, where the Yerba plant is one of them. Theobromine increases heart rate and reduces blood pressure, stimulates the throat muscles and makes your mind more "crisp". Theophylline makes you relaxed and is also good for the breathing mechanics and are used world wide in therapy for respiratory diseases and asthma. Apparently Yerba Mate is said to be even healthier then the healthiest of teas. For the one looking for an experience other then you regular cup of tea or coffee, Yerba Mate is said to give the consumer a significant feeling of being more focused, relaxed and more fresh due to the better intake of air. More in depth specifications is written below and also my own experience if you continue the reading.

Here are some specs and details i have picked from the web. Yerba Mate contains:

Caffeine:

Caffeine is a metabolic stimulant, and is used to reduce physical fatigue and to prevent or treat drowsiness. It produces increased wakefulness, faster and clearer flow of thought, increased focus, and better general body coordination.The amount of caffeine needed to produce these effects varies from person to person, depending on body size and degree of tolerance. Desired effects begin less than an hour after consumption, and a moderate dose usually subsides in about five hours. Caffeine has the desired effect of delaying/preventing sleep, but does not affect all people in the same way.

Theobromine:

A bitter alkaloid of the cacao plant, It is found in chocolate, as well as in a number of other foods, including the leaves of the tea plant, yerba plant and in the kola nut. Theobromine and caffeine are similar in that they are related alkaloids but it has a lesser impact on the human central nervous system than caffeine. It is a stimulant that increases heartbeat, and also dilates blood vessels, causing a reduced blood pressure. A 2004 study published by Imperial Collage London concluded that theobromine has an superior cough-reducing effect. In modern medicine, theobromine is used as a blood vessel widener, a urination aid and as heart stimulant. In the human body, theobromine levels are halved between 6–10 hours after consumption.

Theophylline:

It is as theobromine related with caffeine but also: increases heart rate, blood pressure, blood flow, relaxes bronchial smooth muscles, which is found almost anywhere in our body, around your blood vessels, the throat and around your organs etc. And it has anti inflammatory effects.

Mineral Content:

Yerba mate also contains elements such as potassium, magnesium and manganese.

And much much more...

Don`t over consume! 5 standard cups (23 cl) and more is over consuming and reverses the health benefits.

I just want to let you know that i am not any health expert, and don't live the typical "healthy life" but i am very interested in consumables that can improve your mind and make you more sharp and "crisp" which always is a good thing. With that said, as soon as i understood what was needed to know about the "tea", i ordered my first Yerba Mate from a store on the web, it was easy to find a specialized Yerba Mate store and probably won`t be any hassle for anyone trying to get it. I didn't buy the calabash or any "bombilla" (the straw) that your supposed to drink it with, because thats just mere aesthetics and for the pure Yerba fans i think. But maybe i will purchase one in the future.

I ordered the Yerba as regular tea bags. When they finally arrived i boiled up some water, didn`t ad any sugar or honey because i wanted to taste what its like pure. The taste is similar to regular tea, say earl grey, a tiny bit salty, pure green looking in its appearance and the smell is tea "ish" and somewhat close to salt water or alga, but just very mildly. I would`t say that you feel the said effects as clear alcohol or any other drug, But i thought myself feeling a bit more cool and focused, Whatever the direct feeling was, i know that it contains some healthy and good stuff for your brain and body, and thats enough for me.