Yerba Mate, when consumed safely with the traditional method, could prevent some cancers.  

Lab results show yerba mate benefits from flavanoids, but regular tea “flavonoids to plasma and tissue antioxidant activity in humans is now thought to be relatively minor” (Oregon State University, 2005) Specificially: “Green and black tea have been found to have cancer preventive activity in a variety of animal models of cancer, including cancer of the skin, lung, mouth, esophagus, stomach, colon, pancreas, bladder and prostate (22, 23). White tea and green tea recently were shown to suppress intestinal polyps in mice (see Tea Complements Drugs in Fight Against Colon Cancer). In most cases, flavonoids appear to contribute substantially to the cancer preventing effects of tea, but caffeine has also been found to have cancer preventing activity in some animal models of skin (24) and lung cancer (25). Although beneficial effects of tea flavonoids were often attributed to their antioxidant activity, the overall contribution of tea flavonoids to plasma and tissue antioxidant activity in humans is now thought to be relatively minor (26). Currently scientists are focusing their attention on the potential for tea flavonoids to modulate cell signaling pathways that promote the transformation of healthy cells to cancerous cells (27) ” (Jane Higdon, Ph.D. Linus Pauling Institute Oregon State University , 2005).

Fortunately, as Bixby’s 2005 lab results confirm, the Traditional Method, which uses very little water, is the most effective way to benefit from Yerba Mate’s many nutritive values. The Traditional Method of consuming Yerba Mate increases your ability to extract more flavonoids than any other method; “flavonoid rich beverages [Yerba Mate] could represent an alternative coadjuvant in treatment. In this regard, our studies suggest that Ilex paraguariensis extracts [Yerba Mate via the Traditional Method] are more effective than either green tea or red wines.” (Bixby, Spieler, Menini, Gugliuccit, Life Sciences, 2005, #77 pgs 345-358).