Content and health risk assessment of selected elements in the Yerba mate (Ilex paraguariensis, St. hillaire)

Abstract

ABSTRACTElement contents and radical scavenging activity in commercial Yerba mate tea blends from Paraguay and Argentina were determined. The potential health risk for the consumers was also calculated. Element contents in Yerba mate was arranged as follows: K > Ca > Mg > Mn > Fe > Zn > Na > Cu > Ni > Cr > Pb > Cd (leaves and stalks) and K > Mg > Mn > Ca > Zn > Na > Fe > Cu > Ni > Cr > Pb > Cd (infusion). In total 73% of K, 69% of Mn, 15% of Ni and Cu, 9% of Cr, 8% of Zn, 7% of Mg, 6% of Pb, 3% of Na, 2% of Cd, 0.34% of Ca, and 0.13% of Fe were extracted from leaves and stalks to the brew. Yerba mate tea was characterized by very high antioxidant activity. Argentinean Yerba mate had slightly higher antioxidant activity than Paraguayan. The combined non-carcinogenic effect (HI values) for each infusion and for all three infusion were below 1, which indicated that daily consumption of Yerba mate tea infusions did not cause essential non-carcinogenic health risk. The daily consumption of Yerba mate infusions provided necessary elements in the amounts significantly below 1% of the Recommended Dietary Allowance (RDA) daily intake. The exception was amount of Mn in I infusion from the despalada kind of Yerba mate, which was equal to 1.43% of RDA for men and 1.82% of RDA for women.