Yerba mate appears to offer more antioxidants than other popular energy drinks, according to recent report. A tea made from the leaves and stems of a tree found in South American rainforests, yerba mate is often touted as a natural energy-booster.
For the recent report, scientists tested 31 widely available energy drinks (including teas, juices, and sodas). Study results showed that tea-based drinks had much higher concentrations of antioxidants than non-tea-based drinks. Yerba mate, for instance, contained up to 100 times the amount of antioxidants (compared to non-tea-based drinks).
Long used in traditional South American medicine to treat various health conditions (such as headaches and fatigue), yerba mate has been found to enhance heart health and thwart weight gain in preliminary research on animals. However, other research has linked chronic consumption of yerba mate with elevated risk of certain types of cancer (possibly due to an increased absorption of carcinogenic compounds that may result from steeping the tea at high temperatures).
