Rainforest Secret Crushes Cholesterol
By
Natalie Moore
Posted March 6, 2017
Dear Living Well Daily Reader,
For some of us, having high cholesterol seems to be an unpleasant fact of life.
No matter how strict your diet or how hard you work out, your doctor never takes you off those risky statins.
But you deserve a better way to fight cholesterol that doesn’t involve counting calories, Olympic-style workouts and dangerous drugs.
Fortunately, Brazilian scientists have discovered that an ancient South American remedy could also be the all-natural cholesterol solution we’ve all been searching for.
And believe it or not — it’s loaded with antioxidants and nutrients that can help you fight inflammation and oxidative stress, which are two of the culprits behind aging and disease.
This delicious cholesterol-buster is called yerba mate, a tea made from a holly bush native to the South American rainforest. Yerba mate has been a part of traditional medicine in parts of South America for centuries due to its rejuvenating properties.
More recently, scientists decided to put yerba mate to the test against cholesterol.
For the study, researcher gave 330 ml (about 12 oz.) of yerba mate tea to folks with high cholesterol (some were taking statins and some were not) three times a day.
After 40 days, the yerba mate reduced LDL (bad) cholesterol levels by an outstanding 8.7 percent and significantly increased HDL (good) cholesterol levels.
Even more remarkable, yerba mate reduced LDL cholesterol by 13 percent in folks who were taking statins and increased their HDL cholesterol.
This means drinking yerba mate every day is a great way to balance your cholesterol and either keep you off statins or make them work harder for you.
Heck, it might even help you get off them one day.
Additionally, yerba mate is chock-full of antioxidants that can bust up free radicals and help protect you from cancer, heart disease and blood sugar problems.
Yerba mate is traditionally made in a gourd, but these days you can find it as a loose leaf or bagged tea in natural health stores and through online retailers like Amazon.com. It’s available in green or roasted varieties. Both varieties were used in this study.
Live well,
Natalie Moore
Managing editor, Living Well Daily
Ed. Note: Please send your feedback: feedback@livingwelldaily.com – and click here to like us on Facebook.
Sources
[1] Yerba Mate
[3] 8 Health Benefits of Yerba Mate (Backed by Science)
Written By Natalie Moore
Natalie Moore is a dedicated health researcher with a passion for finding healthy, natural, and science-based solutions. After a decade of direct healthcare experience in western and natural medicine, she was involved in public health research before joining Living Well Daily.
View More Free Articles
Why Your Muscles Are Your Brain's Best Defense
Forget expensive brain scans and head-scratching cognitive tests that make you feel like you’re back in school. Japanese researchers have stumbled onto something that could change how we screen for memory problems—and it’s so simple, you’ll wonder why nobody thought of it sooner. A quick, painless measurement you can get during a routine checkup might...
Four Carbs that Could Add YEARS to Your Life
You’ve likely been avoiding carbs like the plague. Health gurus, fitness influencers, and diet books have convinced you that carbs are the enemy—that they spike your blood sugar, pack on pounds, and fast-track you to diabetes. So you’ve eliminated bread, sworn off pasta, and feel guilty just touching a piece of fruit. But what if...
Upgrade from Bananas and Apples to These Powerhouse Fruits
I’m often asked which fruits are the best. So, let’s talk about it. I’ll cut right to the chase: berries win this contest hands down. If you’re limiting your options to apples and bananas, you’re missing out on a universe of superior antioxidant power. Those everyday fruits are like bringing a knife to a gunfight...
The REAL Reason Americans are Getting “Fatter”
You’ve heard it a thousand times: “Americans are getting fatter because we’re lazy.” We sit at desks all day. We binge-watch Netflix instead of hitting the gym. We’ve traded physical labor for sedentary lifestyles. It’s a tidy explanation for why obesity has skyrocketed in developed countries. There’s just one problem—it’s completely wrong… A groundbreaking Duke...
Mailbag: Room Won't Stop Spinning? Do THIS First
“I’m dealing with vertigo issues, lightheadedness, and dizziness. As recently as this last Saturday I had multiple occurrences throughout the day. Is there anything I can do for this? I’m 69 and in good health. I work out 4 to 5 times a week.” —Spinning Hi Spinning, When patients approach me with similar complaints, I...
Hidden Number Secretly Sabotages Male Performance
Guys (and gals that love them), we should talk. You know how we’ve always been told that bedroom troubles are just part of getting older—that we just need to live with them? Well, it turns out that’s not true. Scientists recently wrapped up a six-year study that followed over 100 healthy men, and the findings...
Shocking Study Links Kids' Snacks to Dangerous Early Puberty
Kids are growing up in a world vastly different from the one we knew. Back in our day, if a child wanted something sweet, it was a piece of candy or a homemade cookie. Today’s kids are surrounded by products filled with artificial sweeteners that didn’t even exist when we were raising our own children....
Outdated Vitamin Guidelines Put Your Brain at Risk
If you’re like most people, you probably don’t think twice about vitamin B12—until your doctor mentions it during a routine blood test. But new research published in the Annals of Neurology suggests we need to pay closer attention to this crucial nutrient—especially as we age. Turns out, current guidelines for this essential nutrient might be...
The TRUTH About Supplement "Liver Dangers" REVEALED
There’s been a lot of buzz lately about liver damage from supplements—so, let’s talk about it. Reports of supplement-induced liver injuries have some folks wondering, “Could my natural remedy actually be harming me?” But before you toss all your supplements in the trash, let’s separate fact from fear—and talk about how to use supplements safely....
The 10,000 Steps LIE That's Ruining Your Health
I’ll be honest—I’m a little sick of the 10,000-steps theory. You know, the one that insists you need to take at least that many steps daily to stay healthy? You won’t believe where that claim originally came from. The 10,000-steps theory wasn’t handed down from the fitness gods on stone tablets. It originated from a...