The Drinks of God as what it’s known — Yerba Mate has become the alternative reality for coffee. Prepared in a gourd-like cup called the guampa and sipped slowly through a metal straw, it definitely beats the paper cups we store our coffees in.
But don’t we all need our morning fix?
Like an addict, we all look forward to the drug call caffeine to wake us up during the wee hours of the morning. However, our love for coffee has turned our lives into an addict. We are addicted to the instantaneous boost of energy — but is Yerba Mate a great alternative?
While coffee brings upon the smell of beans, burnt beans and kicks the bitterness to the back of our throat- Yerba Mate brings upon the smell of freshly mowed grass in the middle of summer and its bitterness sings a simple melody as it sinks in.
So which is better?
A Slow Steady Rise Of Energy
Yerba Mate has slowly taken its rise even among celebrities, athletes, healthy gurus and all health enthusiast around the world as an alternative to coffee.
Yerba Mate as Coffee contains approximately the equal amount of caffeine however due to the nature of Yerba Mates composition with about 24 types of Vitamins and Minerals, 15 types of Amino Acid and a high concentration of antioxidants ( higher than most green teas) it’s reigned is own name “Mateine”.
Unlike coffee which gives you a jolt of energy just as how it feels like drinking 500ml of Cola in one go — Yerba Mate allows you to enjoy the energy rise. It elevates your energy in a constant level hence you’ll never feel the need to get double shots or triple to keep you going for the next 6 hours.
Just like sipping juice and feeling the breeze, Yerba Mate acts a better coffee in feeding you longer lasting energy over a period of time.
Coffee Without All The Drama
For me personally, coffee is my worst enemy . Every sip of coffee I take I could say I’m reducing half hour of energy in the long run.
I would look forward to the moment I crash and burn. Feeling shaky, irritated, anxious, fatigue and finally looking or my next dose of caffeine.. Like an addict looking for a fix, my eyes wanders looking for the next coffee machine. Adding to that, I used to consume more sugar than I ever did to keep me going throughout the day.
However, Yerba Mate’s Caffeine content combined with the element of Tryptophan which is a calming nutrient prevents my body from going into a relapse. Tryptophan is also one the most important components in controlling mood swings especially for those who are suffering from depression. Hence with an increase of energy and a pumped up metabolism you could definitely conquer your moods and look forward to a great day.
Coffee Crashes — is a real thing and those who experience will definitely relate to what I meant above.
Recently, Yerba Mate has become a trend among athletes due to its nature of steady energy and the ability to avoid extreme caffeine meltdown when the effects wear off. It’s fairly normal caffeine content accompanied with various calming amino acid and finally muscle fueling nutrients- allows athletes to finish strong without having a burn out at the end of the day.
Therefore, it’s a perfect alternative for those who are rushing through the crowds of the morning — you can definitely look forward to spending some time with friends without having to crash in bed.
A Happy Tummy A Happy Body
Have you had the feeling of rushing to the toilet as soon as you’re done with your cup-of-jo?
If you have then it’s completely normal. Coffees are acidic components also it effects fairly depends on its method of brewing and it’s strength. For example, espresso’s are generally harder on your stomach compared to lattes or cappuccinos. Therefore, as an early morning beverage — it provokes the acidic residue in your stomach which gets you running to the nearby restroom.
Although legend says that pooping is one of the mankind’s pleasures — inducing it through coffee isn’t healthy for a long run.
Yerba Mate, on the other hand, is a drink with an alkaline base. Therefore, it counteracts to the acidity in your tummy. It neutralizes it hence allowing you to start your morning with a calm and happy stomach.
This is fairly important for those who’ve got a sensitive stomach or suffer from gastritis as Yerba Mate could be your Super Drink without giving you the runs.
A Bonus To Overall Health and Appearance
In South America, Yerba Mate is something close to many hearts. It’s a common sight to watch people walking or talking in the morning with a gourd in their hands.
However, we spoke about the psychological nature of Yerba Mate and how it effect our daily life as coffee-substitute, But what about its other benefits?
Yerba Mate is known for its effects on controlling appetite. Sometimes we consume a larger amount of food for one reason to feel energized. We snack on things to feel active while staring at our computers all day. Sometimes a bad day or a tired soul will subconsciously drive our hands to the snack box causing us to overindulge ourselves.
So how does Yerba Mate help in keeping a healthy weight, curbing unnecessary cravings and avoiding emotional eating?
Yerba Mate is a unique tea which creates thermogenic effect when consumed. Meaning it converts all or access calories which eventually turn into fat into sweat that’s released via our skin. It increases our metabolism and burns down our calories.
So if there’s an increase of metabolism wouldn’t we be hungry always? Is a question that I commonly get asked.
The answer is NO!
In a recent Danish Study published in the Journal of Human Nutrition and Dietetics. It’s proven that Yerba Mate slows down the release of stomach contents by 20 minutes. Therefore, constantly keeping you full unlike the junk food we tend to consume in large amounts.
On the other hand, a study from a French Dietician has proved that Yerba Mate — a tea which contains zero calories is packed with nutrients required by the body to function productively the whole day. Vitamins and Minerals such as Calcium, Iron, Potassium, Magnesium, Vitamins A, C, E and other components give you a steady appetite and eliminates unnecessary cravings and desires.
In a chain reaction, with an increase in metabolism and energy — your nervous system feels less agitated which indirectly puts you in a better mood and keeps you from hindsight regarding emotional eating.
Hence, reducing the risks of high blood pressure, bad cholesterol, obesity, and diabetes — leading you to a longer and healthier life.
In conclusion, Yerba Mate is definitely a better substitute compared to coffee. You can always find it on E-Bay or Amazon if you’re lucky you could find a friend to send you some. However, now we know what’s keeping South Americans happy and healthy all time.
So are you up for a gourd of Yerba Mate?