You are fond of drinking coffee because it gives you a boost in energy as well as alertness. But then you are also keen on having green tea because of its antioxidant and anti inflammatory properties.

Are you aware that there’s a beverage that packs all of the goodness of both coffee and green tea? It’s called yerba mate tea, which is a South American beverage. In fact, it is the traditional drink of Argentina — up to 92 percent of all households in the said Latin country consume it.

It is made by brewing the dried leaves of a plant having the same name, which is native to South America.

Making yerba mate tea a wonderful alternative to coffee is the fact that it contains caffeine. The amount of caffeine in it is less than coffee but more than green tea.

You may have heard or read somewhere that yerba mate tea is devoid of caffeine. Well, that’s both right and wrong. You see, scientists say that the beverage contains a naturally-existing chemical called mateine. Studies say that mateine is simply caffeine that’s bound to a tannin molecule, and it’s for this reason why it works just like caffeine.

Yerba mate tea is capable of taking the place of green tea because it’s also packed with antioxidants that fight free radicals. According to experts, excess free radical activity in the body can be blamed for the development of a number of problems that range from accelerated aging to increased risk of heart disease and cancer.

There’s no need for you to be residing in South America just to enjoy a cup of yerba mate tea. Due to its sheer popularity especially among health-conscious shoppers, you can easily get your hands on it in tea bag or loose leaf form at most health food or herbal stores operating online as well as offline.

Let’s now take a look at some of the most amazing health perks of yerba mate tea:

Increased Energy

One of the most revered benefits of drinking yerba mate tea is it provides a surge of energy. Unlike coffee, however, the kind of energy it offers is something that does not cause heart palpitations, headaches and jitteriness. Of course it will seem like you just had lots of coffee if you happen to consume more yerba mate tea than needed.

Enhanced Mental Focus

If you’re like a lot of people who cannot focus after having coffee because of the annoying and often terrifying side effects of caffeine, then you should consider having yerba mate tea instead. That’s because it combines the cognitive boosting properties of coffee and the mental relaxing abilities of green tea.

Reduced Weight

Instead of taking highly questionable weight loss pills and capsules and put your life at risk, it’s a much better idea for you to simply brew and sip a cup of yerba mate tea. According to fitness experts, it’s just like green tea that helps facilitate the burning of fat cells. So in other words, yerba mate tea helps speed up your metabolism.

Controlled Blood Sugar

Do you have diabetes or are you at risk of suffering from it? Then make the intake of yerba mate tea a part of the diet plan recommended to you by your doctor. It’s for the fact that experts confirm that this beverage is capable of maintaining healthy levels of sugar in the bloodstream.

Lowered Infections

Based on numerous scientific investigations, yerba mate is capable of zapping bacteria that can cause digestive issues such as stomach cramping and diarrhea. There are also certain compounds present in this South American brew that are capable of shielding the gut from intestinal parasites.

WARNING: Especially if you have a medical condition, inform your doctor first about your plan on taking yerba mate tea. Steer clear of it if you are pregnant or breastfeeding.