What exactly is Yerba Mate and are there known side effects to using it? Maybe you’ve heard about Yerba Mate as a safe and healthy herbal alternative to caffeine drinks such as coffee and tea, but you’re wondering what side effects there are with yerba mate.
Yerba Mate is an herbal shrub or tree that’s found in places such as Brazil, Argentina, Paraguay and Uruguay. It’s usually taken as an herbal tea made from the dried stems and leaves of the plant. The tea itself is simply called “Mate”, and is pronounced as Mahtay.
The latin name for Yerba Mate is, Ilex Paraguariensis, but I’ve seen it alternately spelled as Ilex paraguayensis too.
Yerba Mate is considered to be a natural stimulant which invigorates your mind and body while providing additional nutrition and other health benefits. It’s actually included in many weight loss products because of the stimulating effects, and it’s said to inhibit the appetite as well.
Though many people claim to experience none of the standard caffeine related side effects using Yerba Mate, medical specialists do caution that Yerba Mate side effects can be similar or the same to caffeine related products.
Some of the potential side effects medical specialists caution about include insomnia or problems sleeping, nervousness, stomach upset and irregular heartbeat. It’s not recommended that you take Yerba Mate with other stimulant drugs or herbs such as ephedra or asthma medications, because averse effects from those medications and supplements can be enhanced when combined with Yerba Mate.
The caffeine content in Yerba Mate can vary based on the quality of product you buy. Good Yerba Mate however, tends to contain a slight bit more caffeine content than standard ground coffee does. It’s generally considered to be healthier than coffee however, since Yerba Mate contains various vitamins and minerals. Some claim that Yerba Mate might actually be healthier than green tea, but there doesn’t appear to be any evidence either supporting or disproving that statement.
There have been studies however, which indicate Yerba Mate has powerful antioxident effects, is very high in chlorophyll and iron, and it can help with weight loss efforts by reducing your appetite. The weight loss study showed that Yerba Mate slowed down digestion, thus keeping you full for a longer period after meals.
One Yerba Mate side effect that seems to be of most interest, is the amount of energy it gives you. This is likely caused at least in part by the caffeine, but that energy is said to last much longer and is more tolerable than the energy you get from other popular caffeinated drinks such as coffee.
Note that some marketers try to claim that Yerba Mate doesn’t actually contain caffeine. They say it instead contains a chemical which acts the same way, but isn’t actually it and thus they claim you will not experience the caffeine related side effects when taking Yerba Mate. Please be aware this is misleading. Yerba Mate has been scientifically proven to contain caffeine and thus should be used with the same caution of any other stimulant – including coffee.
Yerba Mate can be bought at most grocery stores in the form of tea, and it’s often available in pill or powder form at health food, herb and vitamin shops.
