Yerba Mate Nutrition
Botanical Name: Ilex Paraguariensis (Part of the Holly Family)
Minerals Richly Found in Yerba Maté that Support Metabolism and Development.
- chromium
- copper
- iron
- manganese
- potassium
- zinc
|
Compound |
Biological activities |
|
Caffeine |
Anticarcinogenic, antiobesity, antioxidant, antitumor, diuretic, energizer 20 to 200 mg, stimulant, topoisomerase-I-inhibitor 0.1 M, topoisomerase-II-inhibitor 99 mM, vasodilator |
|
Chlorogenic-acid |
Antioxidant IC50= 54.2 μM, analgesic, antiatherosclerotic, antibacterial, antidiabetic, antitumor, choleretic |
|
Chlorophyll |
Antibacterial, anticancer |
|
Choline |
Antidiabetic, cholinergic, lipotropic |
|
Nicotinic acid |
Choleretic, hypocholesterolemic 1 to 6 g/day |
|
Pantothenic acid |
Antiallergic 100 to 500 mg/day, antiarthritic 500 to 2000 mg/day, antifatigue |
|
Rutin |
50= 30 ppm IC 50= 120 μM, antitumor, antitumor-promoter, antiulcer, cAMP-phosphodiesterase-inhibitor, topoisomerase-II-inhibitor IC50= 1 μg/mL, vasodilator |
|
Tannin |
Antioxidant 1/3 quercetin IC50= 1.44 μg/mL, antitumor, antitumor-promoter, lipoxygenase-inhibitor, MAO-inhibitore |
|
Theobromine |
cAMP-inhibitor IC50= 0.06 mg/mL, cAMP-phosphodiesterase-inhibitor, diuretic 300 to 600 mg/day, stimulant, myorelaxant |
|
Theophylline |
cAMP-inhibitor IC50= 0.06 mg/mL, cAMP-phosphodiesterase-inhibitor, diuretic, choleretic, stimulant, vasodilator, myorelaxant 100 μM |
|
Ursolic acid |
Analgesic, antioxidant IC50= 10 μM, antiperoxidant IC35= 200 μg/mL, protease-inhibitor IC85= 18 μg/mL, topoisomerase-II-inhibitor, antiarrhythmic, anticancer, antialzheimer |
More Antioxidants than Green Tea - Antioxidants in Yerba Mate
Studies show Yerba Mate to be higher in antioxidants than Green Tea. Partially responsible for this is the high levels of polyphenols found in Yerba Mate. Polyphenols are indicated to perform similarly to the 293 natural antioxidant enzymes in the body, and are believed to support these natural health promoting systems.
Largely responsible for the high antioxidant value of Yerba Mate are the very high levels of caffeoyl derivatives found in Mate compared to other plants. These include caffeic acid, chlorogenic acid, 3, 4-dicaffeoylquinic acid, 3, 5-dicaffeoylquinic acid, and 4, 5-dicaffeoylquinic acid.
Polyphenols in Yerba Mate:
- Caffeic Acid
- Caffeine
- Caffeoyl Derivatives
- Caffeoylshikimic Acid
- Chlorogenic Acid
- Feruloylquinic Acid
- Kaempferol
- Quercetin
- Quinic Acid
- Rutin
- Theobromine
The Healthy Energizer
The energizing effects of Yerba Mate are longer lasting than traditional caffeine beverages, and are found by most to be free from side effects such as, the jitters, mood swings, addiction, and post stimulation fatigue. The bottom line is, Yerba Mate gives you energy that really feels good.
Yerba Mate has 3 xanthine alkaloids, working together with a rich host of nutritional components, creating the unique healthy energizing effect. The xanthines are caffeine, theobromine and Theophylline. Mate is low in caffeine, and theophylline, yet high in theobromine, which has less effect on your nervous system than caffeine. A hypothesis exists that Yerba Mate contains its own unique xanthine alkaloid that hasn't been clinically identified yet.
Anecdotally, the overwhelming majority have reported that Yerba Mate does not give them the health problems they experience from coffee. Many who have had problems with caffeine and desire to get off of it, find Yerba Mate to be the answer they were looking for.
Yerba Mate & Weight Loss
Yerba Mate is believed to aid in weight loss and has growing interest in those studying obesity control. Studies cite Yerba Mate to potentially interfere with cholesterol metabolism and delay intestinal absorption of dietary fat.
Obese men and women consuming Mate tea have shown a decrease in respiratory quotient (RQ), indicating an increase in fat oxidation.
A study done in 1998 at the Foundation University of Rio Grande, Brazil, showed that Mate is capable of vaso relaxation of arterial beds, which indicates that it may be able to lower the risk for heart disease in the same way that red wine is believed to do.
The thermogenic effect of Yerba Mate has been the source of interest to both researchers and those desiring to lose weight.
References:
1C.I. Heck and E.G. de Mejia; Yerba Mate Tea (Ilex paraguariensis): A Comprehensive Review on Chemistry, Health Implications, and Technological Considerations., J. Food Science 17-Oct-2007; DOI 10.1111/j.1750-3841.2007.00535.x.
2Filip R, Lotito SB, Ferraro G, Fraga CG. 2000. Antioxidant activity of Ilex paraguariensis and related species. Nutr Res 20:1437–46.
3Bixby M, Spieler L, Menini T, Gugliucci A. 2005. Ilex paraguariensis extracts are potent inhibitors of nitrosative stress: a comparative study with green tea and wines using a protein nitration model and mammalian cell cytotoxicity. Life Sci 77:345–5.
4Muccillo Baisch AL, Johnston KB, Paganini Stein FL. 1998. Endothelium-dependent vasorelaxing activity of aqueous extracts of Ilex paraguariensis on mesenteric arterial bed of rats. J Ethnopharmacol 60:133–9.
5Martinet A, Hostettmann K, Schutz Y. 1999. Thermogenic effects of commercially available plant preparations aimed at treating human obesity. Phytomedicine 6:231–8.
6Dickel ML, Rates SM, Ritter MR. 2007. Plants popularly used for losing weight purposes in Porto Alegre, South Brazil. J Ethnopharmacol 109:60–71.
7Carini M, Facino RM, Aldini G, Calloni M, Colombo L. 1998. Characterization of phenolic antioxidants from Mate (Ilex paraguayensis) by liquid chromatography mass spectrometry and liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry. Rapid Commun in Mass Spec 12:1813–9.