Dr. Julian Whitaker's Health & Healing®
10/1992

Tonic teas are a select group of herbal teas that can safely be used on a regular basis, with beneficial results. In this age of drugs that have a single action (a diuretic lowers blood pressure), a "tonic" may sound old fashioned and unscientific, says Daniel B. Mowrey, PhD, in his forthcoming book, Herbal Tonic Therapies (Keats Publishing).

But we may be the backward ones. Tonic teas have been known for thousands of years to restore balance to the entire body and increase the body's resistance to stress, Mowrey says.

Medical herbalist David Hoffmann points out that tonic herbs don't work on acute problems, but "maintain health, increase wellness, prevent illness." In his latest book, The New Holistic Herbal, Hoffmann writes that tonic herbs "are all gentle remedies that have a mild yet profound effect upon the body."

Newest excitement among tonic teas ("new" only because supplies of the herb are becoming more accessible) is yerbamate, a popular South American drink brewed from a native Paraguayan leaf. (Yerba means herb, and mate- pronounced MAH-tay-is the name of a gourd from which the brew was drunk.) In the early 16th century, a Spanish explorer reported that the Guarani Indians of Paraguay drank a tea which reduced fatigue.

That observation holds true today. According to Mowrey, author of The Scientific Validation of Herbal Medicine yerbamaté not only strengthens the immune system, alleviates allergy and hay fever, overcomes constipation, and more, but is "the most powerful rejuvenator known to man."

But, is this "rejuvenation" due, in part, to caffeine?

TEMPEST IN A TEAPOT
Yerbamate, which is rich in vitamins and minerals, also contains a substance, mateine, which belongs to a class of chemical compounds called xanthines. Here's where the controversy comes in: Another member of the xanthine family-you might call it the black sheep-is caffeine. There's no consensus on the alleged dangers of caffeine, but othcr herbal teas avoid the controversy because in general they don't contain caffeine.

Mowrey maintains that mateine is not the same as caffeine; although it stimulates the central nervous system it is not addicting and does not interfere with sleep. A dissenting voice comes from Rob McCaleb, director of the Herb Research Foundation, who says that analyzing teas with new sophisticated methods shows no difference between mateine and caffeine.

I asked McCaleb how much caffeine (or, depending on your point of view, mateine) is in a cup of yerbamate? He said a rough estimate-taking into account variability in the product and preparation-is 35 to 50 milligrams. (A cup of coffee contains 100 mg and a cup of strong tea, 60 to 70 mg.)

Moving on to the question of taste, I can testify that yerbamate sweetened with "honey leaf" is a winner. Sounds too good to be true, but honey leaf-another nutrient-rich tonic herb that grows in Paraguay-is 30 times sweeter than sugar and contains no calories.

LOSE WEIGHT AND LOOK YOUNGER
This combination of yerbamate and honey leaf is a boon to people with weight problems as well as to those with hypoglycemia (low blood sugar), says Joanne Carson, PhD, a metabolic therapist in Los Angeles (and, yes, Johnny's second wife).

Dr. Carson's clients (the list reads like a page from Variety) not only renounced soda drinks in favor of "mate," but, during the first month of drinking the tea (while making no other lifestyle changes), found they lost one pound each week. "It's a mild diuretic-removes excess water from the body," Dr. Carson explained. Another plus was that after drinking copious amounts, their skin looked younger.

Dr. Carson also credits yerbamate with enabling her to give up smoking. Before her introduction to mate six or seven years ago, she had tried unsuccessfully for years to stop smoking. Sipping tea throughout the day-she keeps a pitcher of -mate on her desk-dries the mouth slightly, which helps remove the desire to smoke. It wasn't even a conscious effort, she recalled. "Perhaps mate, a subtle stimulant, removes the craving for nicotine."

Another yerbamate enthusiast, Dr. John Helton, a chiropractic physician who practices in Portland, Oregon, said that sipping the tea throughout the day keeps his blood sugar up, even on days when he can't take time for lunch. Diabetic patients who drink mate have been able to cut back on insulin, he said.

Yerbamate and yerbamate royale (yerbamate sweetened with honey leaf) is available in bulk and tea bags. The bulk tea (the preferred form if you wish to fully experience its tonic properties), contains brewing directions. Brewing the dried herb gives a stronger flavor. That's because you are apt to use more of the herb when preparing the tea this way. Buying in bulk is also less expensive than tea bags.

Yerbamate, marketed under the label, "Wisdom of the Ancients," is available in some health food stores. If you prefer to obtain the same product (labeled "Wisdom of the Ages") from a mail order company, call 800/899-9908 in Tempe, Arizona. The mail order company also supplies the traditional "bombilla," a filtering tube that enables you to sip your tea without straining it.

FDA Disclaimer: The statements in this article have not been evaluated by the FDA. The products mentioned herein are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. For medical advice, always consult your health care professional.