Updated October 30, 2014.
Unlike the green tea craze ? that I have to admit I support as I sip my green beverage (with a touch of lemon) between key strokes ? yerba mate tea is not what the doctor ordered.
Yerba mate tea, a South American specialty, has hit the U.S., where despite a recession we seemed to have retained our buying power when it comes to anything containing antioxidants. The problem is that not all antioxidants are created equal.
The antioxidants I am currently digesting, catechins, differ from those offered by yerba mate tea. Worse yet, in the yerba version they are interlaced with high levels of chemicals (carcinogens) that do the opposite ? they actually promote cancer.
Studies have looked at those who consume yerba mate tea and the risk of cancer. Unlike the green tea studies, yerba tea is actually associated with a nearly 3-fold increase in the risk of lung cancer, and a significant bump in the risk of oral and esophageal cancer as well.
If you have tried this trendy tea on occasion, it shouldn?t be a cause for panic. The risk appears to be dose-related, that is, the more yerba mate tea you drink, the higher your risk.
And as with most issues regarding cancer causes, further studies are needed to clarify the risk of yerba mate tea. For now, caution appears to be in order. Personally, the common descriptions of yerba mate tea ? ?bitter, smoky, woody, earthy,? are enough for me to forego this trendy taste until more is known.
Sources:
Goldenberg, D. et al. The beverage mate: a risk factor for cancer of the head and neck. Head and Neck. 2003. 25(7):595-601.
Kamangar, F. et al. High Levels of Carcinogenic Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons in Mate Drinks. Cancer Epidemiology Biomarkers and Prevention. 17, 1262, May 1, 2008. doi:10:1158/1055-9965.EPI-08-0025.
National Cancer Institute. Tea and Cancer Prevention: Fact Sheet. 12/06/02. http://www.cancer.gov/newscenter/pressreleases/tea
Stefani, E. et al. Mate drinking and risk of lung cancer in males: a case-control study from Uruguay. Cancer Epidemiology Biomarkers and Prevention. 1996. 5(7):515-519.
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