How Many Refills?
The drink can be refilled multiple times without losing flavor or health benefits. In fact, flavor can improve with each refill as leaves continue releasing oils and flavors.
To enhance the experience: drink it on an empty stomach. However, limit intake as too much caffeine has risks like any other food or drink.
For the perfect temperature, use 160-180°F water. Temperature greatly affects taste and experience.
The traditional method uses a gourd and bombilla filter straw. Iced tereré, is also popular. Other methods include french presses and coffee machines.
When drinking from a gourd, refill 10-30 times until flavor is gone. But reusing leftovers from the previous day has risks.
The Yerba Mate Plant
The plant is ready to harvest at four years old. Climate, region and altitude affect exact timing. To be called tea, it must come from the tea plant. So it is not technically a tea.
It is not an infusion or tisane either. It’s made from the dried leaves of the plant mixed with hot water. A metal straw strains the leaves and acts as a sieve.
Refilling and Reusing Yerba Mate
It is a drink made by steeping dried leaves from the plant in hot water. It tastes somewhat like green tea, with hints of tobacco and oak. You can reuse it, as long as you don’t see any mold or mildew growing. The gourd is typically made from natural materials such as gourd or wood and is often decorated with intricate designs. The metal straw or bombilla is used to filter out the leaves as you sip.
When brewing for multiple refills, use the recommended temperature around 160-180°F. This can enhance the flavor and experience. Depending on the quality of the leaves and brewing method, you can refill the gourd 10 to 30 times. Just make sure to properly clean and maintain your gourd to avoid any health risks.
You can make it using a coffee maker. Simply add one tablespoon per cup of water into a coffee filter and brew as normal coffee. Be careful not to overfill the filter. You can also use teabags or a strainer. Pour hot water over it and let it soak for 4 to 6 minutes.
The traditional way to drink it involves a gourd, bombilla, hot water, and leaves. Put a pile of leaves into the gourd, add hot water, and sip through the bombilla. One gourd can be refilled 10 to 20 times. It is often enjoyed socially in nature. The gourd is passed around, with one person refilling it with hot water.
Health Benefits and Risks
It has caffeine and other stimulants found in tea and chocolate. It has numerous health benefits but can be dangerous if consumed in excess. Pregnant women and those with cardiovascular disease should not drink it. The ideal water temperature for brewing is 140°F to 160°F. This allows the leaves to release flavor without becoming bitter. It is generally shared and passed between people.
Preparation Methods
It is made from the dried leaves and twigs of the Ilex paraguariensis tree. To prepare it, place 2-3 teaspoons of the loose leaves into a mate gourd or cup. Wet the leaves with cold water, then pour hot water (140°F to 160°F) over the leaves and through a metal straw called a bombilla into your cup. The bombilla acts as a strainer. It can be refilled 10 to 30 times until the flavor is gone. When sharing mate, the cebador prepares and drinks the first cupful, as most particles go through the bombilla on the first pass. Then the cebador refills the gourd and passes it to the next person. The mate is continually refilled and shared around.
Does It Count as Water Intake?
Add one tablespoon per cup of water into a coffee filter and brew as you would a normal pot of coffee. Be careful not to overfill the filter, as it expands when wet and can overflow.
Any machine or device you already use for coffee or other teas will get the job done.
In order to follow these instructions, you will need a gourd and bombilla. Fill the gourd up to 3/4 full with leaves. Pour hot (not boiling) water into the gourd. Drink the tea by sipping it through the bombilla over the course of 10-20 minutes. Refill the gourd up to 30 times before replacing the leaves.
Additional Information
The natives discovered that they could make a drink with the plant, but they had to dried the leaves first. It is poisonous if not dried.
When preparing it, you want to drink it with water that is hot, but not boiling. Firstly, because drinking anything at extremely hot temperatures can lead to certain types of cancer. Secondly, because you will burn the loose-leaf, making it taste burnt.
It takes around three kilos of Plant to create one kilo.