Monday May 26, 2014 (foodconsumer.org) -- In the Jan 2014 issue of Fitoterapia, a study suggests that taking yerba mate tea as a food supplement may help lower LDL cholesterol in people with hypercholesterolaemia or high cholesterol.

Beatriz Sarriá of Institute of Food Science and Spanish National Research Council in Madrid, Spain and colleagues conducted the study and found yerba mate reduced the triglycerides, total cholesterol and LDL-cholesterol, and serum malondialdehyde (MDA) levels in hypercholesterolaemic rats on a high cholesterol diet.  

Even better, drinking yerba mate tea as not found to affect carbonyl levels and high density lipoprotein cholesterol, which are desired.

However, in rats with normal cholesterol levels, yerba mate did not affect cholesterol and total antioxidant capacity, but increased serum protein carbonyls and liver MDA concentrations, which are not undesirable.

High cholesterol or medically called hypercholesterolaemia is very easy to control or manage.  Statins are very effective although long term use of them may lead to muscle pain.  Experts believe statins are not cost effective even though they are highly effective in lowering cholesterol at preventing heart disease in people who have not experienced any heart problem.  Equally effective is red yeast rice, which is a dietary supplement that does not induce such an adverse effect.

In addition to lowering cholesterol, yerba mate tea may also benefit the immune system, relieve allergies, reduce risk of diabetes and hypoglycemia, promote the burning of calories, suppress appetite and help weight loss, increase nutrients and oxygen to the heart, thus preventing myocardial infarction and stroke, increase mental energy and focus, improve mood and deep sleep.  

Yerba mate tea is used as a beverage just like green tea.   One good thing about yerba mate is that it does not provide as much caffeine as tea does.  There it is popular with people who are sensitive to caffeine. (David LIu PHD)