Attention Coffee Drinkers: There is a healthier alternative to our coffee addiction. Do you drink coffee every morning, and as soon as the effects wear off, you’re pouring yourself another cup? Coffee produces adrenaline and dopamine to improve your energy and mood. After the first hour, these effects begin to wear off, and you feel the drop in energy and dopamine as what’s known as a “crash.” This can create a roller-coaster of emotions throughout your day. Consuming too much caffeine can also result in restlessness, headaches, insomnia, and anxiety.

Solution?

Yerba Mate.

Never heard of it? Yerba Mate is a South American shrub of the holly family. The leaves and twigs are ground down into a tea, that you then steep and enjoy. It’s got a mildly bitter flavor, and when sweetened with sugar, tastes excellent. Mate has been used in different countries since the early 1900s.

So, what makes it a healthy alternative?

1. Antioxidants

Mate contains more antioxidants than green tea. The primary antioxidants found in mate are known to reduce the risk of heart disease and cancer.

2. Vitamins

Mate also contains B-vitamins that help keep us energized and C-vitamins that are useful to grow and develop different parts of our bodies. Zinc, manganese, potassium. It has 15 amino acids which have numerous benefits including burning fat, reducing fatigue, and increasing endurance. It contains nutrients that are known as anti-inflammatories and nutrients that can lower cholesterol.

3. Xanthines

There are three xanthines, or stimulants, in yerba mate. Caffeine, theobromine, and theophylline, which is a vasoconstrictor which will widen the blood vessels as opposed to constricting them as caffeine does. This assists in improving blood pressure and circulation.

4. No crash! Mate has a calming effect on muscles tissues. Instead of impacting the central nervous system, mate’s stimulating effects are absorbed through the heart’s muscular tissue. How neat!

It’s a wonderful alternative to coffee that promotes a relaxed sense of well-being.

Just something to consider on the next crash you face!

 By: KayLynn