As we head into the New Year, many of us have made resolutions to eat healthier.
Perhaps we want to lose weight. Or we want to lower our blood pressure or cholesterol.
But staying on a healthy diet is easier said than done. Perhaps you’ve already fallen off the wagon. If so, you’re not alone.
One study found that 95% of people fail to stay on their diets long enough to make a difference to their health.[1]
But what if it didn’t matter if you cheated on your diet? What if there was something that allowed you indulge yourself once in a while?
Wouldn’t that make life easier?
A new study shows that one drink may provide an antidote to diet cheating.
Researchers at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign gave rats a fattening, high-sugar diet. They then gave some of the animals yerba mate tea.
Yerba mate (pronounced year-bah mah-tay) is made from the leaves of the Ilex paraguariensis plant. In South America, the tea is quickly eclipsing coffee and black tea in popularity because of its many health benefits. It’s also gaining a following in the U.S.[2]
After 28 days, the yerba mate group gained 16% less weight and 22% less body fat.
Study author Professor Elvira Gonzalez de Mejia said the results “could be scaled to humans” to “prevent overweight and obesity.”[3]
The Best Drink for Fighting Weight Gain
Previous studies show that yerba mate tea protects against diabetes, infection, obesity, and heart conditions
It contains beneficial plant nutrients, including:[4]
- Xanthines: These compounds act as stimulants. They include caffeine and theobromine. Both are also in regular tea, coffee, and chocolate. Yerba mate contains more caffeine than regular tea but less than coffee.
- Caffeoyl derivatives: These compounds are the main health-promoting antioxidants in yerba mate.
- Saponins: These compounds give yerba mate its slightly bitter flavor. They have anti-inflammatory and cholesterol-lowering properties.
- Polyphenols: This is a large group of antioxidants linked to a reduced risk of heart disease and diabetes.
Yerba mate tastes similar to regular tea, but slightly astringent and earthy. You can get it in tea bags or prepare it in a French press like you would coffee. Drink one to four cups a day to get the health benefits. You can get it online or at health food stores.
Don’t drink yerba mate tea if you’re taking a muscle relaxant or the antidepressant Luvox, as it can interact with these drugs.
If you’ve already failed your New Year’s diet resolution, drink some yerba mate tea. It allows you to indulge yourself once in a while without suffering the weighty consequences.
Editor’s Note: If you’re trying to lose weight, don’t fall for the calorie cutting myth. Calories don’t drive weight gain. Something else does. And it’s easy to control.
Discover more by reading The Weight-Loss-for-Life Protocol. It’s in Independent Healing, the monthly newsletter that deciphers the latest science to bring you unbiased medical information that can transform your health. Find out more HERE.
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[1]https://health.usnews.com/health-news/blogs/eat-run/2014/11/17/no-95-percent-of-people-dont-fail-their-diets
[2]https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1756464619305705?via%3Dihub
[3]https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/327391.php#6
[4] https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/8-benefits-of-yerba-mate#section2