BobbyG

Rode to nearby Manitou Springs to pick up some spring water to make some Yerba Mate tea. Also swung by the Olympic Velodrome, and the Olympic Training Center.

Switched from coffee to Yerba Mate 5 years ago and it has changed my life for the better. Practically no more acid reflux, plus reduced joint stiffness and allergy issues. There are also claims that Mate is a mood booster, but it can't compete with hopping on a bike and riding.

Although I used the traditional method of gourd and bombilla (well, mug and filtered straw), I usually just brew it up like coffee. It's a lot less messy, and more convenient to drink.

OldTryGuy

Had to look up *Yerba Mate* and found >>>

https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-l...e/faq-20058343

Below taken from ^^^^

" .... some studies indicate that people who drink large amounts of yerba mate over long periods may be at increased risk of some types of cancer, such as cancer of the mouth, throat and lungs. Drinking very hot yerba mate — 149 F (65 C) or hotter — is associated with a higher risk of cancer than is drinking yerba mate at cooler temperatures... "

​​​​​​​Thinking that I'll stick with coffee and espresso

BobbyG

I thought about that before switching. Here is my thinking on this...not to attack you or your position, but just to share my reasoning on this.

I think the cancer risk comes from drinking hot liquids, rather than Yerba Mate itself, as there is an elevated cancer risk for drinkers of any hot beverage.

Also, the traditional way of drying the yerba mate leaves over a smoky fire besides adding flavor infuses the tea with acrylamides same as grilled foods like grilled meats, roasting or baking. Most Yerba Mate brands and varieties now merely use radiant heat, or indirect exposure to flames and possible smoke. Some still do, and it is usually noted as "barbacua".

Also, Yerba Mate is not supposed to be prepared with boiling or piping hot water...it embitters the tea and destroys the beneficial compounds. Wheno preparing the tea in the traditional style, the leaves are first dampened with cold water to "protect" them from the boiled water, which is usually allowed to cool slightly. If you search for pictures of people serving and drinking Yerba Mate you almost never see steam rising, as opposed to coffe or regular tea.

Another potential harmful aspect of drinking mate in the traditional method is dust and particulates. Since traditionally one drinks mate through a straw that filters out the leaves, dust and small particulates get through and can irritate the lining of the mouth, throat and stomach. That can elevate the risk of cancer. In some cultures they prefer powdery ground leaves which are packed tightly together in the gourd.

By drinking mate at a reasonable temperature, sticking to non-smoked brands and varieties, and preparing it in a drip coffee maker with a paper filter (which I do 99.99% of the time), I think one can expect the risk of cancer to be equal to or less than conventional coffee or tea consumption.

And while coffee averages 6-9 on the ph scale, yerba mate registers at 3 to 4 which classifies it as a non-acidic, so it won't exacerbate acid re-flux or add to the potentially carcinogenic consequences of drinking acidic drinks like coffee or orange juice.

All that being said, as a coffee drinker for 44 years, coffee wins on taste. I love coffee...my body just doesn't tolerate the acid anymore.

Here are two articles that give an overview of the cancer causing potential of Coffee and Yerba Mate. I conclude that both are near equal, and the risk from both are negligible if used responsibly.

https://www.verywellhealth.com/yerba...cancer-5082076
https://www.cedars-sinai.org/blog/co...ncer-link.html

rumrunn6

really like some of the new stuff like the elevator ride & mixing the drink!