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Yerba Mate is known as an alternative to coffee, produced from the evergreen leaves of the yerba mate plant, a large shrub or small tree (grows to about 50 feet tall) from South America, particularly Southern Brazil, Uruguay, Argentina and southern Chile. The leaves are served either green or dried as a tea, using hot, but not boiling water. Yerba mate has been used for centuries and is touted for its many natural minerals and antioxidants.
Similar in taste to many green teas, it is not boiled because of the bitter taste this produces. A word of note from staff - it makes a great sun tea. It is available with various herbal flavors added. The leaves are often used twice by natives with the same positive effects of alertness and mental acuity.
The caffeine from mate is more effective than coffee. Whereas coffee is stripped of nutritional value as the beans are processed, dried and ground, mate contains an abundance of nutrients, including potassium, magnesium and manganese. Many regular users claim that it will not affect the ability to sleep when consumed at night, which is probably due in large part to its lower caffeine levels and higher nutritional benefits. Caffeine levels in mate vary from 0.2% to 2.0% of dry weight, with coffee often measuring 3.2% of dry weight.
The natural substances present in mate have been shown to have a relaxing effect on smooth muscle tissue, and a stimulating effect on myocardial (heart) tissue, while coffee stimulates the central nervous system.
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