The term “adaptogen” has been shouted from health food labels for years. You may have heard it tossed around on a television show or in an article online. Without understanding what an adaptogen is, all of these references will mean nothing. With the knowledge of an adaptogen’s properties and uses, you can make informed decisions about healthy foods and what to use in your daily diet.

What Are Adaptogens?

Some herbs and mushrooms that are believed to have health benefits are known as adaptogens. They are thought to bring a variety of perks, such as helping stabilize your body and reducing the effects of stress.

There have been many tests conducted with adaptogens to determine if these claims are true. While more controlled testing on humans is required to discover the full effects of adaptogens, the current tests have confirmed that they have a positive effect.

Adaptogens include:

● Herbs such as ginseng and holy basil

● Mushrooms (cordyceps, reishi and many others)

Many indigenous tribes and ancient forms of medicine use adaptogens in natural remedies around the world.

The Beginnings of Adaptogens

The herbs and mushrooms that are now called adaptogens have been used by Indigenous groups around the world to treat small maladies and increase overall well-being for centuries. They are often ingested through an adaptogen drink or food. However, they were not formally recognized by the scientific community until the mid 1900s.

At this point, countries were searching for substances that could improve the performance of their soldiers, as the Cold War was a large threat. While adaptogens do not provide massive improvements, they can help reduce stress, anxiety and fatigue, and aid the body in establishing stability.

Today, adaptogens are still used in natural and herbal remedies to help keep your body healthy and return it to its natural state. Taken in an appropriate dosage, adaptogens can supplement a regular diet, but they should not be taken to resolve chronic stress or anxiety.

Creating an Adaptogen Drink or Meal

Because adaptogens have gained popularity among the natural health community, adaptogen blends can be found in many stores. Typically found in a blend of both herbs and mushrooms, you can use these powders as supplements in regular food.

An adaptogen drink, such as a smoothie or tea, can be tasty and relaxing. If taken through tea, one gains a greater sense of calm and stress relief, as hot tea typically has a relaxing effect.

Adaptogen powders can also be used in meals to supplement spices for flavor and texture. In these cases, you should experiment in small doses to understand the unique flavors of the adaptogen blends. The many herbs and mushrooms involved can create distinct flavors that may not blend well with some spices.

If the flavor of an adaptogen drink or meal doesn’t suit your taste, but you’d like to test the effects, you could try adaptogen pills. These fit the adaptogen blends into small pills that can be taken for a small boost throughout the day.

Commercially Available Adaptogens

If at-home flavor experimentation is not on your comfort level, or you simply don’t have time, there are many commercial products that include adaptogens. Many health food options, such as granola bars or crackers can contain adaptogens.

Many natural drinks that provide a less processed and healthier boost of energy also use adaptogen blends. Because adaptogens have been used across the globe for centuries, there are many different blends, each with a unique flavor.

Finding an adaptogen drink to fit your taste and energy needs can be difficult, but with enough searching it can be done. Looking for natural energy drinks or teas is a great step. Trying them out can be a fun adventure. Once you find the blend that works for you, remember to use it as a supplement in moderation, as exceptionally large doses could be harmful rather than helpful.

An adaptogen drink or meal can provide a relaxing and helpful boost to your well-being. Understanding the history of adaptogens, some of the herbs and mushrooms classified as adaptogens, where to find them and how to use them can be very useful. With this knowledge, you can supplement your diet with adaptogens and enjoy all their benefits.

Everybody enjoys a drink during the day, whether it is just water or a coffee, or something else more full-bodied. Hydration is an important part of keeping up with your health and what you ingest throughout the day can really make or break the day. A lot of people need caffeine but often intake too much at once, ending up dealing with the consequences. However, you don’t have to deal with these side-effects, as the ancient South American drink of yerba mate is becoming more popular worldwide. This drink offers a better portioned source of caffeine that also includes loads of essential vitamins and minerals, as well as other nutrients that can help the body in many ways. So, why is mate drink so unique?

Adaptogenic Properties

The biggest benefit to drinking yerba mate drink is the fact that it is composed of a plant that has strong adaptogenic properties. Adaptogens are a class of plants, herbs, and mushrooms that can help the body fight off the stressors of life and recover quicker from ailments. When an adaptogen is present in something that is ingested, the body gets the right types of nutrients in order to keep the body in a state of repair, without getting overstressed.

