Can You Cleanse Your Body With Mate?

Yerba mate has different health properties that have been supported by scientific studies. We tell you everything here.

All kinds of properties are attributed to this typical infusion from Argentina and Uruguay. In fact, popular belief holds that it would be possible to cleanse the body with mate. In this article, we will tell you if this theory has scientific support.

In case you do not know this infusion, we tell you that it is prepared with the crushed yerba mate leaves that are placed in a container (initially a pumpkin bowl) and hot water is poured into it.

Mate can be drunk bitter, with sugar or with lemon or orange peel. The truth is that this herb is considered good for the body and today we are going to explain its properties. Find out what they are!

Matte properties

Mainly, yerba mate stands out for its diuretic capacity, added to the amount of water that is drunk when taking this infusion. For this reason, its inclusion in weight loss diets is recommended.

In fact, a study by Kuwaiti researchers looked at two groups of overweight people who did moderate exercise. The first group drank mate and the second did not. The results? Those who ingested yerba mate decreased their appetite and improved the oxidation of fatty acids, obtaining a greater reduction in weight.

In turn, a comprehensive review of yerba mate determined that possesses antioxidant qualities, can reduce cholesterol “bad” (LDL) and promote increased “good” cholesterol (HDL).

Research also suggests that mate may reduce the risk of cardiovascular attacks by reducing the viscosity of the blood. In addition, in places where the water is not drinkable, mate would serve as a purifier of bacteria and parasites, for example.

This traditional infusion of many countries in South America, would favor attention and intellectual activities. It is considered antidepressant and non-addictive, it contains less caffeine than tea, cocoa or the same coffee and it would allow to make diuresis (urine secretion) faster, eliminating toxins that accumulate in the body.

It must be taken into account that yerba mate is not indicated in those who are anxious, with sleep disorders or acute kidney diseases. In turn, a study revealed that some patients who drank it suffered from problems in the esophagus, due to the temperature of the water, not the mate itself. And there are cases in which drinking mate on an empty stomach would result in heartburn.

What are the variants of mate?

Although everyone agrees that the “traditional mate” is bitter, the truth is that there are other ways to consume this infusion:

• Bitter: as it was said, it is the most typical way of drinking mate and it is the one chosen in almost all of Argentina, Uruguay, southern Brazil, Bolivia and Paraguay. It is known as “cimarrón” for the horse that accompanied the gaucho, the main drinker of this infusion.
• Sweet: traditionalists say it is not the true mate. In each barley sugar, stevia or sweetener is introduced, especially drunk among women and children in Buenos Aires. This variation has a lot to do with immigration, because Spaniards and Italians wanted to give their distinctive touch to the region’s drink.

• Milk: instead of adding water, milk with sugar is added. The milk should be warm.
• With herbs : they are popularly called “yuyos” and they are incorporated into the infusion on top of or between the yerba mate so that it has a different flavor or take advantage of its benefits. For example: chamomile, eucalyptus, mint, boldo or linden.
• Tea : no yerba mate is placed in the bowl, but a tea bag. It is popular with teenagers and children. You can use a mug too.
• Tereré: it is traditional from Paraguay and Mesopotamia Argentina, where the Guarani lived. Instead of water, juice (such as orange or grapefruit), herbs (especially peppermint or lemon verbena) and even lemon wedges are added. It is prepared in a jug and pours into the mate.
• Mate cooked: it is an infusion that comes in bags like tea or in strands. It is prepared like a common tea, but it has a matte taste. It is common in Argentina and Uruguay.

Cleanse the body with mate

You simply have to opt for any of the “versions” that this infusion proposes and drink it daily. Due to its diuretic properties, it could help you eliminate toxins, improve your metabolism and lose weight. Those who drink it maintain that if mate is consumed in the morning, its qualities and benefits for the body increase.

Many prefer to drink mate for breakfast, with biscuits or bread (or also fat sponge cakes) and there are those who, after the first meal consisting of coffee with milk, croissants or cookies, take some mates mid-morning. If you think it does not have a rich flavor, you can try sweetening it or take advantage of the alternative of tereré with juice during warm summer days.