| You've probably noticed a sign or two at your | | | | souls and relationships of those participating in the |
| neighborhood coffee shop promoting yerba mate | | | | ceremony. |
| tea. Maybe you've asked yourself, "What is this | | | | The flavor of brewed yerba mate tea is full bodied |
| stuff?", looking on curiously as others sip on this | | | | with a very agreeable green taste -- somewhat |
| unusual cloudy green brew, sitting down with their Mac | | | | vegetal, herbal and grassy -- not very far removed |
| or a good book, looking completely alert, focused and | | | | from the taste of traditional green tea. The intensity |
| content. | | | | of the greens can be experienced through yerba |
| Here's a little background for you as you approach the | | | | mate's aroma alone, with a smell remindful of freshly |
| counter to order your first yerba mate. Yerba mate | | | | cut grass on a summer's day. The preparation of |
| tea leaves come from a small evergreen shrub that is | | | | yerba mate tea plays a crucial role in its taste. The |
| native to subtropical rainforests of Paraguay, Argentina | | | | taste will become bitter when steeped in boiling |
| and Brazil. A blend that consists of the dried leaves | | | | water. It is recommended that hot water be used for |
| and stems of the tree is consumed by millions of | | | | yerba mate rather than boiling water. This way the |
| South Americans daily. Yerba mate benefits have | | | | yerba mate tea will not taste bitter or become harsh |
| earned it the distinction of being revered by these | | | | when steeped for an extended period of time. This |
| cultures as the "drink of the Gods". The leaves of | | | | allows the leaves to be infused several times over and |
| the rainforest mate tree are loaded with twenty-four | | | | over again by continually refilling the gourd with hot |
| vitamins and minerals, powerful antioxidants and fifteen | | | | water until the mate tastes flat. |
| different amino acids, each necessary to sustain life. | | | | Outside of South American culture and tradition there |
| Yerba mate studies suggest that the 196 active | | | | has been a heightened interest in yerba mate the past |
| compounds in yerba mate tea -- antioxidants, | | | | few years. These days many people are seeking an |
| polyphenols, flavenoids, bio flavenoids and theophylline | | | | alternative to that morning standby -- a freshly brewed |
| -- pack more nutritional power than the much-more | | | | cup of coffee -- for alleviating fatigue and stimulating |
| hyped green tea. South Americans consume yerba | | | | alertness and wakefulness. Everywhere you look |
| mate six to one over coffee. Governments have | | | | people are gripping canned caffeine fueled energy |
| recommended yerba mate tea as a nutritional | | | | drinks to kickstart their day. It's only natural that |
| supplement for financially distressed families to give to | | | | yerba mate benefits would appeal to these people |
| their children to boost immune system support, provide | | | | seeking an alternative to coffee. Couple that with the |
| allergy relief, alleviate mild to moderate asthma and | | | | fact that yerba mate tea is generally tolerated better |
| promote healthy growth and energy for activities. | | | | than coffee and other teas, translating into a cleaner |
| The cowboys of Argentina (the gauchos) rely on | | | | "caffeine buzz" without the anxiety, twitches, jitters, |
| yerba mate's nutrients for energy and endurance. | | | | stomach upset and heart palpitations associated with |
| People of native forests have persevered through | | | | coffee's caffeine rush. |
| bouts of famine and drought thanks to the yerba mate | | | | Others are flocking to yerba mate royale for |
| benefits. | | | | weightloss or weight control because yerba mate |
| The drinking of yerba mate tea is a traditional social | | | | studies have linked the brew to achieving a lean toned |
| practice in areas like Argentina, Paraguay, Uruguay and | | | | physique. Extracts of yerba mate are all the rage in |
| southern parts of Brazil, where the Mate Circle | | | | the dietary supplement market for weight loss. |
| symbolizes hospitality and goodwill, creating a sense of | | | | Yerba mate royale for weightloss works by acting as |
| connection amongst those who partake. People | | | | a diuretic by ridding the body of excess water through |
| gather in small groups with friends and family in | | | | frequent urination. Yerba mate benefits also include |
| moments of leisure. The group shares the same cup | | | | colon-cleansing properties. Certain compounds within |
| of yerba mate tea (typically a hollowed out gourd) and | | | | yerba mate are known to suppress the appetite when |
| drink from the same metal drinking straw (commonly | | | | taken 15 to 20 minutes before mealtime. Metabolism |
| referred to as a bombilla). Drinking from the same | | | | becomes faster with yerba mate benefits and an |
| straw is seen as a sign of unity. This drinking ritual | | | | increased caloric burn rate means more fat is burned |
| extends yerba mate benefits beyond just physical | | | | and the body becomes toned with lean muscle. |
| nourishment since the practice also enriches the minds, | | | | Now go ahead and try something new! |