The cup is usually half full of mate tea. The gourds are made of metal, glass, wood, or clay. Everyone says thanks before drinking it and gives it back afterwards. The brewer refills the hot water and continues giving it to the next person in clockwise order.
Types of Cups
Cups are traditionally made from a hollowed-out gourd. You can also use cups made of ceramic, wood, metal or glass. Fill the cup with leaves and pour hot water over them. The cup is passed around a circle of people, each taking a turn drinking the mate through a metal straw called a bombilla. After drinking, the cup is passed to the next person.
Health Benefits
The tea has many health benefits. It contains antioxidants, vitamins and minerals. The tea must be drunk continuously for weeks or months to get the full effects. The herb is ingested in most households in Argentina. The Guaraní named it “ka’a,” meaning “herb.” The word mate comes from “mati,” meaning “infusion” or “gourd” in Quechua.
Before first use, natural cups like wood or calabash gourds must go through a "curing" process. This removes bitter flavors and allows the mate to absorb the tea’s flavor over time.
The plant offers stimulant compounds providing an energy boost similar to coffee, but without negative side effects like jitters or insomnia. It can also help prevent colon cancer and improve brain function.
There are many types of cups, including ceramic, wood, silicone and glass. Natural gourds come in various shapes and get decorated with leather or alpaca silver.
The traditional way to make the tea is by using a gourd and bombilla straw. But you can also brew it in a French press for a quicker preparation.
The preparation needs hot water, leaves, and a bombilla straw to filter the leaves. Traditionally, the tea is served in a decorated calabash gourd. You can also use ceramic or wood cups. The bombilla straw and amount of leaves also impact flavor.
The plant grows in South America. After harvest, leaves are dried over a fire. This oxidizes the leaves to bring out more flavor. The leaves or loose leaf is then steeped to make a tea.
Cultural Significance
Sharing connects people and builds community. The mate gourd and bombilla represent traditions that fuel meaningful rituals.
Sipping continuously extracts more nutrients and flavor. People gather in nature to share. The bombilla straw is passed around to share one gourd.
The tea is made from the leaves of a South American holly tree. It contains caffeine, antioxidants, vitamins, and minerals. The caffeine content is slightly less than in coffee. It provides a gentle energy boost.
Typically, the dried leaves are placed in a special gourd or cup. Hot water is poured over them, and the tea is sipped through a metal straw called a bombilla. Sharing and preparing the tea together is an important social custom in South America.
While not a magic solution for health or weight loss, the tea is a wholesome and energizing drink with an interesting cultural tradition behind it.
The tea is known for its stimulating and medicinal properties. It has a unique, earthy, and slightly bitter taste. The bitterness comes primarily from the tannins it contains.
The tea contains a moderate amount of caffeine. This caffeine content is linked to increased alertness, improved concentration and memory, reduced fatigue, and enhanced physical performance. The tea gives you an energy boost similar to coffee. It also motivates by stimulating the production of dopamine, the body’s natural “feel good” neurotransmitter.
The plant contains nearly all of the vitamins necessary for human survival. It is one of the most nutritious plants in the world. Consuming the tea can increase the beneficial effects that workouts have on your metabolism.
In Argentina, consumption rises up to 14 pounds per person per year. Over 90% of households ingest the tea. Argentinians see sharing the tea as sharing something valuable that takes them back to their cultural roots.
The tea is traditionally consumed by continuously sipping it for several hours. More leaves or water are added as needed. Each steep releases more nutrients and flavor. The tea is usually enjoyed in a social gathering in a calm, beautiful outdoor setting. One gourd and bombilla is passed around a group.