In general, when the body gets an ailment of some sort, it has three different phases. The first phase is the cortisol response, where the body goes into alarm mode, realizing something has happened. This phase generally causes the body to release hormones to stimulate metabolism, inflammatory and immunity response. Adaptogens ensure this response isn’t overused in the body. Next, the body will go into repair mode. During this phase, the body responds to the intrusion and adaptogens will help to keep the body in this phase longer. The longer the body is in the repair phase, the lower the chance the stressor will cause the body to reach the exhaustion phase, which is the third response phase. Exhaustion results in reduced energy levels, increased feelings of stress and overall nastiness. Adaptogens attempt to prepare the body for and balance its response to stressors, in order to reduce the chance of exhaustion when affected by stress. Beyond adaptogenic properties, yerba mate drink has many other nutrients that can help the body in different ways.

Energy Boosters

Yerba mate has a little more than half the caffeine level of equivalent amounts of coffee, but it is a less processed and more natural form of caffeine. This lower level of caffeine means a drinker will get the energy boost from caffeine but will avoid the negative side effects that many long-term coffee drinkers get. These may include the jitters, headaches, or withdrawals when cut off from a caffeine source for days on end. As well, the adaptogens from the mate drink help adrenal function, giving more access to energy for the body’s cells. With an energy boost also comes improved mental focus, helping you to get through a day of hard work without reduced focus.

Antioxidants

Yerba mate drink is also full of antioxidant nutrients, actually offering more antioxidants than coffee and even many teas. A mate drink doesn’t have enough antioxidants to be able to replace other sources within your diet, but is a fantastic addition to ensure you are always getting enough.

Improved Metabolism and Weight Loss

Those that drink yerba mate and exercise regularly will often find that the mate drink has helped them lose weight and get their metabolism more under control. Drinking the recommended daily amount of mate drink will offer better results than many types of teas, boosting the metabolism to help you burn more fat, thus resulting in overall weight loss.

Yerba Mate Drink for Everybody

Yerba mate drink has been used in South America for centuries and is extremely popular. It is the most popular drink in countries like Uruguay and Argentina. Its popularity there has spread worldwide and it is now available in many forms. While most people don’t have the time or capability to prepare it using the traditional method, mate drink can be found in the form of all natural energy drinks in many online or brick and mortar stores. For those looking for a natural drink to keep their energy up during the day, while boosting their overall health, researching the benefits of a mate drink online will always be a great decision.

We have all become addicted to our coffee. Although coffee beans are rich in some vitamins and antioxidants, coffee does not deliver the same broad spectrum of nutrients as its more temperate cousin – the tea leaf. Many varieties of teas have been marketed to western drinkers as a healthier alternative to coffee (i.e. Japanese green tea). The latest variety of tea that is making waves in North America is yerba mate tea, or energy tea, imported from the Amazon.

My Cup of Tea

Traditional yerba mate tea involves steeping the leaves and twigs of the yerba mate plant in hot water. This “mate tea” as it is called, has been widely consumed in Uruguay, Paraguay and parts of Brazil since pre-colonial times. One intra-familial ritual of drinking mate tea involves the host playing the role of brewer when he or she invites family members into their home. The brewer steeps the tea in a traditional cup made from a hollowed-out gourd shell. The beverage is then passed around in a circle in the same gourd cup. Today mate tea is consumed by people of all ages and is not restricted exclusively to ancient family tea drinking rituals. The energy tea that is making waves in North America is a sparkling yerba mate beverage, usually served and cold or room temperature.

Many of these energy tea products have a yerba mate base. The base is then infused with other stimulants and herbs native to the Amazon, called Amazon adaptogens. These include guarana, acerola berry, Suma root and Yanomami mushrooms. These adaptogens help by boosting immune function and promoting greater physical and mental performance.

It’s all about the energy

When most of us think of energy, we think of caffeine. Energy tea contains caffeine, as do most energy drinks. What is unique about the Amazon adaptogens is that they have their own energizing effects that work separately from the caffeine. Yerba mate contains compounds that boost energy at the cellular level. It has been shown that yerba mate enriches the concentration of ectonucleotides. These are a family of enzymes that enable cells to share information and transfer energy between them. When these enzymes are present in high concentrations, tissues and organs are able to use the energy they have more efficiently, because there is more energy transferred between the cells. Ectonucleotides also enrich cellular replication.

