Yerba Mate: The Next Big Weight Management Ingredient?
Consumer demand, underused science, and clear whitespace in claims and formats all indicate that Yerba Mate has significant potential in the weight management space.
At CPG Radar, we built Signals to help brands cut through the noise and find real, data-backed innovation opportunities.
So to help you make the most of your Signals account, we'll be sharing real, practical examples of how you can identify the ingredients that will help you break through to new territory — starting today with Yerba Mate.
Yerba Mate is an ingredient with significant potential — offering a compelling blend of rising consumer demand, underused science, and clear whitespace in claims and formats.
Keep reading to see what we uncovered.
Consumer Interest in Yerba Mate is Surging
Yerba Mate, the traditional South American tea, is gaining serious traction—especially online, where it's been dubbed "Nature’s Ozempic" for its potential weight loss benefits. According to Signals data, consumer interest in Yerba Mate has surged in 2025, with search volume increasing 27% between January and March.
And according to social media analysis, consumers are more than twice as likely to associate Yerba Mate with weight loss benefits than brands are to promote those benefits. That gap signals unmet demand — and opportunity.
Underserved Claim Space: Weight Management
While Yerba Mate is commonly used in products positioned for energy and cognitive benefits, its application in weight management lags behind consumer interest. Brands have a potential opening to lean into this claim area more aggressively.
Strong (but Underused) Science
Signals’ Claims vs. Science analysis shows support for weight-related benefits. A systematic review of 32 studies found Yerba Mate improves metabolism and has antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects. One RCT even showed a statistically significant reduction in body fat among participants taking active Yerba Mate extract, though changes in weight and BMI didn’t reach significance.
While further review is needed to determine claim feasibility, the preliminary evidence is promising. The two mentioned studies, plus a full list of relevant studies is available in the Yerba Mate ingredient profile on Signals.
Format Innovation: A Gummy-Sized Opportunity
Yerba Mate is heavily concentrated in capsules (64.5%) and powders (12.9%), but remains rare in gummies (3.2%). That’s a potential whitespace for brands looking to stand out in a crowded weight management space. One caveat is around the ability to include an efficacious dose in formats like gummies or tablets.
The Bottom Line
High consumer interest, promising supporting science, and format gaps all point to Yerba Mate as a potentially compelling, under-leveraged ingredient for weight management products.
Most see the market. With Signals, you'll see what's next.
Yerba Mate is just one example of how Signals reveals untapped opportunities by linking consumer demand, clinical evidence, and market activity. Ingredient profiles go deep — with data on dosage, category use, search trends, top formulas, and claim benchmarking — plus automated analysis that stress-tests your concepts in real time.
Whether you’re focused on one ingredient or a full portfolio, use Signals to move faster, smarter, and with more confidence.
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