The Plant That Can Do It All And Then Some By Sharon Bell At Isnare.com Ezine Articles

Here's a story about a very interesting herb. It's called yerba mate or simply mate. This plant is found to have medicinal properties and has become the drink of choice in South America. Native Guarani Indians were the ones responsible for preaching the benefits of drinking mate. And now this herb is famous worldwide, occupying the same stature as coffee and green tea.

Yerba mate, scientifically known as Ilex paraguariensis, belongs to a class of holly that is indigenous to places like Paraguay, Argentina, and Brazil. It is a shrub that can grow to about fifteen meters in height with evergreen foliage. This herb is customarily added to or prepared as tea. The leaves and young twigs are dried and then finely shredded. In some occasions, before being shredded, the leaves are toasted for them to acquire that unique smoky flavor.

Today, when you hear yerba mate, what comes to mind is the final product often sold in health stores. But apart from its loose shredded form, this herb is also added to a number of supplements and bottled beverages coming from South America. In fact, if you go visit the countries where the plant is abundant, you may find countless bars that exclusively serve yerba mate concoctions; much like coffee shops here in the US or tea parlors in London.

What makes mate an essential herb is its immense supply of good antioxidants. Antioxidants, as you know, are substances that can reduce and fix the damages that oxidation or free radicals can bring to your body. It is also replete with important nutrients like vitamins E, C and B5; trace minerals like iron; and chlorophyll which boosts the immune system and flushes out toxins in the body.

Foremost among the many advantages of taking mate is its ability to keep your level of energy at its peak. Centuries ago, Spanish conquistadores, weary form their sea travels and land conquests, had sworn that drinking their first cups of mate offered by South American natives at that time gave them instant relief from physical and mental exhaustion. And this still holds true to this day.

People who are in the habit of drinking mate also claim that they no longer have to put up with problems like allergies and sleep disorders. This herb is also said to relieve depression and improve brain functioning. And while this plant may have the same benefits as coffee or tea, it has none of the unwanted side-effects that are commonly linked to absorbing too much caffeine.

But the characteristic of yerba mate that will surely catch your attention is its ability to help you lose weight. For decades now, this plant has been used as an important component in dealing with obesity. In Argentina, where most people take this herb many times in a day, you can hardly find a person suffering from obesity. If that is not enough proof for you, then a study in Denmark found that using this herb can encourage considerable weight loss as it can delay the feeling of hunger or safely suppress one's appetite.

If taken in conjunction with exercise and proper diet, mate can be the answer for your weight problems. Unlike chemically produced diet supplements, this herb has all the right nutrients and minerals that you need. That's not all, the richness of this herb in Vitamin C makes it an ideal skin cleanser too; it can effectively eliminate contaminants and bring back your skin's elasticity and healthy glow.

This is why many weight loss and even beauty products are now starting to include mate essences as key ingredient.

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