Yerba mate is also a monoamine oxidase inhibitor. Monoamine oxidase is a chemical in the brain that counteracts the effects of serotonin and dopamine. By inhibiting monoamine oxidase, there is now more dopamine and serotonin, which will enrich your physical and mental performance at a chemical level in the brain. More serotonin and dopamine will contribute to elevating your mood and give you more feelings of empowerment, as opposed to feelings of anxiety and depression. It is for these reasons that serotonin and dopamine are sometimes called the “happy chemicals.” The energy tea is essentially acting as an anti-depressant by helping the happy chemicals to be uninhibited. Yerba mate has an anti-depressant that occurs naturally in its leaves and twigs. Because it is found directly in nature, it is very safe for us to consume. The happy chemicals also help the nervous system to regulate things like hunger and sleep. This could help explain why yerba mate has also been shown to help with weight loss. The fact that it improves energy efficiency at the cellular level is likely playing a role as a two-sided coin.

Only energy tea that is made from Amazon adaptogens will have these effects on the body. When stacked up against the enzyme enriching compounds of the adaptogens, the energizing effects of caffeine are trivial. Caffeine does nothing to enrich the body’s energy at a cellular or chemical level. Caffeine can only contribute to feelings of alertness by stimulating the nervous system and dilating the blood vessels around the brain. Once it leaves your system, its effects are short lived, so you go for your second cup. Instead of constantly overloading your vascular and nervous systems with stimulants, try something that will actually enrich your body’s energy reserves, like energy tea.

Yerba mate drinks have been around for centuries. Historians believe that this ancient South American beverage was first enjoyed by indigenous people in Paraguay. When the Spanish arrived in South America, colonization spread yerba mate back to Europe and it became a tradeable commodity. Since then, people around the world have enjoyed this unique beverage for its interesting flavour and long list of health benefits. These days, yerba mate is a popular ingredient in many different kinds of health drinks.

What Exactly is Yerba Mate?

Yerba mate is a plant that grows in a number of South American countries. The twigs and leaves of the plant are dried and then steeped in hot water to make yerba make drink. In South America, the beverage is traditionally served hot in a gourd with a special straining straw.

The drink was traditionally shared in a group with each person giving thanks while drinking. The hot water was then replenished in the gourd and the drink passed on to the next person.

These days, people enjoy yerba mate drinks just like they would enjoy coffee or tea. Yerba mate tea tastes somewhat similar to green tea. It can be enjoyed either hot or cold, though it has a slightly more bitter taste when steeped in hot water. Some people prefer to sweeten this tea with honey or to mix it with citrus juice or other herbal teas.

Yerba mate has become a popular ingredient in many different types of energy drinks that are commonly available. It can be found mixed with fruit juices, iced teas, or as a coffee substitute.

Benefits of Yerba Mate Drinks

In North America, yerba mate drinks are often found in the energy drink aisle at convenience or grocery stores. This unique tea has a number of health benefits, which explains its centuries-long popularity.

Some of the many benefits of yerba mate include:

1) Yerba mate naturally contains powerful antioxidants

Yerba mate contains powerful antioxidants that support a healthy body. Some studies show that yerba mate actually contain more antioxidants than green tea. Ingesting plant-based antioxidants are believed by some researchers to help reduce the risks of a wide range of diseases including heart disease, immune deficiency, stroke, cancer, and respiratory diseases.

2) It is a source of natural energy

Many people enjoy yerba mate drinks because of its natural energy boosting characteristics. It naturally contains caffeine, but not too much. A cup of yerba mate tea actually contains less caffeine than coffee but more than black tea, which is the perfect amount for many people. People who love yerba mate say that it gives them an energy boost without the jittery feelings that coffee can cause.

3) Helps maintain a healthy weight

Though further studies need to be done, some research shows that yerba mate drinks may help to reduce cravings and therefore contribute to healthy weight loss. Researchers also suspect that consuming yerba mate may contribute to a reduction of fat cells within the body.

4) Enhanced physical performance

It is suspected that yerba mate drinks help to improve athletic performance because of the way in which the caffeine causes muscles to contract. Some athletes drink yerba mate before working out to increase their overall performance.

