What’s the difference between kefir and yogurt?
Karen Collins, MS, RD, CDN American Institute for Cancer Research Q: Some sources refer to Yerba Maté as a risk factor for cancer but others say it is very healthful. What’s up? A: Yerba Maté, from the plant of the same name, is popular in parts of South America, where it is consumed through a metal straw as a scalding hot beverage. It’s spreading rapidly in the United States and Europe either as a tea or as an ingredient in foods and dietary supplements. Yerba Maté (also simply called maté) is high in antioxidant compounds called polyphenols. In laboratory studies, maté has protected DNA exposed to damaging chemicals and enhanced DNA repair. However, analysis also shows that both the leaves and hot or cold infusions made from them contain high levels of apparently cancer-causing compounds called PAHs. Population studies have linked maté to increased incidence of cancers of the mouth and throat. But it’s not clear how much of the link seen is related to alcohol and smoking. In a review
