Family: Aquifoliaceae
Genus: Ilex
Species: paraguariensis
Synonyms: Ilex paraguayensis , I. paraguensis, I. mate, I. domestica, I. sorbilis
Main Actions
- increases energy
- burns fat
- suppresses appetite
- cleanses blood
- stimulates digestion
- cleanses bowels
- stimulates heart
- fights free radicals
- enhances memory
Other Actions
- relieves pain
- increases bile
- mildly laxative
- promotes perspiration
- enhances immunity
Yerba mate, Ilex paraguariensis, begins as a shrub and then matures to a tree and can grow up to 15 metres (49 ft) tall. The leaves are evergreen, 7–11 cm long and 3–5.5 cm wide, with a serrated margin. The leaves are often called yerba (Spanish) or erva (Portuguese), both of which mean "herb".
They contain caffeine (known in some parts of the world as mateine) and also contains related xanthine alkaloids and are harvested commercially.
The flowers are small, greenish-white, with four petals. The fruit is a red drupe 4–6 mm in diameter.