This infusion is traditionally drunk from a container called a gourd or calabash. You sip it from a metallic or wooden straw with a filter so the leaf pieces don’t go through. The flavor resembles green tea. It’s bitter with a grassy flavor. The leaves are dried, chopped, ground into a powder, then drunk with hot water.
This South American beverage is more bitter than green tea. I’d describe the taste as a bitter, earthy, tobaccoey, naturally sweet green tea, but bolder like a black tea. It has an eucalyptus scent some find unsettling. The caffeine provides an energy boost linked to increased alertness and concentration. It does not cause the jitters coffee can. This infusion also has a diuretic effect helping the body eliminate toxins.
In Argentina this South American beverage outnumbers coffee by a factor of six. People carry thermo flasks to keep water warm as it is refilled several times. It’s traditionally the national drink. Argentinians don’t go a day without drinking it. The bombilla straw filters the powder and acts as a sieve.
Drinking 1-4 liters daily is common in South America. In U.S., Canada and Europe 1-2 liters per day is common for avid drinkers. The possible side effects of drinking large amounts over long periods include headaches, anxiety, ringing ears and irregular heartbeats. It’s generally safe in moderation.
This infusion provides an energy boost similar to coffee. It slowly works through your system with its chemicals. These contribute to its unique taste and health benefits.
This has a grassy bitterness, not like black tea’s tannins. It’s an acquired taste beloved by many tea aficionados.
With 85mg caffeine per cup, this has less caffeine than coffee but more than tea. So it may increase energy and reduce fatigue, like other caffeinated foods. It provides a lift while avoiding coffee’s eventual crash.
First cultivated by indigenous Guarani people, this remains a strong tradition in parts of South America. This is spreading globally. People enjoy it for purported health benefits like increased mental focus and weight loss. However, evidence for these benefits is still limited.
Research shows this contributes to weight loss like green tea. It soothes digestion problems including constipation and diarrhea. Indigenous South Americans first cultivated this prior to colonization. At 85 mg per cup, this contains less caffeine than coffee but more than tea. It provides an energy boost similar to coffee, with more nutrients and less caffeine. This contains antioxidants rivaling green tea. The Cruz de Malta variety has a strong, smoky flavor with bitter edges and natural sweetness. Compounds in this fight certain cancers but long-term use by smokers increases other cancer risks. This is bitter when brewed. Adding flavor produces a more tasty drink. It has a strong earthy flavor with grassy, mildly bitter undertone and eucalyptus scent. This stimulates the body and mind longer than coffee without causing a caffeine crash. It has adaptogenic properties promoting calm. The Starbucks version contains black tea, this South American beverage, pu’erh tea, green tea or matcha. This is an infusion of holly tree leaves while matcha is a tea plant powder. The plant leaves are brewed to make the drink with an herby, earthy flavor.
A cup of this typically has about 85 milligrams of caffeine, while a cup of coffee contains about 95. That means this has less caffeine than coffee. Drinking this tea will give you some improved focus and mood — but less than coffee.
This may have impressive antioxidants, but coffee also has health benefits. More studies have been done on coffee since coffee is more popular.
This interacts with mind and body differently than coffee due to other stimulatory compounds.
This and coffee both provide caffeine boosts, but this has theobromine which balances caffeine’s effect, providing prolonged energy without crash or heart palpitations.
Coffee is known for bold, pronounced flavors like acidity, bitterness, sweetness and even saltiness. This has an earthy flavor.
50 grams this and 500 ml water contains around 200 mg caffeine, double the 100 mg in coffee. So this provides the highest energy boost.
Each beverage has distinct taste and benefits. It’s up to personal choice for well-being and health.