Yerba Mate is a nutrient-rich, energizing beverage and a natural alternative to coffee and green tea. People in South America consume it on a daily basis, but the rest of the world has yet to discover its immense health benefits. The drink’s struggle with worldwide popularity may be due to consumer unawareness and a few fabricated myths about yerba mate side effects.

We got together the most relevant scientific studies on yerba mate to debunk the inaccuracies that surround yerba mate once and for all. In this article, we look at the benefits of consuming mate, its adverse side effects, precautions, and medical recommendations. If you are not sure what impact yerba mate can have on your health, now it’s the time to find out!

Popular Myths About Yerba Mate

We will start by looking at some of the exaggerations about yerba mate that you may find online, and which may lead to severe misinformation. Here are some of the myths about yerba mate side effects which are mostly based on poorly conducted studies or word of mouth:

Myth: Yerba Mate causes esophageal cancer

Mate is an infusion that you can prepare in a similar way that you fix a cup of green tea. Most people enjoy drinking it while it is hot, which lead some adventurous minds into believing that consuming steaming hot mate can severely damage your esophagus and cause cancer. This unfortunate myth relates to a 2009 inconclusive study that did not find any backing from the academic field.

The truth is that throat or esophageal cancer can have multiple causes, out of which constant consumption of hot beverages has a minimal impact. Therefore, you can safely drink your hot mate without worrying too much about its side effects on the well-being of your esophagus.

Myth: Yerba Mate is rich in cancer-causing compounds

Another folktale about the adverse side effects of yerba mate claims that this natural infusion contains cancer-inducing agents because the mate leaves go through a smoke-drying process. There is no clinical evidence to back this claim.

First of all, very few mate producers use the technique of smoke drying, and they even mention it on the product label. Secondly, there are many foods (smoke-dried meat, fish etc.) that go through this preparation process before they hit the shelves, and there is not a single conclusive medical study that can back the claim of them containing cancer-causing compounds.

Myth: Yerba Mate Affects Heart Health

Some believe that the boost in energy that yerba mate provides can affect one’s heart health and cause ailments like heart arrhythmia, cardiovascular problems and even increase the risk of heart disease.

Contrary to popular misconception, this herbal infusion has essential health benefits for your heart. According to this clinical study, the rich composition of antioxidants in this infusion improves blood flow, accelerates nutrient transfer to your vital organs, and reduces blood pressure.

The Science behind the Yerba Mate Health Benefits

The first account of mate consumption dates back to the beginning of the 16^th century when the Spanish colonialists discovered this daily habit of people living in today’s regions of Argentina and Paraguay. Historians believe that the natives had been drinking yerba mate tea centuries before the arrival of the Europeans.

Although the Spanish and Portuguese colonialists tried for centuries to popularize mate in the Old World, the South American beverage was no match to the heavy commercialization of coffee and chai tea. Nevertheless, the infusion cut its own share of the spoils by becoming the most consumed beverage in South America, from Patagonia to Columbia, and from the Andes mountains of Peru to the beaches of Brazil.

The end of the 20^th century brought mate in the attention of nutritionists and scientists who were intrigued by the health benefits that South American natives attributed to this infusion. Several clinical studies have confirmed the positive impact on the consumers’ well-being and ridiculed the rumors of yerba mate side effects.

Yerba Mate May Help With Weight Loss

Clinical studies suggest that regular consumption of yerba mate can help decrease the percent in body fat mass over time. This positive effect for overweight people is due to the plant’s rich composition of caffeine and flavonoids that suppress appetite and reduce cravings for sugary beverages and salty snacks.

Another medical study reveals that yerba mate modulates the expression of genes that are changed in the obese state and restores them to more normal levels of expression. As a result, this healthy infusion can lower the risk of obesity and obesity-related diseases.

Yerba Mate May Improve Immunity

Mate is a powerful source of antioxidants and vitamins that should improve your immunity against free radicals, viruses, and bacteria. This clinical research study shows the nutraceutical value of yerba mate and its positive effects for consumers. The report shows that you can benefit from the same healthy-inducing effects whether you drink hot mate or ice-cold tereré.

Yerba Mate May Enhance Cognitive Functions

The potent dose of caffeine in yerba mate is enough to improve your focus and help you be more productive. The other energy-inducing compounds in this beverage have a positive effect on other cognitive functions as they improve your memory, increase your alertness and enhance your alertness. Furthermore, this medical study shows that yerba mate may have a potential protective role in the development of Parkinson’s disease.

Yerba Mate Precautions

Yerba mate can be a regular presence in a balanced nutritional plan. Although it provides a significant amount of nutrients and vitamins, it should not replace staple foods and ingredients in your diet.

Yerba mate contains a smaller amount of caffeine than coffee, but it is a noteworthy quantity nonetheless. Similar to drinking excessive amounts of coffee, consuming too much of it in a short period can destabilize your digestive system and cause diarrhea.

High-quality brands of yerba mate go through an antiseptic process of harvesting, drying and packing before they reach your gourd. These products have a minimal risk of causing any unpleasant effects on your health, even if you consume them for an extended period.

The Bottom Line

As medical studies and consumer experience suggest, yerba mate does not have any adverse side effects. On the contrary, the potential health benefits overwhelm the insignificant and rare indispositions that this natural beverage can produce. So, you can safely go back to sipping on your mate without worrying about any negative consequences.