Yerba mate is a tea-like infusion made from the leaves of the Ilex paraguariensis tree. A widely consumed non-alcoholic beverage in South America, yerba mate is said to have the strength of coffee, the benefits of tea and the joy of chocolate. Today, yerba mate is fast becoming popular around the globe because of its many benefits.

One of those benefits is weight loss. Many animal studies have shown that yerba mate can help with weight loss by curbing the appetite and boosting metabolism. One such study, which appeared in the Journal of Medicinal Food, showed that long-term supplementation with yerba mate can help improve diet-induced obesity.

Yerba mate can help prevent obesity

For their study, the researchers gathered lab mice and divided them randomly into two groups. The control group was fed a high-fat diet only, while the experimental group was fed a high-fat diet with yerba mate.

After 16 weeks, the researchers found that mice fed the high-fat diet with yerba mate improved their energy expenditure, which may be linked to observed decreases in their body weight. Energy expenditure is the energy cost of maintaining constant conditions in the body plus the energy cost of physical activities.

The body uses energy to carry out basic functions, such as breathing and regulating blood flow. Energy is measured in calories, and your total daily energy expenditure is the number of calories you burn daily. In order to prevent weight gain, energy intake – the energy you get from foods – should be balanced with energy expenditure. To lose weight, energy expenditure must be greater than energy intake.

The researchers also found that mice fed a high-fat diet with yerba mate had lower plasma lipid levels than the controls, as well as fewer lipid droplets in their livers. Plasma lipids are fatty, greasy and oily compounds. In the absence of genetic disorders, having high plasma lipid levels means you frequently eat high-fat foods. Having high plasma lipid levels is a marker of obesity.

The researchers also found that yerba mate helped improve glucose tolerance, or the ability to dispose of a glucose load. The inability to do so is called glucose intolerance, and it is typically seen in people with prediabetes or diabetes – metabolic conditions marked by elevated blood glucose levels.

Given their findings, the researchers concluded that yerba mate can help prevent diet-induced obesity.

Recipe for yerba mate

Yerba mate can be an acquired taste due to its strong, bitter and vegetal flavor. Traditionally, it is served in a mate, or gourd, with a bombilla, which is a particular kind of drinking straw reserved for yerba mate.

Here’s a simple recipe for yerba mate so you can give it a try.

Ingredients:

• 1 cup filtered water
• 2 teaspoons crushed dried yerba mate leaves

Directions:

1. Heat the water until it starts to simmer. Turn off the heat.
2. Pour extra hot water into a teapot and swirl it around to warm up the teapot. Discard the water.
3. Put the yerba mate leaves in the teapot, then add the water. Secure the teapot’s lid. Steep for 5 minutes.
4. Strain the tea into a teacup and discard the leaves. Drink immediately.

Yerba mate isn’t usually sweetened, even with natural sweeteners like honey. But if its flavor is too strong for your liking, add freshly squeezed lemon or lime juice to your yerba mate. You can also have it cold by pouring it into a cup with ice.

When buying yerba mate, only buy small portions at a time. The leaves can go stale over time, so buying only what you need ensures you get a strong-tasting yerba mate every time.

Yerba mate is a traditional South American health drink that helps with weight loss. Try adding yerba mate to your daily routine to enjoy its benefits.

Sources:

NaturalCures.com

VeryWellFit.com

OhHowCivilized.com