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Is it safe? · Pregnancy Smart

Is Yerba Mate Safe During Pregnancy?

Assigned clinical reviewerMichael Yuzefovich· MD, FACOGDraft · pending clinical reviewUpdated

What does the evidence say about yerba mate during pregnancy?

  1. NIH pregnancy guidance identifies yerba mate as a botanical source of caffeine, notes that caffeine crosses the placenta and clears more slowly during pregnancy, and summarizes ACOG guidance to keep caffeine intake at or below 200 milligrams daily. 1
  2. MotherToBaby advises counting caffeine from all foods, drinks, and medicines toward a 200-milligram daily limit. It reports that intake below 200 milligrams has not been linked consistently with miscarriage, while findings at higher amounts are mixed and affected by study limitations. 2
  3. A Brazilian caffeine-content table compiled analytical data showing wide preparation-dependent estimates. One 350-milliliter chimarrao serving ranged from 52 to 91 milligrams and one 350-milliliter terere serving from 36 to 84 milligrams, so cold preparation does not make mate caffeine-free. 3
  4. In a 1993 Brazilian birth survey of 5,189 singleton births, daily mate intake had a crude association with small-for-gestational-age birth that was no longer significant after confounder adjustment, and no preterm-birth association was found. The result does not establish equivalence or safety. 4
  5. A prospective cohort of 2,635 low-risk pregnancies found a dose-response trend between total caffeine and fetal growth restriction. Compared with less than 100 milligrams daily, the adjusted odds ratio was 1.5 for 200 to 299 milligrams and 1.4 above 300 milligrams. 5

Is yerba mate safe in each trimester?

  • First trimester. Count mate alongside coffee, tea, cola, energy products, chocolate, and medicines when staying within the 200-milligram daily caffeine limit. Because the amount varies by preparation and repeated refills, a labeled single serving is easier to track than a shared gourd or concentrated extract.
  • Second trimester. Continue tracking total caffeine rather than counting mate as a separate herbal allowance. A prospective caffeine cohort found higher fetal-growth-restriction estimates at 200 milligrams daily and above, but it was observational and did not isolate yerba mate. Review intake if fetal growth or blood pressure raises concern.
  • Third trimester. Caffeine clearance slows during pregnancy, with higher dose-normalized concentrations later in gestation. MotherToBaby also describes newborn jitteriness and sleep or breathing changes in reports involving more than 500 milligrams daily in the third trimester. Keep portions measurable and avoid escalating repeated pours.

Frequently asked questions

How much caffeine is in yerba mate compared with coffee?

It varies. A Brazilian table reported 52 to 91 milligrams for a 350-milliliter chimarrao serving and 36 to 84 milligrams for a 350-milliliter terere serving. Coffee also varies, so the product label, amount of dry leaf, water volume, steep time, and repeated pours matter.

Is yerba mate an herbal tea or a caffeinated tea?

Yerba mate is an herbal infusion made from Ilex paraguariensis, but it naturally contains caffeine. The word herbal does not mean caffeine-free. Count it toward the same daily caffeine total used for coffee, black tea, green tea, cola, chocolate, energy products, and medicines.

Why is yerba mate a caution during pregnancy?

The main established issue is caffeine, whose amount can be difficult to quantify in a traditional gourd with repeated pours. Pregnancy-specific mate studies are sparse, so a claim of safety is not justified. Concentrated extracts may also differ substantially from a brewed beverage.

Does yerba mate count toward the daily caffeine limit?

Yes. NIH and MotherToBaby guidance count caffeine from all sources, and pregnancy guidance uses a limit of 200 milligrams daily. Add the mate estimate to coffee, tea, soda, chocolate, energy products, and caffeine-containing medicines consumed on the same day.

Is cold-brewed yerba mate or terere safer than hot mate?

Cold preparation does not remove caffeine. Compiled values overlapped for chimarrao and terere, and preparation details changed the result. Temperature alone cannot identify the caffeine dose, so measure the serving and use product-specific information when available.

What did the pregnancy study of mate drinkers find?

In a survey of 5,189 singleton births, a crude small-for-gestational-age association among daily mate drinkers was no longer significant after adjustment, and preterm birth was not associated. Interviews occurred after birth, intake measurement was imprecise, and a nonsignificant adjusted result does not prove equivalence.

Does higher total caffeine affect fetal growth?

One prospective cohort found a significant dose-response trend. Compared with less than 100 milligrams daily, 200 to 299 milligrams was associated with higher fetal-growth-restriction odds. The study covered total caffeine and remained observational, so it does not isolate mate or prove causation.

Are yerba mate extracts the same as brewed mate?

No. Extracts, powders, capsules, and energy products can have different concentrations and may combine caffeine with other ingredients. Evidence from a brewed beverage cannot be transferred automatically to a concentrated product. Avoid an unquantified extract and review the full label with your clinician.

Can you drink yerba mate while breastfeeding?

Caffeine enters milk, and young infants clear it slowly. MotherToBaby reports that up to about 300 milligrams daily usually causes no reported infant effect, but fussiness or sleep problems can occur with high intake. Include mate in the total and watch a newborn or preterm infant more closely.

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References

  1. Dietary Supplements and Life Stages: Pregnancy - Health Professional Fact Sheet

    NIH Office of Dietary Supplements · https://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/Pregnancy-HealthProfessional/

  2. Caffeine

    MotherToBaby · https://mothertobaby.org/fact-sheets/caffeine-pregnancy/

These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.