Vegan Beverages
Guayaki Mate Teas

When I need a lift in the afternoon and don't want the caffeine buzz that will keep me up all night, my alternative is Guayaki Yerba Mate. It's an unusual tea that is naturally caffeinated, but is accepted by my nervous system better than an afternoon coffee. My favorite flavor is the Mate Chocolatté.

What is Yerba Mate?
Yerba mate is a caffeine beverage made from the leaves and stems of a powerful rainforest tree, native to the subtropical rainforests of South America. It was discovered by the natives of the rainforest centuries ago.

While yerba mate and green tea share many of the same benefits, (antioxidants, polyphenols, flavonoids, bio flavonoids, and theophylline) modern science shows that yerba mate has 52 more active compounds than green tea. There are 196 active compounds in yerba mate compared to the 144 found in green tea. In fact, yerba mate can boast higher polyphenol and antioxidant counts than either green or black teas. 

Guayaki Mate Tea Bags
Guayakí Mate Latté is the favorite mate concoction known to mate fans. It can be prepared with loose yerba mate or tea bags. The tea bag mate blends work great too! You can use organic soy milk, rice milk, almond milk or coconut milk. Use sweetener of your choice.

LIGHT - (20 - 35 mg. of caffeine per 8 oz.)
Mate Chocolatté
A blissful, sweet blend of yerba mate, cocoa and spices.
Place 2 bags in a French press and add hot water (just before boiling).
For the loose leaf version add 3-4 tablespoons of yerba mate.
Let steep for 3-10 minutes... the longer the time the stronger the tea.
Heat soy or almond milk to simmer.
In your favorite cup, add 1/2 hot tea to 1/2 hot soy or almond milk.
Add stevia, honey, maple syrup or organic sugar to sweeten.
Drink!
MODERATE - (35 - 50 mg. of caffeine per 8 oz.)
Traditional Mate Tea Bags
Place 2 bags or in a French press and add hot water (just before boiling).
For the loose leaf version add 3-4 tablespoons of yerba mate.
Let steep for 3-10 minutes... the longer the time the stronger the tea.
Heat soy or almond milk to simmer.
In your favorite cup, add 1/2 hot tea to 1/2 hot soy or almond milk.
Add stevia, honey, maple syrup or organic sugar to sweeten.
Drink!

For comparison:
Green Tea (30 mg. / 8 oz.)
Cola (35 mg. / 8 oz.)
Coffee (135 mg. / 8 oz.)
Source: Center for Science in the Public Interest

Yerba Mate Health Benefits
There are many positive effects of yerba mate drinking that have been observed by consumers, and further confirmed in scientific studies. The positive effects listed below have been directly or indirectly attributed to drinking yerba mate infusions.

Induces Mental Clarity
Yerba mate has the ability to quicken the mind and increase mental alertness and acuity. Yerba mate also provides sustainable energy due to its complex combination of xanthine alkaloids and caffeine. Although its caffeine content is comparable to coffee, the stimulation is balanced by yerba mate’s nutritional content. Clinical studies have shown that caffeine-sensitive individuals generally have very positive results and don’t experience the hard side effects (jitters, stomach discomfort,headache) commonly associated with caffeine.

Reduce Fatigue & Sustain Energy Levels
Yerba mate is a central nervous system stimulant. The metabolic effects of mate appear to include the ability to maintain aerobic breakdown of carbohydrates during exercise for long periods of time. As a result, more calories are burned, thereby increasing cardiac efficiency and delaying the build-up of lactic acid. Additionally, mate’s blend of xanthine alkaloids: caffeine, theophylline and theobromine, provide sustaining energy.

Weight Control
For many years now, physicians in Europe have been
incorporating yerba mate in treatments for obesity. In 2000, a research team studying obesity at the Charlottenlund Medical Center in Denmark tested an herbal preparation of Yerba Maté, Guarana, and Damiana (YGD) for gastric emptying and subsequent weight loss. They concluded that the herbal preparation, YGD capsules, significantly delayed gastric emptying, reduced the time to perceived gastric fullness and induced significant weight loss over 45 days in overweight patients treated in a primary health care context. In addition, maintenance treatment given in an uncontrolled context resulted in no further weight loss, nor weight regain in the group as a whole. Guayaki recommends that the product be used as part of a program that includes a healthy diet and sufficient exercise.

Elimination
Some gastrointestinal disorders can be treated with yerba mate. Studies have shown it to increase bile flow and enhance intestinal transit.

Control Bad Breath
Polyphenols found in yerba mate have been shown to prevent both the growth of bacteria responsible for bad breath and the bacteria’s
production of odorous compounds.