With an earthy scent and a bitter aftertaste strong enough to make you pour it down the sink, you’d be forgiven for assuming that mate is your average herbal tea.
But the potent brew – loved in Argentina, where it is more popular than coffee – is a far cry from regular green tea found in British supermarkets.
Proponents claim it has miraculous weight loss effects, with sellers boasting that it has the dual impact of making you feel full faster and revving up your metabolism to break down fat.
And there could be some truth to the claims, experts say.
The claims of superpower are perhaps fueled by the fact that mate (pronounced ma-teh), seemingly out of nowhere, has become a “footballer’s best friend,” in the words of Argentina’s own tourism board.
Lionel Messi is known for his love of mate tea and is often seen during matches
The traditional South American hot drink, made from the Yerba mate plant, is packed with antioxidants and contains as much caffeine as coffee
Lionel Messi, perhaps the sport’s greatest ever player, has become something of an ambassador for the drink. He often posted photos of him with a freshly brewed pot – sometimes even complete with the bombilla (a special metal straw that ‘filters’ the brew). from the crushed leaves of the yerba mate plant itself).
Such is its undeniable appeal that even football icon David Beckham – co-owner of 36-year-old Messi’s current club Inter Miami – was persuaded to give it a try…
Weeks after securing the Argentine World Cup winner’s signature, Beckham posted on Instagram a photo of himself drinking mate through a bombilla, with the caption: “If it’s good enough for Leo.”
It’s not just Messi, though. Compatriots Angel Di Maria and Sergio Aguero are also said to be mate lovers, as are Uruguayan stars Luis Suarez and Edinson Cavani and European players such as Antoine Griezmann and Paul Pogba.
The reason for the consumption of Suarez and Cavani is obvious. Gourds – the container in which mate is brewed – are common in homes in Uruguay, Paraguay and parts of Brazil, Bolivia and southern Chile.
The tea also drunk by Sergio Aguero, in the photo, has become a “best friend of the footballer”, in the words of the Argentine tourism office.
But now it is popping up all over Europe, fueled by the influence of South American footballers.
Ex-Spurs defender Eric Dier, once a regular in the England squad, revealed he was ‘a bit addicted’ to mate ahead of the 2018 World Cup in Russia. He said the Argentine contingent embedded at Tottenham (including then-manager Mauricio Pochettino) had him hooked. Teammate Dele Alli was also a fan.
So is it really a footballer’s ‘secret weapon’? And does mate give you the much-needed boost?
It’s packed with caffeine and provides a similar energy boost to coffee, with around 80mg of punch for every 150ml. Unlike coffee, however, proponents typically say they don’t feel the same “crash” after drinking mate.
In addition to giving you an energy boost, swapping your morning cup of joe for mate can also help you lose a few pounds.
David Beckham has also shared footage of himself drinking the green drink on social media
Researchers in Brazil said in 2019 that the green drink has “anti-obesity” properties.
Meanwhile, a South Korean from 2015 study Research has shown that overweight people who took yerba mate capsules every day could lose up to 0.7 kg.
Other papers have uncovered similar benefits. For example a 2018 study in Norway tested the supplement on 11 male cyclists and found that it increased the amount of fat burning during exercise.
But while mate is packed with antioxidants and other stimulants, its weight-loss effects may also be due to the caffeine, according to Aston University dietitian Dr Duane Mellor.
He said: ‘A study has been published looking at exercise-related fat metabolism using young people who were considered to be of a healthy body weight.
‘They were given a placebo or yerba mate tea (1,000 mg), which contains about 1.5 percent caffeine.
‘Caffeine is known to support fat metabolism during exercise and it is unclear whether it is the tea or the caffeine in and added to the capsule that has this effect.’
Full of caffeine, it provides a similar energy boost to coffee, with around 80mg of punch for every 150ml
Caffeine does this by increasing adrenaline levels, which promotes the breakdown of fatty tissue.
Maté is also rich in polyphenols: powerful compounds in fruits and vegetables that, according to some studies, boost metabolism.
Dr. Mellor said: ‘There are many claims associated with natural caffeine and antioxidants, which are also found in regular tea and coffee.
‘The problem with claims about antioxidants is that they are often poorly absorbed by our bodies, so the effects seen in the laboratory cannot be replicated in the same way in our bodies.’
Unless you really enjoy drinking mate, there might not be much point in going to the gym and eating healthy anyway.
“A healthy diet and exercise will do almost all the work to help someone lose weight.” It may be something that someone thinks will help, but the actual effect will be minimal,” Dr Mellor said.
“The most important thing is to focus on the overall healthy balance between your diet and exercise.”
