Herbs - Mate (Ilex paraguariensis).

What Is It?

Mate or yerba mate tea is the national drink of Paraguay and Brazil. The leaves are used in herbal medicine.

Action

The leaves contain less tannins than ordinary black tea, but still has good levels of caffeine, which is a stimulant to the brain and nervous system. It is also a general tonic, anti-rheumatic, mildly antispasmodic, diuretic and helps to rid the body of uric acid.

Uses

Historically it has been used to treat a number of conditions including:

• Exhaustion from stress
• Gout
• Headache -nervous
• Lack of energy
• Obesity
• Rheumatism

Other information

The leaves can be infused to make a herbal tea, and drunk up to three times per day. It is also an ingredient in many thermogenic products as it helps to boost energy and encourage fat burning or weight loss, these are normally available in tablet or capsule form.

Cautions

• The safety of mate during pregnancy and lactation has not been sufficiently studied and should therefore be avoided.



• People who suffer sensitivity to caffeine should avoid this herb, and women suffering from breast cysts are often advised to avoid caffeine - mate contains caffeine and should therefore be avoided too.



• At the time of writing there are no other well-known side effects, drug interactions or contra-indications.

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