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Drink Yerba Mate Before Workout & Boost Your Performance!

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Yerba mate tea is a traditional South American drink known for its energizing effect.

But have you ever thought about drinking yerba mate before a workout to supercharge your training session?

I have, and I can tell you it really works!

In this guide, I’ll tell you all about my experiences using yerba mate as a pre-workout drink. I’ll also provide research results that support its effectiveness in enhancing performance, burning fat, and aiding recovery.

Yerba Mate Before Workout

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Why Yerba Mate Tea is My Favorite Pre-Workout Drink

I have been doing many different sports in my life, some even at a competitive level. Currently, my favorite is surfing, followed by boxing, weight lifting, and jogging.

Some people like to take pre-workout supplements and others just drink a cup of coffee before doing their exercise.

My favorite drink before doing sports is yerba mate tea because it provides a long-lasting energy boost and focus without negative side effects.

surfer man sunrise
I always drink yerba mate before my early morning surf sessions

The caffeine content of yerba mate tea is comparable to that of coffee. However, yerba mate tea provides a more gentle stimulation than coffee.

It does not affect the adrenal glands the same way and you don’t feel the jitteriness, anxiety, or sleeplessness that you might get from coffee.

The reason for this is that it does not only contain caffeine, but is also rich in polyphenols, saponins, and xanthines.

Next, let’s see what research says about yerba mate and exercise.

Yerba Mate Before Weight Lifting Exercise

Consuming yerba mate tea before weight lifting exercise can help you train harder and longer as well as improve your focus on the workout.

In addition to boosting your performance during the exercise, it can also help your body recover from it.

Research: Recovery Boost

A 2016 study published in the British Journal of Medicine indicates that consuming yerba mate tea improves the rate of recovery after strength exercise by nearly 9% for a period of up to 24 hours after the exercise. Being able to recover faster means that you can train the same muscles more frequently and achieve better results.

woman deadlift
Yerba mate helps you train harder, recover faster, and burn more body fat during exercise

There is a growing scientific interest in yerba mate because of its metabolic effects. It has been shown to increase fat utilization during exercise. It is also well-known that many South American athletes drink yerba mate tea before and during exercise and competitions.

Yerba Mate Before Cycling

Cycling can be a nice hobby for leisure but it’s also a competitive sport. Whichever way you like to do it, it feels better when you have more energy.

Research: Fat Burning and Performance

In a study conducted in 2018, it was found that consuming yerba mate increased fat utilization during submaximal exercise and improved the time-trial performance of well-trained cyclists.

man cycling

So if you want to improve your cycling performance, and maybe burn more fat as well, drinking yerba mate tea is definitely a good choice!

Many Soccer Players Use Yerba Mate

Many famous soccer players from Uruguay, Paraguay, and Argentina drink mate regularly. They are often very open about this and even brag about it in social media.

For example, Lionel Messi, Luis Suarez, and Neymar, just to name a few, have admitted to being big-time yerba mate drinkers. Nowadays the habit has even spread to the English Premier League!

Boost Your Performance with Yerba Mate Energy!

If you are looking to increase your energy levels and mental focus in a natural way, yerba mate tea is an excellent choice!

It is a potent drink and many professional athletes use and promote it. Yerba mate tea is also a healthy choice because it contains minerals, vitamins B and C, and has a higher antioxidant capacity than green tea. You can read more about yerba mate health benefits in this article.

If you don’t want to drink yerba mate as a tea and prefer taking it as a supplement, read my article related to mate leaf extracts.

Yerba Mate & Exercise FAQ

Why is yerba mate a great pre-workout drink?

Yerba mate tea is a completely natural drink that contains caffeine and other stimulants that provide an energy boost and improve mental focus. It also lacks the most common side effects of coffee, including jitteriness and sleeping problems.

In addition, drinking yerba mate can help with increasing physical performance, recovering faster, and burning more fat during exercise.

What kind of workout can I boost with yerba mate tea?

You can boost any kind of workout with yerba mate. It can benefit almost any activity from jogging and weight lifting to playing football.

Is it good to always drink yerba mate before a workout?

You can drink yerba mate every time before working out. However, if you exercise often, I would not necessarily recommend consuming mate tea before each workout. Sometimes you can do a light workout without yerba mate and only use it for more intense training sessions or competitions (note that caffeine might be banned in some competitions).

How much yerba mate tea should I drink before my workout?

You can use about 30 grams of dried yerba mate leaves brewed with 2 cups of hot water, about 30 to 60 minutes before your workout. This will give you roughly 200 mg of caffeine.

If it’s your first time drinking yerba mate tea or you have a low tolerance for caffeine, I recommend starting with only 15 grams of dried yerba mate.

I hope you enjoyed this article. If you have any questions or comments, or you want to share your personal experience related to yerba mate and exercise, please post them below in the comments section.

If you have not tried mate tea yet, you can start with Guayaki yerba mate. It is a relatively mild product good for first-time mate drinkers.

Check out this yerba mate review article to find more great options to start with.

Enjoy your exercise!

-Joonas

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2 thoughts on “Drink Yerba Mate Before Workout & Boost Your Performance!”

  1. I read a lot of posts but the topic covered in this is the most comprehensive & helpful. This is really wonderful post. I would definitely recommend it to others. Thank you for sharing this valuable information with us.

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