Yerba mate, pronounced herba-mah-tay, is a traditional herbal brew taken throughout the South American countries. In some areas, it is the national drink, more popular than coffee or any other type of tea.

This herb is a powerful stimulant with tonic, diuretic, and diaphoretic action. It is said to cleanse the blood, tone the nervous system, stimulate the mind, fight fatigue, and ease stress. Yerba mate is even credited with age-retarding properties. It is prescribed to treat arthritis, headache, constipation, and allergies. As an aid toweight-loss, its historic ability to control appetite and its diuretic properties are considered valuable.

Yerba mate tea is said to be very sustaining. On long journeys, country people may carry this herb, taking no refreshment other than the tea for several days with no apparent ill effects.

Herbal BeautyDESCRIPTION AND PARTS USED

There are many members of the Ilex family, including the familiar Christmas holly. Ilex paraguayensis grows wild near streams and rivers, although these days it is widely cultivated. It is a handsome shrub that puts forth large white flowers, but it is grown for its leaves. The leaves alternate on the stem and are large, oval, and broadly toothed. Harvested from December to August, the leaves are heat-dried and powdered. Paraguay annually exports millions of pounds of cha mate (mate tea) to its South American neighbors.

HISTORICAL NOTES

The name Yerba signifies this is an herb of excellence. Mate refers to the vessel in which this herb was once brewed. In the ancient manner, the brewed tea was sipped through a straw of silver that was fitted with a strainer on the end. The brewing vessel was passed round the table in a friendly manner and everyone took a pull on the same silver tube. Like many teas, this brew is traditionally flavored with lemon or sugar, except the sugar is caramelized or burnt before being added.

SCIENTIFIC FINDINGS

When fresh yerba mate leaves were dried at Cambridge University in England a while back, the researchers identified caffeine, tannin, ash, and insoluble matter. Other constituents that have since been identified include chlorophyll, iron, trace minerals, and the vitamins B5, C, and E.

TRADITIONAL USE

Internal. If you want to enjoy yerba mate as our South American cousins do, take the tea they call cha mate instead of the beverage you usually consume throughout the day. To make the tea, brew 2 to 3 tablespoons (4/5 to 1 1/5 ounces or 24 to 36 grams) of yerba mate in 16 ounces of freshly boiled water. (For more information on brewing teas, see Chapter 3.) Some find the odor of this herb objectionable and the taste is undeniably-bitter, but the stimulating jolt cha mate delivers in each cup is remarkable. Try a cup, flavored with lemon or burnt sugar in the traditional manner, and arrive at your own conclusions.

CONSIDERATIONS

None of the sources I consulted listed any adverse effects from yerba mate. However, it is a powerful stimulant. Sip slowly and monitor your personal reactions.

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Yerba mate