What is Yerba Mate?

The first time I heard about yerba mate, I said it wrong by myself. Yerba sounds just the way it looks, but mate is pronounced "ma-tay". It took me longer to get used to the name than it did to get hooked on drinking it! So where does the name come from? Yerba is Spanish for herbs. Mate refers to the gourd cup used for drinking. In other words, yerba mate is literally a "cup of herbs".
Mate also has nothing to do with Australia other than the fact that it comes from the Southern Hemisphere! It actually flourishes in South America where it is comparable to North America's love for coffee and Europe's love for tea. Yerba mate has been around for centuries and can be seen all over Argentina, Uruguay, Paraguay and southern Brazil. It is so popular that you can regularly see people walking the streets with mate in hand. No, I've never been there to see it first-hand but it turns out my brother was even drinking it when he spent 3 months in Guyana.

The tea is brewed from the leaves of the yerba mate tree -- a species of holly that can grow up to 45 feet tall (15 meters). The leaf is packed into a hollowed out gourd and filled with boiling water. A kind of straw called a bombilla sits in the gourd for sipping the brew. Some cultures consider the drinking of mate a ritual. The gourd is passed around between friends and continually refilled until the taste is gone. This doesn't mean you can't brew it in a coffee-maker (like I usually do) but it's the traditional method for drinking mate.

Ten years ago yerba mate was almost unknown in North America but the times are changing. The health benefits from drinking yerba mate are far greater than that of green tea and as a result more health-conscious people have begun picking up on the concept of drinking mate. Sales are now 20 times what they were in 1995 and that figure will continue to rise as more people learn about it. Celebrities are even now boasting about their newly found drink.

Since switching to mate a couple years ago I have found myself full of energy and no longer needing as much sleep. I rarely get sick and feel altogether healthier than I've felt in years. Drinking mate also gives a strange buzz much like drinking coffee but without the shaking. I drink a cup in the morning and find myself alert, focused and completely refreshed. I'm ready to start the day and I often drink a cup or three as the day goes by.

You can purchase yerba mate online but it's usually available at your closest health food store. Some people are initially put-off by the funny look and taste of it. I agree plain yerba mate tea tastes a little like hay but I also don't drink my green tea or coffee black. A little sugar and milk taste great. If you'd like to try drinking it a different way, I have a growing list of recipes on my site. You may find something you like better and you might eventually be able to send in a new recipe!

I highly recommend trying yerba mate tea out for yourself -- especially if you're a coffee drinker. There are no side-effects and the health benefits are great. The experts say to have a glass of wine before bed every night for a healthier body and a longer life but why not go beyond that? I say have a cup of yerba mate every morning. You may end up loving it as much as I do!

Organic Yerba Mate Tea, One of Delicious Beverages

Those who never heard of organic Yerba Mate tea should look into it. This delicious beverage is an exceptional tea because it promotes mental alertness. How it is produced is by shade growing it, handpicked, wood dried and cedar aged. Since the beverage is organic no harmful pesticides and fertilizers are used during the production process, which makes the tea tastes even better.

Many of us drink coffee in the morning because we need the energy from the caffeine to start the day. Yerba Mate tea may be the solution to an alternative to the typical cup of coffee in the morning. I know when I wake up in the morning I can't begin the day without some sort of boost. I started drinking this delicious beverage and it does give you energy to be productive throughout the day with no crash later. I wasn't ever a tea drinker until someone introduced me to the tea and I'm glad they did because I feel healthier overall.

Since this comes in a variety of flavors you should find something you will enjoy. When looking for your tea, be sure you are getting it from a certified company to ensure your tea is organic. I still drink coffee sometimes but it has taken a back seat ever since I started drinking the Yerba Mate tea. I would recommend everyone at least give it a try because you might like it, plus it's good for your health. Organic Yerba Mate tea is something I wish I knew about sooner.

Yerba Mate

Yerba mate is a highly caffeinated tea that seems like the type of thing that would be popular in parts of South America or maybe Nepal. Guayaki is marketing it here as a tea-slash-energy drink. It is rich in polyphenols such as caffeine, caffeic acid, catechin, epicatechin gallate and quercetin. These polyphenols have antioxidant activity, the ability to scavenge oxidative stress causing free radicals. It can be used for weight loss, physical and mental fatigue, nervous depression, rheumatic pains and psychogenic and fatigue related headaches. In Germany it has become popular as a weight-loss aid and appetite suppressant. It is a South American shrub, which is cultivated so that its tender shoots and leaves can be harvested.

The dried shoots and leaves are used to create a beverage called mate, which is one of the most popular beverages in South America. It is an evergreen tree that reaches a height of 60 to 90 feet, although the cultivated versions are kept at 12 to 18 feet. This finicky shrub grows only in locations with iron-rich, acidic soil and a semi tropical climate with at least 57 inches of rain per year. It is a member of the holly family, evident by its leathery leaves. It grows wild in the rainforests of Paraguay (where it is cultivated). Yerba mate is generating a buzz in Hollywood. Alicia Silverstone swears by the organic version to help give her healthy energy to get through long days of filming on the set. It is a drink native to South America, considered similar to green tea in both composition and taste. Although it is not a typical tea, it is called a tea for its similarities to other drinks and due to the fact that it also contains nutrients and chemicals associated with very few side effects.

This herb is not recommended for use during pregnancy. Consult your doctor before using this product. It is enjoyed by people throughout South America and it's a very social activity. Take a sip from the bombilla and pass it on to your companions; it's much more social and pleasant to share it with your friends, unless you're germaphobic. Yerba Mate is reputed to induce mental clarity, sustain energy levels, improve mood and increase libido. It is known as the national drink of these countries and is consumed by millions of South Americans as a healthful alternative to coffee. This stimulating herbal beverage has the unique ability to wake up the mind without the nervousness and jitters associated with coffee. The mate is traditionally prepared in a gourd, filtered through a bombilla and enjoyed in a communal ritual passing the gourd from one person to the next.

It is known for its effects of sustained energy, mood elevation, mental clarity and appetite control. The plant contains 196 active compounds, including 24 vitamins and minerals and 15 amino acids. Yerba mate is a dioecious plant, meaning that the male and female flowers are born on separate plants. The fruit is a very small globular double berry that is green when new, turning a brilliant red-purple with maturity. Yerba mate is a totally unique blend of flavors that is often compared to a combination of green tea and coffee. There is a distinctively leafy flavor to mate that I've yet to find anywhere else. It is judged very good when it consists of a mild, earthy, woody, and long lasting taste with only a hint of bite. Yerba Mate is an invigorating tonic to the body and mind. It is more than just good for the body; it's good for the soul. Drinking it can be a form of meditation or reflection - allowing the goodness to infuse into the body while stimulating and resting the mind.