Undoubtedly a popular brew in South America, can yerba mate tea promote fat loss?

What Is It?

 Yerba Mate (Ilex paraguariensis) is tropical shrub native to South America. Centuries ago, the indigenous Guaraní people mixed Yerba Mate leaves with warm water to form a flavorful tea. Legend has it that divine intervention was vital for the creation of the drink:

Yarí, the moon, curiously looked at the deep woods with which Tupá, the powerful god of the Guaranies, had covered the earth. And little by little her desire to come down to earth was getting stronger. So Yarí called Araí, the pinkish cloud of dusk, to ask her to go down to Earth with her. The following day as they were walking along the woods, they turned into two beautiful ladies…but they were getting tired when, in the distance, they saw a cottage and they went towards it to relax. Suddenly they heard a noise and it was a jaguar that was about to jump on them, when an arrow shot by an old Guarani hurt the beast on its side. The furious animal fell on its wound, at the same time that a new arrow went through its heart. Once the fight had finished, the Guarani offered the ladies hospitality so they went to his hut. He lived with his wife and daughter who treated them kindly and told them that Tupá does not like the ones who do not offer hospitality to their visitors.

 

The following day Yarí announced that it was time to leave. The woman and the daughter saw the two adventurous ladies to the door and the Guarani went with them a little while. He told them why he lived in isolation: when his daughter grew up, uneasiness, anxiety and fright invaded his spirit, so he decided to get far away from the community where he lived so that his daughter, in isolation, could keep the virtues that Tupá had given her.

 

When Yarí and Araí were alone, they lost their human shapes and went up to heaven, where they looked for an appropriate prize. One night they guided the three people in the hut into a deep dream. While they were asleep, Yarí sowed light blue seeds in front of the house, and from the dark sky she lit up the place. At the same time, Araí poured a sweet and soft rain that wetted the ground. Morning came and in front of the hut there were short unknown trees, and their white, thick flowers appeared shyly among the dark green leaves. When the Guarani woke up and went out to go to the forest, he got astonished to see the marvel that appeared in front of his house.

 

He called his wife and daughter and when the three of them saw what had happened, they fell onto their knees on the wet ground. Yarí, in the shape of the woman that they had met, came down and told them: “I am Yarí, the goddess who lives in the moon and I am here to give you a prize for your goodness. This new plant that you see is the yerba-mate, and from now on it will be, for you and for all the men of this region, the symbol of friendship. Your daughter will live forever and she will never loose the goodness and innocence of her heart. She will be the owner of the yerba.” After saying this, the goddess made them stand up and taught them how to toast the yerba and to drink the mate.

 

After several years, time of death came for the old couple. Then, once their daughter had fulfilled her ritual obligations, she disappeared from earth. From time to time, it is possible to see among the Paraguayian yerba fields a beautiful blonde girl whose eyes reflect the innocence and candidness of her soul.

When the Spanish arrived, they too embraced the brew and renamed it mate (or matè). Since then, Yerba Mate has been cultivated for widespread consumption and remains a popular drink throughout South America, particularly in Brazil and Argentina. 

Yerba Mate leaves are dense with various bio-active compounds which include caffeine, theobromine, chlorogenic acid, quercetin, and vitamin c. The considerable presence of chemicals associated with fat reduction (such as chlorogenic acid and caffeine) lend to yerba mate as potentially potent fat loss supplement. 

How (It’s Supposed) To Work 

In vitro and rodent studies suggest that there are 2 possible mechanisms involved in burning fat. First, yerba mate can elevate levels of leptin and glucagon-like peptide 1 (GLP-1). Both compounds are involved in inducing the satiety (i.e. fullness). Increases in both can prevent over-consumption and assist in maintaining a caloric deficit.    

Second, the shrub may control the rate of adipogenesis (the creation of fat cells/adipocytes). Preliminary studies showed that yerba mate downregulates the expression of genes necessary of adipogenesis, leading to reduction in fat cell production.

There is also evidence that the revered plant can induce thermogenesis (elevating of temperature + burning more calories) and reduce chronic inflammation that is strongly associated with obesity. These processes however have been less explored.

Science Says…… 

A handful of human studies corroborate yerba mate’s fat torching prowess, with two in particular yielding encouraging data.

The first study (Read Here) involved obese individuals consuming three capsules of either Yerba Mate or a placebo with each meal for 12 weeks. Prior to testing, they were screened for other medical complications and were asked not to make any other drastic changes to their diet or lifestyle during the trial. Body analyses revealed that the subjects that consumed the yerba mate capsules experienced significant reductions in overall fat mass and body fat % compared to the placebo group. They did not experience any adverse side effects.

The second study (Read Here) explored a synergistic relationship between yerba mate and exercise. Fourteen adults were provided either yerba mate capsules or a placebo 1 hour before being tested on a cycle ergometer (i.e. exercise bike). 

In three minute intervals, the exercise intensity was intentionally increased until subjects reached peak performance and could no longer perform the movement. Following this, fatty acid oxidation (FAO) and carbohydrate oxidation (CHO) were calculated. 

The results revealed that exercise + Yerba Mate led to a higher FAO rate compared to exercise + placebo. Likewise, the combination of Yerba Mate and exercise reduced the rate of carbohydrate oxidation. This is important because sustained fat loss can only be achieved when fat oxidation is higher/more induced than carbohydrate oxidation. There seems to a potent synergistic effect produced by physical exercise and a “divine” shrub. 

Anything Else

As mentioned earlier, Yerba Mate historically is consumed as the beverage matè. Regarding fat loss, there seems to be no significant difference between drinking Yerba Mate and consuming Yerba Mate extract.

The Guaraní and other indigenous people praise the yerba plant for bestowing numerous medicinal benefits and there is valid evidence supporting these claims. It possesses antioxidant and vasodilation properties and has been demonstrated to protect DNA from induced damage. In rodents it can reduce the effects of insulin resistance; another common issue for those struggling to lose weight.  

A weak association between the Yerba Mate Matè and oral cancers has been suggested. However this is likely due to heat of the beverage causing some thermal scarring/damage. Probability of inducing cancer reaches zero when Yerba Mate is consumed as an extract.

Our Recommendation 

I am very much intrigued with Yerba Mate. I would like to see at least 3-4 more studies before I can strongly advocate it. However, the current literature shows a promising fat loss supplement that’s benefits are only exceeded by its legendary origin.

 Dosage

       Daily: 1000-1500mg (Examine.com)