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(ARA) Millions of Americans rely on coffee and sugary drinks filled with calories to get them started in the morning; but thanks to a movement that started in South America, Americans may soon be singing the praises of a different all-natural pick-me-up. Yerba mat, a tea-like beverage that has been popular in Argentina, Uruguay, Paraguay and Southern Brazil for generations, is starting to catch on in the United States.

I like it because it wakes me up without the nervousness and jitters I got from drinking coffee, says Jamie Rosen, 39, a hairdresser from Scottsdale, Ariz., who was recently the focus of a feature Womans World story on yerba mat. Rosen discovered the tea from a friend who recommended it for my health. After having my son I was not able to drop the weight I had gained and I was not accustomed to the extra weight.

Clinical studies have shown that caffeine-sensitive individuals generally have very positive results with yerba mat, made from the dried leaves of the "Ilex Paraguariensis" -- an indigenous holly-like plant that grows wild in South America. Unlike coffee, yerba mat comes equipped with a wealth of nutrients to provide a broad range of vitamins, minerals and antioxidants to the body. Since pre-Colombian times, the native people of Paraguay have gathered the leaves to use them in their folk remedies and as a stimulant and restorative tonic. Yerba mat is widely regarded as an excellent appetite suppressor when consumed 15 to 20 minutes before meals which makes it an effective drink for weight loss. Yerba mat is also credited with improving energy levels and supporting the immune system.

I have more energy and Im more alert but without the negative side affects that I get when I use some other energy drinks, says

Rosen. Then of course theres the weight loss which has just been wonderful. Ive gotten creative in preparing my yerba mat. The directions say to serve it hot or cold. In the summer I would put ice and a couple of scoops of the instant tea into a blender and make my own version of specialty blended coffee. I call it Blended Yerba Mat Royale.

Mat is most often consumed in tea bags that come in flavors including chai, vanilla, and mandarin orange. The most flavorful mat is sweetened with stevia, a natural sweetener. Instant dissolving mat is also a convenient and easy way to drink mat.

Traditionally, mat has been prepared in a gourd or mug and sipped through a bombilla (a filtering straw which extracts the most nutrients by pulling the water across the leaves) nestled into the herb. Hot -- never boiled -- water is poured to the top. The water will cause the leaves to swell and the water at the top of the gourd will look frothy and green, indicating its nutrient-rich properties. The gourd can be refilled five or six times until the green froth is gone, which means the leaves are depleted, and its time to refresh the infusion. Yerba mat can also be served cold as a refreshing sun tea.

I drink at least 16 ounces of yerba mat a day and I just love it, adds Rosen.

One of the main distributors of yerba mat tea in the United States is Wisdom Natural Brands, the distributor of Wisdom of the Ancients and La Merced, two major brands of mat. For a free sample call (800) 899-9908 or go to www.wisdomnaturalbrands.com.

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