Yerba mate tea has many health benefits, but can it also help individuals struggling with weight loss? Today, there are many products that promise to help in burning fat and losing weight but many of them are ineffective and harmful for you.
Yerba mate is an excellent aid in weight management because it is natural, healthy, and effective.
There is a lot of research to back up the fact that yerba mate can help you with weight loss. However, you have to be willing to do some work also, it’s not a miracle drink (or a capsule) that will burn your fat away while you lay on the couch and eat chips.
Drinking yerba mate tea, or taking yerba mate supplements, has become quite popular with people aiming to promote their health, prevent obesity, and lose bodyweight.
The main benefit related to fat burning and weight loss comes from the thermogenic effectiveness of yerba mate. In addition, there are many other science-backed benefits related to losing weight that this herbal tea offers.
Are you ready to start a healthier lifestyle and be more fit and lean? Then continue reading, because in this article I will tell you how to use yerba mate for losing weight and what are the mechanisms behind the effectiveness of this South American herbal beverage.
Yerba Mate Boosts Physical Performance
Drinking yerba mate tea before, or during, exercise increases energy levels and decreases physical fatigue. This is achieved by three stimulants that it contains. These stimulants are caffeine, theophylline, and theobromine.
I think everyone knows that caffeine increases physical and mental performance and makes you feel more alert. However, the effects of the two other stimulants are not so well known to many people.
The most notable effects related to physical performance are that theophylline increases blood flow and theobromine widens blood vessels. In addition, yerba mate also reduces oxidative stress, which allows you to work out more efficiently and for longer periods at a time.
In 2014, a study was conducted in order to research how yerba mate affects fat burning during exercise. The subjects ingested 1000 mg of yerba mate, versus placebo control group, 60 minutes before exercise. The group who took yerba mate capsules experienced 24% more fatty acid oxidation.
This study suggests that ingesting yerba mate before exercise significantly increases the effectiveness of exercise for weight loss and fat burning purposes!
Drinking Yerba Mate Tea Helps with Burning Belly Fat
Research indicates that drinking yerba mate can help with treating obesity and diabetes because it increases metabolism and reduces the amount of cholesterol, glucose, and fat (triglycerides) in blood.
A double-blind, placebo-controlled study was conducted in order to investigate the efficacy and safety of yerba mate in subjects with obesity. The subjects were given yerba mate capsules three times per day for a period of 12 weeks. This study had very promising results.
Compared to the placebo group, the group taking yerba mate supplements experienced a 3.6% decrease in body fat mass and a 3.0 % decrease in body fat percentage. In addition, the waist-to-hip ratio also decreased by 0.4%.
It Helps with Avoiding Overeating and Decreasing Appetite
Yerba mate is actually one of the most effective appetite suppressant teas.
A study, where a mixed herbal preparation containing yerba mate, guarana, and damiana (YGD), was used, aimed to determine the effect of this herbal mixture on gastric emptying and weight loss. It was conducted over periods of 10 days and 45 days, and weight maintenance over the following 12 months.
In this study, gastric emptying was monitored with ultrasound scanning after taking YGD and compared to the placebo group. Bodyweight was observed for overweight patients taking three YGD capsules before each meal.
According to the study, YGD delayed gastric emptying and induced significant weight loss over 45 days, about 5 kg weight loss compared to about 0.3 kg for the placebo group. In addition, the YGD capsules helped subjects to maintain their reduced weight for a period of 12 months.
Next, I recommend that you watch this short video about yerba mate and appetite control:
Yerba Mate Improves Mood and Energy Levels
According to studies, individuals who feel sad and lonely tend to have more eating disorders. Because of this, they can also gain weight more quickly than those who don’t frequently suffer from these emotions.
Sad and lonely people tend to eat more fatty and high-calorie comfort foods and lack physical activity. This is a combination that is likely to cause significant weight gain over time.
Yerba mate is known to improve mood and help with symptoms of depression.
It stimulates a weakened nervous system and reduces anxiety and agitation. One way that yerba mate can help with weight loss, is that by improving the mental state of sad or depressed individuals it can prevent them from overeating and making poor diet choices.
I have to admit, that sometimes I feel gloomy, tired, and lazy. You know that feeling when you want to get up from the couch and go jogging, walking, or do some other activity, but just can’t find the energy to do that?
When this happens, I drink a proper amount of good yerba mate tea, and it always works! After drinking it, I usually do a nice physical exercise session and feel so much better after that.
If you are not interested in trying mate tea, you can use yerba mate supplements to get the same benefits. I prefer drinking my mate tea but I also know many people who find it easier and more convenient to use it in the form of capsules. Read my article about yerba mate leaf extracts to learn more.
