Does Yerba Mate Work? – Yes It Does!

In addition to appetite suppression, Yerba mate increases energy expenditure and affects body fat favourably. Furthermore, it has numerous health benefits as well. And, what’s more amazing is that Yerba mate is one of the very few herbal supplements that are totally free of any adverse effects!

Not surprising then, we have given Yerba mate a thumbs up; read on to find out why.

What is Yerba Mate?

Yerba mate is commonly consumed as herbal tea in many parts of the world. It is available either as tea bags or as concentrates for use in dietary supplements (Filip, Lopez, Giberti, Coussio, & Ferraro, 2001; Athayde, Coelho, & Schenkel, 2000; Schinella, Troiani, Davila, de Buschiazzo, & Tournier, 2000).
Yerba mate extract is derived from the plant Ilex paraguariensis.

In many respects Yerba mate is similar to green tea including weight reducing abilities and health benefits. However, mate tea differs from green tea in its flavour, physical appearance and chemical constitution. These are mostly attributed to differences in processing – while mate tea is dried gradually using wood smoke, making of green tea involves quick, high temperature air drying (Kang et al., 2012).

What is the Chemical Make-up of Yerba Mate?

Yerba mate is a stimulant which acts at the level of the central nervous system.

As expected, Yerba mate is (chemically) made up of numerous biologically active ingredients (Pomilio, Trajtemberg, & Vitale, 2002; Filip, Sebastian, Ferraro, & Anesini, 2007; Zaporozhets, Krushynska, Lipkovska, & Barvinchenko, 2004; Kang et al., 2012); some of these are:

• Methyl xanthines: like caffeine and theobromine
• Polyphenols: like chlorogenic acid (similar to green tea)
• Purine alkaloids: like caffeic acid
• Flavonoids: like quercetin, kaempferol and rutin
• Miscellaneous: like amino acids, minerals and vitamins C, B1 and B2

How Does Yerba Mate Cause Weight Loss?

Weight-reducing abilities of Yerba mate are attributed to its high methylxanthines (like caffeine) and polyphenol (chlorogenic acid) content. Saponins interfere with cholesterol metabolism and are also thought to work synergistically with methylxanthines and chlorogenic acid to cause weight loss (Kang et al., 2012; Han, Zheng, Xu, Okuda, & Kimura, 2002; Rodriguez de Sotillo & Hadley, 2002).

Some suggested mechanisms by which Yerba mate causes fat loss are (Kang et al., 2012):

• Decreases deposition of fats in adipocytes
• Decreases differentiation of preadipocytes to adipocytes* (fat cells)
• Decreases growth of adipose tissue
• Increases energy expenditure due to stimulation of metabolism
• Increases sensitivity to leptin
• Causes appetite suppression

*preadipocytes are immature cells which cannot store fat. Mature adipocytes on the other hand, can.

Are There Any Unpleasant Effects to the Use of Yerba Mate?

According to some researchers, Yerba mate holds an edge over other fat-reducing agents because its lack of adverse effects (Kang et al., 2012). A paper published in Obesity Reviews in 2005 confirmed that as opposed to other herbal supplementary ingredients, Yerba mate (and Garcinia cambogia) is free of any adverse effects (Pittler, Schmidt, & Ernst, 2005).

What is the Scientific Evidence in Favour of Yerba Mate?

Evidence identifying anti-obesity and other health benefits of Yerba mate abounds in scientific literature.

1. Numerous human and animal studies have indentified the ability of Yerba mate to cause weight loss (Andersen & Fogh, 2001; Pittler & Ernst, 2004; Opala, Rzymski, Pischel, Wilczak, & Wozniak, 2006; Arcari et al., 2009).
2. A study conducted by Korean scientists and published in 2012 concluded that Yerba mate affects obesity favourably – reduces body weight, reduces the rate of growth of fat tissue and the amount of visceral fat (Kang et al., 2012). Furthermore, the authors of the study also indentified the ability of Yerba mate to lower blood cholesterol (anti-atherosclerotic) and blood sugar levels (anti-diabetic).
3. Other studies have also indentified the (above mentioned) anti-atherosclerosis actions of Yerba mate (Andallu & Varadacharyulu, 2003; Mosimann, Wilhelm-Filho, & da Silva, 2006).
4. More recently, health benefits afforded due to the strong anti-oxidant property of Yerba mate have also been proved (Kraemer, Taketa, Schenkel, Gosmann, & Guillaume, 1996; Gosmann, Guillaume, Taketa, & Schenkel, 1995; Miranda et al., 2008).

Yerba Mate – Our verdict

Supplementing with Yerba mate seems to be a win-win situation. Not only will you stand to reduce weight and end up looking good but will also ward off metabolic diseases. What’s more, Yerba mate seems to be safe with no unpleasant effects whatsoever!

We give Yerba mate a thumbs up!

About the author: Rachel Butler

Rachel has been with us since we launched back in 2012.

Rachel has reviewed countless products over the years, and has written many articles offering sound advice. Her professional opinions are widely respected.

Rachel graduated a BSc in Clinical Science from the University of Leicester, U.K.

She lives in York with her husband and young daughter and their dog, a little terrier named Betsy.