You’re in the US and need to buy some more yerba mate but don’t know where. We put together a list of places that sell yerba mate and some information about the store. Check it out and feel free to suggest more places for us to add!
Where to Buy Yerba Mate
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PampaDirect is my favorite yerba mate store. I regularly go to Buenos Aires deli in Chicago (N Cicero Ave) and know they have mate for sale. I can usually get good deals on Amazon.
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Guayaki is the best known North American brand. Their yerba is Fair Trade & Kosher. Their organic mate is unsmoked and sustainably sourced.
Mate Nutrition Facts
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Mate has a higher caffeine level than green tea. Since caffeine increases metabolism, which helps burn fat, this may give mate a slight benefit over green tea for fat burning.
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Kroger also has different brands of yerba mate available. If you wish to purchase yerba mate, you have to look for Brazilian or Paraguayan markets. Keep in mind that aside from dried leaves, there are drinks and tea bags.
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In supermarkets, look for yerba mate in the tea aisle first, then the international aisle with South American products.
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South Americans safely drink upwards of 1-4 liters of yerba mate per day. In the US and Europe, it’s not uncommon for an avid drinker to consume at least 1-2 liters per day.
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A blend of Evolution Fresh’s juices combined with an tea base of yerba mate and other teas creates the Starbucks version. For healthy people who use yerba mate infrequently, it is unlikely to pose a health concern.
How Yerba Mate Grows
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The yerba mate plant is not easily cultivated. The youngest, greenest leaves are hand-picked, dried and aged to make mate. Mate is served in a hollow gourd and sipped through a metal straw with a filter tip.
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Personal preference dictates what makes "great" mate.
Can I bring yerba mate into the US?
- Mate is said to have a higher caffeine level than green tea. To prepare yerba mate, you will need a gourd, a bombilla, and loose yerba mate leaves. I went to the "international" grocery store in the area of town with the most immigrants in Louisville and found a bag twice the size for only 3 dollars!
- Whether you’re looking for more yerba mate brands to try, the best prices/deals, or just a store able to ship to your country so you can finally get a taste of this herb, PampaDirect has you covered.
Mate Plant Facts
- In the wild, it grows up to 8 meters, 26 feet tall. The antioxidant capacity of yerba mate is approximately 90 percent higher than that of green tea. This may be noticed in the large quantity of polyphenols that it contains. Polyphenols are known to improve the natural defenses of the body and prevent the aging of cells. By lowering cholesterol levels, it is beneficial to the health of the heart.
Drinking Mate
There are 4 main components that make up drinking Yerba Mate. Always wait to be offered the mate by the cebador, never just help yourself.
Why is yerba mate so addictive?
Mate Taste and Preparation
- The flavor of yerba mate is often described as grassy, herbal, or similar to green tea. It’s prized for its caffeine content, typically falling between that of tea and coffee depending on the method of preparation. The young, shade-grown leaves are dried, aged for up to two years, and then ground into a mixture of leaf particles and twigs before being brewed.
Mate Health Benefits
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Yerba mate offers antioxidants, vitamins, and minerals. Some research suggests it may also aid blood lipids, weight loss, and concentration. The caffeine provides an energizing lift without the crash later on. For these reasons, yerba mate is growing in popularity worldwide as a replacement for coffee and tea.
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Outside South America, yerba mate products like tea bags or loose leaf are now widely available from specialty brands.