It is a traditional South American drink made from the leaves and stems of a holly plant native to regions like Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay, and Uruguay. When you first try it, you’ll notice it has a strong, earthy flavor, like grass or soil. It can also taste slightly bitter or nutty. Some brands have a milder flavor, while others are quite bitter due to the tannins. The flavor can also be woodsy, herby, or smokey depending on processing methods. For example, smoke drying can make it taste smokey.
Over time, as you get used to the unique taste, you’ll be able to pick out subtle notes like butter or toast. Brands also mix the natural flavor with fruit, herbs, and other flavors like mint, honey, or citrus. So you can find sweet, fruity drinks as well as traditional bitter ones.
This caffeinated, antioxidant-rich tea is often consumed socially in South America, sharing a gourd and metal straw. Gauchos (South American cowboys) famously pause cattle ranching to drink rounds of it.
The flavor varies by brand but top tastes include:
- earthy
- grassy
- herby
- bitter tannins
- smokey
- nutty
- mild
- and when blended – sweet fruity flavors.
It’s an acquired taste like coffee or beer, but fans can drink 1-4 liters daily given its energizing properties. The leaves can be reused 10-30 times before the flavor fades.
It is a traditional South American drink made from the leaves and stems of the plant. It has an earthy and bitter taste that can be challenging to understand for those who have never tried it before. The flavor profile can vary depending on the brand and how it is prepared.
The taste can be overwhelming at first, but at the end it is a herbal infusion with a herbal tea-like taste. In general, it is more bitter, more pronounced and bolder than green tea or other herbal teas. I would describe the taste as a bitter earthy tobaccoey and sweeter green tea but bold and tart like a black tea with effects of coffee.
What affects the taste includes how it is grown, dried, and ground. Ground with more stems will taste lighter and sweeter while ground without stems can be dustier and heavier. Like other herbal infusions and teas, it has health benefits like treating obesity.
The herbal and grass-like flavor is often described as refreshing and invigorating. It has an earthiness with hints of bitterness that are balanced by a natural sweetness. It is an acquired taste that grows on you over time. With every sip, you feel a burst of energy and a renewed sense of vitality.
It has a slight astringent bitter taste due to the high tannin content of the leaves. As with other bitter beverages like black coffee or tea, straight it is an acquired taste for some consumers.
A beginner may not be able to identify the exact flavor. While the taste will differ from person to person, you’ll be able to tell if it’s right for you based on how much you enjoy it.
It is very woody with a strong vegetable flavor and a bit of smokiness. It’s much more subdued and tastes very natural.
There are ways to improve the taste if you enjoy the benefits but not the bitter taste.
- Add sugar after steeping tea bags.
- Purchase flavor infused ones.
- Make iced tea.
Yerba mate taste depends on preparation and brand. It ranges from bitter to smokey. The bitterness comes from tannins. Some enjoy the bitter taste, others add mint, honey, sugar, milk or citrus to balance it. Brands vary from strong bitter to milder taste. Some brands take on a smokey flavor based on processing.
It contains xanthines like caffeine and theobromine. These stimulate and make it somewhat bitter. It also has little vitamins C and B1.
The strong taste causes overwhelming reactions, especially when sipped traditionally from a gourd and metal straw. It tastes earthy or vegetal with subtle camphor or eucalyptus. You’ll notice a slightly bitter taste when steeped like tea. Once acquainted with the flavor, it becomes easily consumable and enjoyable.
Studies on whether it is good for you are lacking. Those who take Adderall recreationally should try it and see how it makes them feel. It may be more beneficial and less harmful. If you have experience with both or questions, please comment.
Sweetened and flavored mate with herbs or citrus rind is sold. It’s served hot or iced, pure or with fruit juice or milk.
It is tea from the plant native to South America. It has been consumed by indigenous communities for centuries as a social and medicinal drink. Recently it has spread beyond South America due to reported health benefits and unique flavor.
Hot it involves steeping loose leaves before straining into a cup or gourd and sipping through a metal straw. The taste is strong and earthy. For something refreshing, cold brew crushed leaves overnight in cool water then drain liquid after hours.
The taste is strong and earthy, similar to green tea. Coffee is more bitter, mild or strong depending on type and brewing. It has half the caffeine of coffee but also compounds that boost energy and cognition.
In South America it is everywhere – grandparents at bus stops, teenagers outside night clubs, families at the beach. Grocery stores have aisles. Sharing it in a circle with friends and family is a hospitality ritual.