Tim Ferris’ Secret Natural Nootropic of Choice

You might already know that Tim Ferris, author of “The Four Hour Work Week,” is a nootropics user. His preferences and experiences were discussed shortly while being interviewed in a LondonReal episode. He mentioned some different supplements he has used in the past, and some he stays away from (meth derivatives). You won’t find him using synthetics or slamming Red Bulls. So what’s his natural nootropic “secret weapon”?

Interestingly, yerba mate is one of Tim Ferris’ nootropics of choice, especially when he is writing. The time he lived in Argentina may have introduced him to this restorative elixir, since yerba mate is a traditional beverage of South America, long used for its rejuvenating properties.

Yerba mate is typically consumed as a tea made from the steeped leaves and stems of the yerba mate plant. Since it contains caffeine, this natural drink has been used in South America as a stimulant for hundreds of years. Yerba mate also contains other nutrients such as antioxidants, vitamins, and minerals. Yerba mate has many desired positive effects. Here are a few benefits of yerba mate:

1. The stimulating effects of the caffeine are balanced by the amino acids, polyphenols, vitamins, and minerals, enhancing focus, mental energy and clarity.
2. Yerba mate enhances metabolism and can help your body use carbohydrates more efficiently, making the calories you eat for further and also helping your body use calories stored in fat cells for energy. Some people use it for the weight loss/control effects.
3. Also, compounds in yerba mate also help decrease muscle soreness. This makes for enhanced endurance.
4. Traditionally used as a digestive aid, yerba mate stimulates digestion and helps the stomach and colon work effectively and eliminate bad gut bacteria.
5. The amino acids and antioxidants in yerba mate support cardiovascular health by preventing arteriosclerosis and blood clots.
6. Since yerba mate is so rich in antioxidants, it naturally boosts your immune system.

How to Take Yerba Mate

While yerba mate is usually taken in as tea, you can skip the tea-brewing and drinking process and take yerba mate in other forms. Source Naturals makes yerba mate available in yerba mate pills, for those of you who wish to swallow it as a supplement. You can also open a can of Guayaki Brand Yerba Mate energy drink and drink it in place of potentially dangerous energy drinks like Red Bull or Monster Energy. If you want a quick boost – in a small package – you can try a Yerba Mate Energy Shot. Finally, you can get pure yerba mate extract as a tincture.

However you perfer to take it, Yerba Mate is a wonderful way to get clean energy without weird side effects. Yerba Mate is a unique plant with a unique balance of nutrients that has made it the go-to drink for centuries in South America. The combined benefits of energy, focus, enhanced metabolism, antioxidants, and more, are what make yerba mate a popular natural nootropic choice for many today.