How long do you brew the herbal drink?
Ingredients
The herbal drink is a plant native to South America. To brew the herbal tea, you need leaves, a mate gourd or cup, a metal straw, and hot water. First, put the dry leaves in the cup. Then, pour a bit of cold water over them to protect the nutrients. Insert the metal straw. Finally, add hot water (80-100 F) but leave some dry leaves to strengthen the mate later.
Brewing Tips
The optimal brewing temperature is 160-180 F. This helps the leaves release their flavor quickly. The herbal drink contains less caffeine than coffee but more than standard tea. It may provide an energy boost and enhance mental focus without causing jitters.
The herbal drink also has vitamins and nutrients that can improve overall health. However, consuming too much may cause irritability and sleep disruption. The effects are gentler and last longer than coffee.
Sharing the herbal tea is an important cultural tradition in South America. It brings people together and signifies hospitality and friendship. Beyond being just a drink, it represents human connection.
Step-by-Step Guide
What You’ll Need
Here’s a guide on how to prepare the herbal drink tea. You’ll need looseleaf leaves, a mate cup, and a straw (bombilla).
Instructions
Fill the mate cup between 1/4 and 3/4 full with leaves. Cover with water between 70-80 °C. Insert the straw into the leaves. Give it a wiggle to make room under leaves. You can adjust strength by using more or less leaves or steeping for 1-3 minutes. Enjoy!
More About Mate
Mate is a drink made by steeping dried leaves from the plant in hot water. It tastes like green tea, with hints of tobacco and oak. You can make the herbal drink like any other tea. Use 1 tablespoon of yerba per 8 ounces of water. Let it steep for 3-5 minutes. Never use boiling water, as it makes the brew bitter.
Tips and Tricks
We share secrets to always get your mates right! Traditionally the person preparing the herbal drink is called a “cebador”. They pour the water into the gourd and pass it to each person in turn. You can practice this yourself. It’s easier to buy a pre-cultivated plant. Check Amazon. Add 3 spoons of Yerba Mate to your french press. Add cold water covering all leaves, then hot water 80-100 F. Let sit 2 minutes. Use a blend of cool and hot water so your yerba tastes great.
History and Culture
The herbal drink is native to South America. It’s consumed more than coffee there. Origins have folklore. Here’s a guide on preparing the herbal drink and what you need to start drinking it. Mate cups come in all shapes and materials. Gourd cups are natural from the plant Lagenaria Vulgaris. Place leaves in a cup, add cold water to soak, then add hot water. Drink with a bombilla, adding water until aroma disappears. The summer version is tereré: make a lemonade, pour into mate and drink after letting infuse using the bombilla. Like tea leaves, the plant can also be used in cooking.
Health Benefits
The leaves are used to make a tea called mate. Mate is prepared by steeping dry leaves in hot water. It is a cultural tradition shared communally in South America. The leaves have health benefits and contain caffeine.
How to Make Mate Tea
To make mate, you need a cup called a gourd, mate tea leaves, a metal straw with filter, and hot water. Fill the gourd up to three-quarters full with dry leaves. Add hot water. The water temperature should be 158-176 degrees Fahrenheit. Brewing time impacts flavor. Drink the tea through the metal straw. The straw has a filter to catch leaves.
The Mate Plant
Mate tea leaves come from an evergreen plant called Ilex paraguariensis. It grows in parts of Brazil, Argentina, Paraguay, and Chile. Native South American groups originally used Ilex plants medicinally. Mate gained popularity when European settlers arrived. Now it is an iconic tradition.
The plant contains antioxidants. Mate has polyphenols, flavonoids, and caffeine like tea or coffee. It may help reduce risk of some diseases. The leaves are harvested and dried to make mate tea bags. You can drink it hot or cold. Mate has a pleasant, grassy flavor.
How to Brew Mate
To brew, add mate tea leaves to a cup. Pour hot water over the leaves. Let it steep 3-5 minutes. Drink mate on its own or add milk and sweetener. Sharing mate with others represents hospitality and friendship in South American culture.