Interested in researching the myriad of health benefits inherent to yerba mate? Well here's some hard science that makes for great bed-time reading. We strongly recommend drinking a little mate before diving into these heady papers. To aid with digestion ­ we've provided a little summary on each for you. Enjoy!

Effect of Yerba Mate (Ilex Paraguariensis) Tea on Topoisomerase Inhibition and Oral Carcinoma Cell Proliferation

Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, 2005, 53

The University of Illinois at Urbana-Campaign conducted a study on the ability of Mate to inhibit oral cancer. This study revealed that Mate has a significant ability to inhibit oral cancer cell proliferation. "The fact that Mate also inhibits oral cancer cell proliferation makes this botanical product a potential source of still unknown active substances that can be added to the arsenal of compounds that could be used in cancer prevention and treatment."

Ilex Paraguariensis (Yerba Mate) extracts are potent inhibitors of nitrosative stress: A comparative study with green tea and wines using a protein nitration model and mammalian cell cytotoxicity.

Life Sci. 2005 Jun 3;77(3):345-58. Epub 2005 Feb 9.

"...we decided to conduct a comparative study of three commonly used beverages with the highest polyphenol contents and proven antioxidant properties: mate (Ilex paraguariensis); green tea (Camelia sinensis) extracts and white and red wines of the main varietals."

"Taken together, our results indicate that when the herbal preparations studied here are prepared the way they are usually drunk, Mate displays the highest inhibition of protein nitration, and the highest promotion of cell survival, whereas green tea or red wines display significant but lesser effects at the same concentrations."

Dr. Florian Koppelstatter, Medical University Innsbruck, Austria

According to researchers in Austria, consuming the caffeine equivalent of two cups of coffee, 100 milligrams, increases brain activity in the frontal lobe - that is where your short term memory is. They found increased activity in the anterior cingulum as well - this area controls your attention.

*One 16oz Pixie Mate Latte (8oz of concentrate/8oz of milk) contains 165mg of caffeine

Jorge Weil, MD

Monograph, January 2006

Among other valuable phytonutrients, Yerba Mate contains practically all of the vitamins necessary to sustain life, including vitamins A, E, B-complex and C. In addition, it contains 15 different amino acids and significant amounts of magnesium, calcium, iron, sodium, potassium, manganese, phosphates, zinc, niacin, sulfur, chlorophyll, choline and inositol.

Cardioprotective effects of Ilex paraguariensis extract: evidence for a nitric oxide-dependent mechanism.

Schinella G, Fantinelli JC, Mosca SM.

Catedra de Farmacologia, Facultad de Ciencias Medicas, Universidad Nacional de La Plata, CIC, La Plata 1900, Buenos Aires, Argentina.

This study finds that Yerba Mate is able to mitigate oxidative damage to the heart.

Vascular responses to extractable fractions of Ilex paraguariensis in rats fed standard and high-cholesterol diets.

Programa de Pos-Graduacao em Ciencias Fisiologicas-Fisiologia Animal Comparada, Fundacao Universidade Federal do Rio Grande, Brazil.

This study suggests that Mate may be beneficial in the treatment of high-cholestrerol.

Naturally occurring proteasome inhibitors from mate tea (Ilex paraguayensis) serve as models for topical proteasome inhibitors.

Department of Dermatology, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, Georgia 30322, USA. jarbise@emory.edu

This study suggests the Mate is helpful in the mitigation of cancerous cell growth.

Aqueous extract of Ilex paraguariensis decreases nucleotide hydrolysis in rat blood serum.

Laboratorio de Bioquimica, UNIVATES Centro Universitario, Lajeado, Rua Avelino Tallini, 171 CEP: 95900-000 Caixa Posta 155, Lajeado, RS, Brazil.

This study suggests that Mate may be helpful in the treatment of cardiovascular disease.

Antioxidant activity of a botanical extract preparation of Ilex paraguariensis: prevention of DNA double-strand breaks in Saccharomyces cerevisiae and human low-density lipoprotein oxidation.

Laboratory de Radiobiologia, Department of Biofisica, Facultad Medicina, University of the Republica, Montevideo, Uruguay.

This study suggests that Mate may be helpful in mitigating DNA damage and the formation of cancerous cells.

The botanical extracts of Achyrocline satureoides and Ilex paraguariensis prevent methylglyoxal-induced inhibition of plasminogen and antithrombin III.

Biochemistry Laboratory, Division of Basic Medical Sciences, Touro University College of Osteopathic Medicine, Mare Island Building H-83, 832 Walnut Ave., Vallejo, CA 94592, USA. agugliuc@touro.edu

This study suggests that Mate may be helpful in the prevention of heart attack and stroke as it may mitigate the development of Thrombosis

Andersen, T. & Fogh, J. (2001). "Weight loss and delayed gastric emptying following a South American herbal preparation in overweight patients."

Journal of Human Nutrition and Dietetics; 14(3): 243­50.

This study suggests that Mate may be helpful for weight loss.

Minerals content of Paraguayan yerba mate (Ilex paraguariensis, S.H.).

Direccion de Investigacion, Facultad de Ciencias Quimicas, Universidad Nacional de Asuncion, Paraguay.

This study confirms significant mineral content of Mate, including Fe, Ca, Mn, Mg, Na, K, Zn and Cu