Avenues to Health

Wanting good health doesn’t need any justification at all. Humans are a vital species, and we need optimum health for several reasons: for longevity of life, for proper organ function, for sound sleep, for physical strength, and in some cases, just to look good. And there are numerous reasons you should not let your health slide: shortened life, more stress, more diseases, and mental health issues. The importance of having a nutritious, balanced diet have really come to the fore in recent years, thanks to cultural changes and the internet. People are taking serious stock of their diets like they have never before. Within a four-year period, the share of Americans dieting or trying to lose weight went from 24% to 33%, and people aren’t just sticking to their old meat-and-potatoes diets, either. There are now countless exotic options for people on a diet, like yerba mate tea.

What is Yerba Mate Tea?

Yerba mate tea is a beverage made from the steeped leaves of the yerba mate plant (the drink is sometimes referred to as simply mate. The yerba mate plant is native to southern Brazil, and it has been used to make mate, first enjoyed by the indigenous Guarani and Tupi tribes. In the following years, yerba mate tea and its popularity spread all over regions of South America spanning from Paraguay to Argentina.

Yerba mate tea is distinct for its caffeine content and its medicinal effects. A form of traditional medicine, yerba mate tea has been used to fight fatigue, improve mood, fight heart problems and arrhythmia, and to lower cholesterol. Yerba mate tea has since become widely popular for people who have become health-conscious, including those looking to lose weight. But how effective is yerba mate tea for weight loss, and does it deliver results?

Yerba Mate Tea and Weight Loss

Yerba mate tea is a popular choice among serious dieters, not only because of its weight loss properties, but also for all of its other benefits that could contribute to weight loss, such as energy and mental clarity.

The first study measuring the potential for obesity reduction due to yerba mate tea consumption was conducted in 2001. The testers gave a diet of yerba mate tea (with a few other herbal additives) to 47 healthy overweight adults for 45 days. The findings were that yerba mate tea contributed to significant weight loss, and that it reduced appetite so people could feel fuller when eating.

Another study was conducted in 2015. Over 12 weeks, obese men and women were given 3 grams of yerba mate a day, measured against a placebo group. The results were that there was a significant difference between the results for the test group and the placebo group, with the test group losing on average 1.5 pounds.

How Yerba Mate Tea Works for Weight Loss

Yerba mate tea has been proven to lower cholesterol levels with significant decreases in LDL (“bad” cholesterol) and increases in HDL (“good” cholesterol). The caffeine in yerba mate tea also contributes to a caffeine-induced energy boost for rigorous exercise or motivation. Yerba mate tea is also an appetite suppressant, naturally facilitating less eating. Yerba mate tea also increases the speed of your metabolism, burning your food intake faster.

Of course, it’s also doubly important to remember that yerba mate tea isn’t a panacea or cure-all. It’s a booster for people who have already adopted healthful life practices, like regular exercise, balanced diet, low stress levels, and meditation. Yerba mate tea is simply a supplement to practices already adopted toward weight loss.

Preparing & Consuming Yerba Mate Tea

Yerba mate tea is one of many exotic teas whose leaves are steeped. Traditionally, it was prepared and served in a gourd (itself called a mate) and consumed through a filtered straw called a bombilla. Yerba mate tea should be steeped in water that doesn’t quite reach a boil (approximately 77 degrees Celsius or 170 degrees Fahrenheit) as boiling water will cause the tea to taste bitter. Yerba mate tea can also be prepared in a French press, and it can be sweetened with a touch of sugar or honey without undermining its health benefits.

Conclusion

Yerba mate tea has many unmistakable benefits for those looking to lose weight in a natural way. Its growing popularity makes it available in wider markets worldwide, and it has also been the main ingredient in natural energy drinks.