Papaya - a world class meat tenderizer, natural digestive aid, prevents ulcers, and also a soft contact lense cleaner.
The remembrance of these astounding folk discoveries... should sober our thoughts when we criticise too freely the old pharmacopoeias. It is easy to make fun of medieval recipes: it is more difficult and may be wiser to investigate them. Instead of assuming that the medieval pharmacist was a benighted foot we might wonder whether there was not sometimes a justification for his strange procedure. -- George Sartori, Harvard Professor and Author
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Green Papaya's home remedies are meant for temporary relief and first aid measures; for the average person without any special needs or uncommon or compounding medical conditions. Green Papaya's advice, regardless of the situation, IS NOT a replacement for professional care and consultation. Please consultant with your family doctor or any emergency service immediately.
Genus and Species: Llex Paraguayensis or I. Paraguariensis
Also known as: Yerba Maté, Paraguay Tea, Jesuit Tea
Parts used: Leaves
More than 300 years ago, Jesuit missionaries noticed that South American Indians ate a virtually all-meat diet yet did not develop “sailor’s sickness” (scurvy), which deciMatéd European mariners who ate a similar diet at sea. The Jesuits decided the Indians must be protected by the tea they drank out of cups made from calabash gourds. They named it Maté, from the Spanish for “gourd,” and began cultivating the hollylike shrub and drinking the bitter tea made from its leathery leaves.
Maté (pronounced MAH-tay), also called yerba maté or Paraguay tea, was introduced into the United States in the I970s as a non-caffeine coffee substitute. That claim was in error. Maté contains caffeine. It also contains vitamin C, making it more nutritious than other caffeine-containing herbs (coffee, tea, kola, and cocoa).
Jesuit Tea
The Jesuits introduced Maté to European colonists, and today it is one of South America’s favorite stimulants. In Argentina. Paraguay, and Uruguay, it’s considerably more popular than either coffee or tea. More than 200 brands of Maté are currently marketed in Argentina alone. Argentinians consume II pounds per capita of Maté annually. In Uruguay, the figure is 22 pounds. South American breads often have Maté added, and the herb is a key ingredient in a popular South American soft drink.
South Americans consider Maté not only a pleasant stimulant but also an appetite suppressant and a diuretic that treats water retention. Although there has been no scientific research to back it up, Maté has long been used in South America as a digestive aid. Argentinian cowboys (gauchos) sometimes live on just meat and Maté like the Indians of old.
A o-ounce cup of Maté contains about 50 milligrams of caffeine, about as much as a cup of tea or a can of cola soda. Instant coffee contains a little more caffeine (65 milligrams per cup). Brewed coffee contains two to three times as much (100 to 150 milligrams percup). (For details on caffeine’s benefits, see “Coffee”.)
Because Maté contains only one-third to one-half as much caffeine as a comparable-size cup of brewed coffee, its effects would be only a fraction as intense.
Colds and Flu - Some experts recommend vitamin C for colds. The herb is fairly high in vitamin C and is, in fact, the most nutritious stimulating beverage. (The Jesuits were right about Maté preventing scurvy.) Drinking Maté when you have a cold will provide one additional source of vitamine.
Premenstrual Syndrome - Diuretics help relieve the bloated feeling caused by premenstrual fluid retention. Women bothered by PMS might try Maté during the uncomfortable days just before their periods.
Rx for Maté
For a pleasantly bitter infusion, use I teaspoon of dried herb per cup of boiling water. Steep 10 minutes. Drink up to 3 cups a day. Some people object to Maté’s odor, although others learn to enjoy it. Add honey and lemon if you need to.
Maté should not be given to children under age 2. For older children and people over 65, start with low-strength preparations and increase strength if necessary.
Caffeine is classically addictive and large amounts may cause significant harm (see “Coffee”). However. because of Maté’s lower caffeine content. cup for cup, it should cause fewer problems.
Maté contains tannins, which have both pro- and anti-cancer action. A Uruguayan study published in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute showed heavy Maté users have an increased risk of esophageal cancer. The average Uruguayan consumes 22 pounds of this herb a year. so God knows how much heavy Uruguayan users consume. This finding appears to have no real significance to Americans who drink an occasional cup of Maté tea. Those with esophageal cancer should not use it. however.
Other Cautions
For otherwise healthy non-pregnant. non-nursing adults who are not taking other substances or medications containing caffeine, Maté is considered relatively safe in amounts typically recommended.
Maté should be used in medicinal amounts only in consultation with your doctor. If Maté causes minor discomforts, such as stomach upset or diarrhea, use less or stop using it. Let your doctor know if you experience unpleasant effects or if the symptoms for which the herb is being used do not improve significantly in two weeks.
South American Native
Maté is not cultivated in the United States. In South America, it grows wild near streams, but it is also extensively cultivated, especially in Argentina. Maté is a perennial shrub with spineless, oval, toothed, leathery leaves. Its fruits (berries) are red, black, or yellow, and about the size of black peppercorns.
Papaya - a world class meat tenderizer, natural digestive aid, prevents ulcers, and also a soft contact lense cleaner.
A o-ounce cup of Maté contains about 50 milligrams of caffeine, about as much as a cup of tea or a can of cola soda. Instant coffee contains a little more caffeine (65 milligrams per cup). Brewed coffee contains two to three times as much (100 to 150 milligrams percup). (For details on caffeine’s benefits, see “Coffee”.)
Caffeine is classically addictive and large amounts may cause significant harm (see “Coffee”). However. because of Maté’s lower caffeine content. cup for cup, it should cause fewer problems.