Yerba Mate Benefits
Yerba mate is a medicinal plant that has a thin gray stem, oval leaves and small fruits of a green or purplish color. It is widely grown in the south of Brazil, being used as a home remedy for cholesterol due to its properties.
Yerba mate is also popularly known as mate, congonha or chimarrão, being marketed as mate tea. Its scientific name isIlex paraguariensisand can be bought dry, in health food stores, or in the form of drops in markets, with an average price of 30 reais.
What properties
Yerba mate has caffeine, theophylline, theobromine, folic acid, tannins, minerals and vitamins A, B1, B2, C and E in its composition and, therefore, acts as an anti-oxidant, diuretic, mild laxative, stimulant and aphrodisiac .
What is it for
This medicinal herb is useful to lose weight, fight bad cholesterol (LDL) and increase good cholesterol (HDL), decrease the rate of glucose in the blood, satiate hunger, stimulate brain function, improve blood circulation, facilitate digestion, clean the skin and, in addition, also contributes to a healthy cardiovascular and respiratory system.
How to use
1. Yerba mate tea
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon of yerba mate;
- 1 cup of water.
Preparation mode
Put 1 tablespoon of yerba mate in a cup, add boiling water, leave to infuse for about 5 minutes and then strain. Drink 1 cup before breakfast, another at lunch and another at dinner.
2. Chimarrão
Ingredients
- Yerba mate;
- 1 glass of cold water;
- Boiling water.
Preparation mode
Insert the mate herb up to half of the bowl, place it on its side, in order to move the herb to one of the sides, and add a glass of water, carefully, in order to fix the herb on the side. Leave the bowl slightly at rest, in order to facilitate the fixation process. Then the pump must be placed and the boiling water added.
3. Tereré
Ingredients
- Yerba mate;
- Cold water.
Preparation mode
Tereré is prepared in the same way as chimarrão, but instead of using boiling water, cold water is used.
Possible side effects
Because it contains caffeine, yerba mate can in some cases lead to insomnia or difficulty falling asleep.
Who should not use
Yerba mate is well tolerated, but should be avoided in pregnancy, due to caffeine and in people with hypersensitivity to the plant.
