Researchers from the Institut Pasteur de Montevideo, School of Medicine (Udelar) and the Catholic University of Uruguay, and a dentist from the School of Dentistry studied the impact of yerba mate consumption on people’s oral health.
The research, published in the journal Clinical Oral Investigations, focused on the effects of yerba mate on the microbiota of saliva, which is the group of bacteria and other microorganisms that inhabit it.
Uruguay is the main consumer of yerba mate in relation to its inhabitants, with a consumption of about ten kilos of yerba mate per capita per year. Its effects are similar to those of green tea.
The researchers analyzed the microorganisms present in the saliva of a group of people who drink mate and another group who do not consume it. Then, they compared the microorganisms present in the sample of the consumers in contrast with the non-consumers of the infusion.
They found that both yerba mate consumers and non-consumers had an abundance of Streptococcus, a genus of bacteria. However, the Streptococcus oralis subtype, which may be associated with less healthy oral health, was slightly more abundant in non-yerba mate drinkers.
In addition, the study found some indicators suggesting that yerba mate consumers may have a more diverse microbiome than non-consumers, thanks to a wider diversity of microorganisms. In general, a greater diversity of microorganisms is associated with a better health status.
These variables could contribute to the resilience and better health of the oral microbiome of yerba mate consumers, although more research is needed in this area.
