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If mate is energizing, it’s a bit (mostly) thanks to its caffeine content.
Hence the question we are always asked:
What amount of caffeine can be found in mate?
In a few words: More than in tea, and a little less than in coffee.
The following lines are here to give you a bit more detail.
The amount of caffeine (or theine) contained in a mate depends on the preparation method:
Let's talk about the amount of caffeine in a mate prepared traditionally.
Traditionally prepared mate
Mate can be steeped multiple times (sometimes up to ten infusions for the same mate). In this case, the caffeine concentration decreases with each infusion.
The amount of caffeine is also influenced by the size of your gourd, as well as the time you let your mate steep.
As you can understand, the amount of caffeine in a mate therefore depends on numerous factors.
All this to say that overly precise information should be taken with a grain of salt.
But if you are here, it is because you want to know how much caffeine is in your mate.
Here is some information from Caffeine Informer - a reference site on the caffeine content in foods:
Source: Caffeine Informer
Thus, a 100 mL mate contains nearly 36 mg of caffeine.
For comparison, here is the caffeine content of other beverages (in ascending order):
Although it is difficult to know the exact amount of caffeine in a mate, there is one piece of information that can be stated: mate contains more caffeine than green tea, but less than coffee.
These two beverages are consumed more or less for the same reason: their energizing effect.
However, they differ on a fairly important point: while coffee is known to cause a "crash" after a few hours, mate has a more diffuse stimulating action.
In addition to containing caffeine, mate contains another stimulating molecule: theobromine. It is also found in cocoa (and thus in chocolate).
Cocoa
It is this combination of caffeine + theobromine that gives mate its diffuse energizing effect.
Excess caffeine can cause undesirable effects such as nervousness, insomnia, stomach irritation, or headaches.
It is therefore better to avoid abusing caffeinated beverages. This applies equally to mate as well as coffee, tea, sodas, or energy drinks.
So here are some recommendations we give regarding mate consumption:
For informational purposes, it is currently recommended not to exceed 400mg of caffeine per day according to the EFSA (the European Food Safety Authority), which corresponds to about ten servings of mate (based on a 100ml serving of mate, containing approximately 36mg of caffeine).
Some specific contraindications
Caffeine consumption, especially in excess, is generally not recommended for people with cardiovascular diseases, insomnia, anxiety, intestinal problems, or hypertension.
As a reminder, this article was written by the La Bombilla team based on studies and feedback. It does not in any way serve as medical advice.
Caffeine is a natural stimulant found in more than 60 plants.
It is found in many foods such as coffee, tea, cocoa, or even... mate.
It works by stimulating the brain and the central nervous system - which helps to stay alert and prevent the onset of fatigue.
As a side note, coffee is said to have been discovered by an Ethiopian shepherd: he noticed that his goats were bursting with energy after eating coffee beans.
Once discovered, caffeine spread rapidly.
Caffeinated soft drinks appeared on the market in the late 1800s, and energy drinks quickly followed.
Today, 80% of the world's population consumes at least one caffeinated product per day!
It is known that coffee contains caffeine and that tea contains theine.
In the same way, there is a popular belief that mate contains mateine.
What is mateine?
In reality, caffeine, theine, and mateine are just one and the same molecule (just like guaranine, which is found in guarana).
Caffeine = Theine = Mateine
And yes, these three names refer to one and the same molecule: 1,3,7-trimethylxanthine. An alkaloid that is part of the xanthine family.
We learn something new every day!
But if these molecules are the same, why do they have different names?
Simply because they were discovered by different people, at different times, before it was realized that these molecules are actually the same.
Caffeine was discovered in coffee in the 1820s, while “theine” was discovered in tea in the following years. It was only about ten years later that it was accepted that these two molecules are indeed the same.
In the same way, the energizing effect of mate has long been associated with mateine. And this continued until it was shown that this molecule is simply the same as caffeine.
You now know more about caffeine content and its energizing effect. But do you know all the effects of mate? Discover all the benefits of mate.
