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Yerba Mate - Is it a tea or is it an infusion? An infusion is any plant, bark, flower, berry, herb, or spice steeped in hot water to extract the flavor. Tea is any blend of leaf coming from the camellia sinensis plant. The answer is Yerba Mate can be both. Yerba Mate can be a tea provided that the Yerba Mate leaves are blended with tea leaves.
Revered for centuries by the native peoples of the Guarani tribe for its medicinal qualities, of late scientists and consumers alike are rediscovering the wealth of health benefits associated with Yerba Mate. The Pasteur Institute and the Paris Scientific Society, in 1964, concluded: "it is difficult to find a plant in any area of the world equal to mate in nutritional value...containing practically all of the vitamins necessary to sustain life." While Yerba Mate's chemical components share similarities with green tea, the Yerba Mate is more nutritious due to the twenty-four vitamins and minerals, fifteen amino acids, and eleven polyphenols. Each infusion of Yerba Mate contains vitamins A, C, E, B1, B2, Niacin(B3), B5, and B complex, minerals calcium, manganese, iron, selenium, potassium, magnesium, phosphorus and zinc. Additional natural compounds include antioxidants carotene, fatty acids, chlorophyll, flavonols, polyphenols, inositol, saponins, trace minerals, tannins, and pantothenic acid. Various studies have concluded that there are many health benefits, directly or indirectly, associated with the of drinking yerba mate. NOTE: To avoid complications or interactions of medications, before introducing anything new to your system always check with your doctor first.
As Yerba Mate can be an
acquired taste, companies are now combining the leaves into
wonderful blends. Dan Garicia's company AVIVA, takes great pride in
providing only the purest leaves, no stems, of wild harvested
organic Yerba Mate. In addition to the natural Yerba Mate, Aviva's
delicious offerings include versions of Chai, Apricot Spice, Lemon
Mint, Passion Berry and Ginger Orange. For those who are adventurous
enough to try Yerba Mate using the native Gourd and Bombilla, Dan
will be happy to instruct you on this ancient tradition.
If Yerba Mate is good for the inside of our body, it must be good
for the outside of the body as well. Check out more of Ellen Easton's articles called Tea Travels™.
ELLEN EASTON, author of AFTERNOON TEA...TIPS,TERMS and
TRADITIONS and Good $ense For $uccess™, is a consultant to
leading hotels and tearooms, including The PLAZA and LADY
MENDL’s, is speaker and designer of related products to the
hotel, food service, retail and special event industries.
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