Despite the amazing health benefits of “mate” tea, which is very popular, the safety of the drink has been questioned as it has been linked to an increased risk of cancer. And twigs of the Paraguayan holly plant (Ilex paraguariensis) found in South America, also found in Syria and Lebanon, as well as some areas in Jordan, can increase the risk of three types of cancer.
In this context, a group of experts confirmed that many epidemiological studies indicate the role of mate tea in increasing the risk of three types of cancer, namely cancer of the esophagus, larynx, and oral cavity, according to the “Express” website.
For her part, Marian Stern, associate professor in a study conducted by the University of Southern California, explained, “We have now been able to obtain a more accurate assessment that reveals the effect of mate itself than the effect of temperature, and we have concluded that the observed links between drinking mate tea and the incidence of esophageal cancer seem to occur.” Largely due to drinking very hot yerba mate.
It is worth noting that in one of the early studies that was conducted in Uruguay, researchers concluded that people who drink yerba mate are 60% more likely to develop lung cancer than others, and the study was conducted on a sample of 1000 adults from Uruguay, and the results confirmed that The drink can increase the risk of cancer of the respiratory system or cancer of the digestive system, as well as people who drink this type of tea are more likely to develop small-cell lung cancer, which is a less common form of the disease.
The results indicated that yerba mate might be responsible for one in five cases of these cancers in South America, and the researchers confirm that moderate yerba mate consumption is safe, but those who regularly consume large quantities should limit their intake.
