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Friday, February 16, 2007

Mate!

In keeping with our last post, todays topic is Mate. Yerba Mate to be specific.
Wikipedia defines mate as:

Mate (pronounced /'ma.te/) is a highly caffeinated infusion prepared by steeping dried leaves of yerba mate (Ilex paraguariensis) in hot water. It is the national drink in Uruguay and Argentina[1] and a common social practice in Paraguay and parts of Chile and Brazil.

Why all the buzz? Mate is incredible good for you!
USAToday released an article stating:

Thanks to its high anti-oxidant content, maté promotes cell survival better than
red wine or green tea.

So what does that mean exactly? Wikipedia again to the rescue:

Antioxidants are particularly important in organic chemistry and biology. All organisms maintain a reducing environment inside their cells and contain complex systems of antioxidants to prevent damage by oxidation. These antioxidants include glutathione and ascorbic acid and these chemicals are substrates for enzymes such as peroxidases and oxidoreductases. Low levels of antioxidants or inhibition of antioxidant enzymes causes oxidative stress and may damage or kill cells.

It's simple. Antioxidants good. No anti-oxidants bad.

Check this out from Ma-Tea.com:

Of the 196 volatile chemical compounds found in Yerba Mate, 144 are also found in green tea. Its processing method, like that of green tea, preserves similar antioxidants and nutritive values. The Journal of Alternative Complement Medicine summarizes, "Yerba mate is thus a rich source of polyphenols and has antioxidant properties comparable to those of green tea" (2003). As it turns out, Yerba Mate taken in the Traditional Method is "more effective than either green tea or red wines" at "producing the highest concentration of polyphenols" in the blood (Bixby, 2005).

So check out Mate the next time you need a buzz of mental clarity rather than the jitters! One highly recommended brand is pixiemate.com. Delicious!

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