It Improves Gastrointestinal Health
One reason for gaining and maintaining too much weight can be gastrointestinal problems. Yerba mate helps in repairing gastrointestinal tracts and tissues and boosts digestion.
Suffering from acid reflux or ulcers often leads to eating more because it can reduce the pain temporarily. Also, constipation can lead to weight gain by making you feel tired and bloated, which can prevent you from doing physical activities and exercise.
Yerba mate improves digestive system health and stimulates normal bowel movement which is a big factor in losing weight.
The anti-inflammatory properties of yerba mate can help in weight loss with individuals suffering from chronic diseases. Inflammation in the body can cause leptin, a weight control hormone, to be less effective. Thus, yerba mate’s ability to inhibit inflammation is also beneficial for losing weight.
Use Yerba Mate Tea for Weight Loss
Based on my own experiences as well as research, it is clear that yerba mate has several benefits associated with weight loss. It boosts metabolism and exercise performance which helps your body in using more energy and burning more fat. It also prevents water retention because of its diuretic properties. One notable effect is that it helps in reducing overeating by making you feel more full and keeps you satisfied for longer.
I think that one of the most important things in succeeding with losing weight is to find out the reasons that have led to weight gain in the first place. It is also important to think about what is currently preventing you from losing weight. Then it’s just a matter of doing something to fix those problems.
Common reasons for weight gain include depression, gastrointestinal problems, and lack of sleep. Another problem might be a job that is too consuming and stressful. This kind of situation leaves little or no energy for exercise and other healthy habits.
The next step is to make a long term plan, which addresses these problems and stick to it. Yerba mate tea (or supplement) is just one component of that plan which should also include a healthy diet, regular exercise, and a proper amount of sleep.
Whether you are struggling with losing weight or just hoping to burn some extra belly fat, I hope this article gave you information that you can use in achieving your goals.
Wondering which yerba mate tea to buy and where to order it? I suggest that you read this review article with 5 popular mate brands to find the right product for you.
If you have any questions or you want to share your story related to yerba mate and weight loss, please post it in the comments section below!
Here are some other articles that you might find interesting:
- How to Brew Yerba Mate Tea
- 5 Best Herbal Teas for Weight Loss
- Tereré Recipe – Iced Yerba Mate Drink from Paraguay
Drink your mate tea and enjoy life!
-Joonas
Ps. If you found this article useful, please share it so others can find it too.
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Wow, I have never heard of this tea. Thank you for sharing your site and wealth of information on this product.
I love new but natural healthy options.
All the best
Daisy
Hi Daisy!
Thanks for your comment and good that you found my article interesting!
-Joonas
Very informative!!
Thanks for your comment Helen! I’m glad that you liked my article.
-Joonas
Yerba Mate tea sounds like a very powerful solution in losing weight. Though I’ve never had weight problems I love the idea it can help with anxiety. For those who overeat due to depression, this tea could certainly benefit them. This is certainly a very well researched post and thanks for sharing 🙂
Hi Kathy!
Good to hear that found my article interesting. I drink yerba mate almost every day, and sometimes if I’m feeling a bit blue it helps with lifting my mood and getting things done. I also hope that people who want to lose weight will find this article, and reading it will motivate and help them with their goals.
-Joonas
Yerba Mate is the BEST weight loss tea I have tried. I drink it
every day, and I’m also so grateful. It has helped me not only to lose weight but keep it off, hope it helps some others!
Hi Sofia!
Great to hear the yerba mate tea has helped you with losing weight. It really is an effective aid for controlling weight and burning fat.
-Joonas
Hi, I read the tea has cancer causing compounds in other articles.
Hi Jos,
Yerba mate products that are dried with smoke can have some compounds that might cause cancer. However, I think that the risk is quite low unless you consume excessive amounts of this type of products.
You can avoid the cancer risk by choosing an unsmoked yerba mate products. You can find more information here: https://yerbamateculture.com/yerba-mate-tea-side-effects-are-there-any/
Nice Article Thanks for share this .
Hi Barkins,
Glad to hear that you like my article!
-Joonas
Great article. I have recently started using Yerba Mate tea to help with fat loss and have the following question.
How much yerba mate tea would you suggest I have per day. I am a 73 year old male and weigh 103kg and should weigh about 85kg.
By how much I mean how much per drink ie 1 x tbl spoon or more, and how many times per day??
Hi David,
I suggest you start with a smaller amount and see how you feel when you drink it. Then you can later increase the amount if you feel like it.
So maybe start with using one tablespoon of yerba mate for making a large cup of tea. You can drink one cup in the morning and one in the afternoon. If you are doing some physical exercise it’s best to drink the tea before exercising to have more energy and increase fat burning.
I hope yerba mate will help you with losing weight!
All the best,
Joonas