Possible Dangers of Overconsumption

Similar to other healthy products, overconsuming yerba mate can have some negative health repercussions. People who overconsume yerba mate drinks may be at a higher risk for some types of cancer, especially if it is consumed hot. Researchers believe that the those who drink large quantities of yerba mate over a long period of time may increase their risk of developing stomach, kidney, lung, and/or mouth cancer. These risks are further increased if the person uses alcohol or nicotine.

The Bottom Line

In the end, consuming reasonable amounts of yerba mate does not appear to pose serious health risks. It is important that individuals consult with their health care professional if they have any questions regarding yerba mate or any other health foods or drinks.

Generally, the amount of yerba mate that one ingests while drinking a typical health or energy drink is very minimal. Look for yerba mate drinks that are mixed with other delicious healthy ingredients to get the maximum benefits.

What’s All the Buzz About Yerba Mate Drinks?

Yerba mate drinks have been popular in South America for many centuries and now their popularity is spreading across the globe. People love this unique drink for its distinctive flavor, its energy boosting properties, as well as for its overall health benefits.

Ancient Natural South American Drink

Yerba mate drinks are made by brewing the leaves and twigs from the yerba mate tree. This tree, also known as Ilex paraguariensis, is indigenous to southern South America. It can be found growing naturally in Argentina, Brazil, Uruguay, and Paraguay.

Pure yerba mate drinks are made simply by brewing the dried leaves and twigs of this plant in hot water. Traditionally, yerba mate tea is shared from a gourd with a special straw that strains out the leaves and twigs. These days, yerba mate can be found as a loose tea or as a delicious ingredient in many natural energy drinks.

Natural Benefits of Yerba Mate Drinks

The effects of drinking yerba mate have been described as uplifting, energizing, and comforting. There are a few natural chemical compounds in yerba mate like caffeine, theophylline, and theobromine that contribute to these feelings. Generally, yerba mate is believed to give those who drink it the following benefits:

1) Greater Energy and Less Fatigue

The typical yerba mate drink contains 85 mg of caffeine, which is less caffeine than coffee, but more than what is found in black tea. Many people find the amount of caffeine contained in a cup of yerba mate the perfect amount to boost energy and reduce fatigue. This amount of caffeine is less likely to cause a caffeine crash later in the day.

2) Increased Mental Focus

On top of increased energy, the caffeine found in yerba mate drinks contributes to enhanced mental clarity. Many people find that a cup of yerba mate in the morning gives them a mental edge to get a good start on their days.

3) Weight Loss

There are some studies that show regular use of yerba mate drinks may help curb appetite, increase metabolism, and help with weight loss. Other studies show that yerba mate also increases fat burning.

4) Antioxidants

Yerba mate is also a source of antioxidants, which help support overall health. Research shows that it may even have more antioxidants than green tea.

5) Powerful Adaptogenic Properties

Yerba mate is considered an adaptogen, which means it contains natural chemicals that help the body to resist the negative effects of both physical and emotional stress. Ingesting this plant is believed to support a wide range of healthy bodily functions including a calm and focused mind, better digestion, and a more robust immune system.

Adding Yerba Mate into a Daily Routine

Yerba mate has a unique flavor. It has been described as strong and bitter. Some people say that it tastes of the rainforest. It is advised to taste a yerba mate drink a few times before deciding whether it is a good replacement for coffee or tea. It can take a few attempts for tastebuds to adapt to the flavor. While many people learn to thoroughly enjoy the taste of yerba mate, it might not be everyone’s cup of tea. Luckily, yerba mate is an ingredient in many natural energy drinks.

There are many energy drinks on the market that include yerba mate as a key ingredient. These types of drinks allow individuals to enjoy all of the natural health benefits of yerba mate without the bold and unique flavor. Energy drinks that contain yerba mate as well as other delicious ingredients are a good alternative. Flavors like acerola berry puree, lime, ginger, lemon, green tea, monk fruit, blueberry, peach, mango, and acai all pair beautifully with the earthiness of yerba mate.

Always look for yerba mate drinks that are all-natural, organic, sugar-free, and free of any artificial chemicals. There are many energy drinks on the market that contain yerba mate, but not all of them take advantage of the wide array of health benefits that this unique plant has to offer.

Yerba mate drinks offer a great alternative to coffee or tea as a morning beverage. Whether it is brewed directly as a tea or included as an ingredient in a natural energy drink, yerba mate has a long list of benefits when ingested routinely.